Site Manager - Aviation Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Role Title: Site Manager – Aviation Operations

Permanent Location: Fort Rucker, Alabama, co-located with a confidential U.S. military aviation training program

Initial Hybrid Location (First 6 Months): Southern California

Reporting To: VP, Customer Success

Direct Reports: Technical Support Representative; Fleet Sustainment & Spares Coordinator

Travel: Permanent – Up to 25%, as required / First 6 Months – Up to 75%

Compensation: $120,000–$140,000 annually (Dependent on Experience and Qualifications)

Position Summary

A confidential aerospace company is seeking a Site Manager to lead day-to-day on-site customer success operations supporting a U.S. military aviation training program in Alabama. Co-located with the customer's program team, this role is responsible for day-to-day management of the company's field team and directly supervises the on-site Technical Support Representative and Fleet Sustainment & Spares Coordinator, ensuring fleet availability, parts flow, customer satisfaction, and safe, mission-ready sustainment of training aircraft.

As the senior on-site leader, the Site Manager owns local execution and serves as the primary escalation point for maintenance and supply issues affecting fleet readiness. The ideal candidate combines site and operations leadership experience with familiarity in rotary-wing flight training environments and the ability to lead a small, high-performing field team embedded with the customer.

Essential Job Functions

Site Operations Leadership

• Lead day-to-day site operations for the aviation training program.
• Ensure fleet availability and aircraft readiness to meet customer training requirements.
• Oversee safe, compliant execution of maintenance, sustainment, and parts support activities.
• Manage site schedules, resources, and daily operational priorities across technical and spares functions.

Team Leadership & Direct Reports

• Directly supervise, develop, and evaluate the on-site Technical Support Representative and Fleet Sustainment & Spares Coordinator.
• Set priorities and coordinate workload across maintenance-support and parts-coordination functions.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for Aircraft on Ground (AOG) events, technical issues, and supply shortfalls.
• Conduct performance management, coaching, and professional development for direct reports.
• Foster a safety-first, team-oriented culture within the customer environment.
• Ensure personnel are trained, equipped, and staffed to meet mission requirements.

Customer & Mission Readiness

• Serve as the senior day-to-day on-site point of contact for the customer.
• Support operational readiness reviews and fleet health assessments.
• Ensure timely resolution of customer issues affecting flight training operations.
• Coordinate with senior Business Development leadership on customer engagement at the site.

Program & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate with the Program Manager on cost, schedule, and performance at the site level.
• Interface with Engineering, Product Support, Logistics, Supply Chain, Customer Success, Business Development, and Program Management teams.
• Consolidate site reporting from the Technical Support Representative and Fleet Sustainment & Spares Coordinator.
• Initiate operational changes to improve cost of operation and customer satisfaction.

Documentation & Reporting

• Prepare site status reports, readiness updates, and customer briefings.
• Maintain site records, documentation, and configuration management compliance.
• Track, monitor, and report established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including fleet availability, AOG response, component overhaul completion rates, and parts fill rates.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aviation, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 7+ years of site, maintenance, or operations management experience, preferably within aviation, aerospace, military, or defense environments.
• Experience directly supervising technical and/or logistics personnel.
• Demonstrated leadership of technical and customer-facing teams, including performance management of direct reports.
• Strong understanding of aircraft maintenance, sustainment, logistics, or fleet-support operations.
• Strong customer service, organizational, and risk management skills.
• Demonstrated effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Jira, ERP systems, and maintenance/ticketing applications.
• Ability to work on-site in Alabama, including hangar and flight line environments.
• Work hours are assigned based on business needs Monday through Friday; occasional weekend work may be required based on maintenance and operational demands.
• Ability to travel as required.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Must possess a current passport.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a rotary-wing flight training or aircraft sustainment environment.
• 5+ years of experience maintaining or supporting rotary-wing aircraft.
• FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) ratings.
• Experience supporting Department of Defense, Federal Government, military aviation, or aerospace customers.
• Experience managing aircraft availability, AOG response, maintenance support, and aviation parts/logistics operations.
• Experience managing KPIs related to fleet readiness, aircraft availability, parts fill rates, and maintenance performance.