Managing Director Fleet Engineering

Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you.

The Managing Director, Fleet Engineering sets the long-term strategy and oversees the financial performance of Maintenance Programs, Systems, Avionics, Structures, Powerplant and Service Engineering at Alaska Airlines. As a people leader, this role establishes strategic goals and direction for a team of leaders to ensure the M&E Division is in technical compliance with all regulatory requirements to ensure safe and compliant operations. This leader oversees and drives improvement and overall reliability of the fleet and optimizes technical performance, and interfaces with regulatory authorities (FAA, EASA, etc.) on engineering matters, audits and inspections. This role is primarily accountable for sustaining the airworthiness, reliability, and compliance of the in-service fleet, with deep focus on continuous improvement, technical safety, and operational performance across all aircraft systems and configurations.

• Establish strategic goals and direction for team of multiple engineering disciplines including airframe, powerplant, avionics and systems engineering and ensures technical compliance with all regulatory requirements to assure safe and compliant operations.
• Set long-term strategy for the technical compliance and engineering standards across the fleet of 717s, 737s, A321, A330 and 787 fleet.
• Directs the day-to-day operations of the Engineering department per policies and procedures established by the Vice President of Maintenance & Engineering (M&E).
• Ensures that safety and compliance is the number one priority in every action or decision considered.
• Leads the evaluation of modifications to aircraft and aircraft systems. Provides 24/7 engineering support and technical services support for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events.
• Partners with peers in Maintenance, Stores, Quality, and Planning to ensure Engineering provides safe, compliant, and efficient products and services.
• Ownership of the Reliability Program, including mechanical reliability, and monitoring key indicators such as maintenance recovery, parts availability/quality, network performance, and planning effectiveness, ensuring the sustained reliability of the M&E operation.
• Provides leadership and direction to ensure high performance standards/culture are maintained in the areas of safety, compliance, costs, and quality.
• Develop people through effective performance management and ongoing feedback, focusing on fostering strategic and systems thinking, development of talent, and succession planning across teams and functions.
• Drive effective practices to build a culture of belonging.
• Influence company culture through action, presence, and reinforcement of behavior.
• Collaborate with maintenance and operation to improve on-time performance and reduce delays driven by technical issues.
• Ensures strict and timely compliance with all Airworthiness Directives (ADs), 14CFRs, international regulatory requirements, and company standards.
• Influence across company and provides strategic recommendations to enterprise leaders, and partners with stakeholders both inside and outside of the division to ensure optimal decisions and timely implementation.
• Represents the airline on technical issues and influences the industry to ensure Alaska Air Group’s (AAG’s) interests are integrated in new policy.
• Ensures proper development of engineering documentation, including manuals and Engineering instructions. Ensures instructions are customized to correct inaccuracies and also to make straight forward for technicians and inspectors to follow.
• Partners within and across divisions with key contacts (e.g., Flight Operations, Finance, etc.).
• Serves as member of the Continuous Analysis and Surveillance Review Board (CASRB) and the Executive Corrosion Review Board (ECRB).

Required

• 10 years of progressive experience in an airline engineering organization managing multi-aircraft type fleet.
• 5 years of people leadership experience.
• Bachelor’s degree of Science, with a focus in an engineering field such as aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or willingness to attain a Bachelor’s degree within six years of start date.
• Knowledge of both airline engineering and aircraft maintenance practices.
• Knowledge of FAA regulations and practices, with the ability to build positive working relationships with regulators and industry policymakers.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable operational outcomes through leadership of large, cross-functional technical teams.
• Demonstrated ability to influence change and initiate actions that have strategic impact and drive a high performance culture.
• Strong communication (e.g., verbal, written, presentation) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to create collaborative relationships that drive outcomes in the best interest of the company, with others in the organization, and with key external business partners.
• Sound, strategic thinker with a track record of demonstrating good judgement, strong business acumen, and executing plans with a sense of urgency and a mind for safety.
• Demonstrated knowledge of continuous improvement techniques.
• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred:

• Continuous improvement, Lean, or Six Sigma certification.
• A Master of Business Administration degree.

Important notification for employees working at an airport or maintenance hangar: Employees will be required to obtain a SIDA badge provided by the airport authority and maintain good standing in order to keep their SIDA badge. Review the SIDA Badge Requirements document for a comprehensive overview. If an employee does not qualify for a SIDA badge or has their SIDA badge pulled from them, the employee will be terminated. 

• Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be caring and kind, and deliver performance.
• Create a culture where all employees feel safe and they belong.
• Strong cross-divisional team leader who drives excellence; develops, mentors, and coaches others, and can create excitement around a compelling vision in a collaborative, team-oriented fashion.
• Innovative, apolitical, resilient, fact-based, and creative solutions-focused mindset, with ability to thrive in a rapidly-changing, collaborative environment and to manage conflict.
• Exceptional integrity, with impeccable ethics in safety and compliance.

The pay range and total target compensation package listed above is the expected pay offered for this position at the start of employment. Your pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, your relevant experience/level, experience level, and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Horizon employees. Alaska/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate.

Note: We don't typically hire at the top of the range. 

Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.

• Unlimited confirmed travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air (flight processing fee may apply depending on the company being hired into and the airline being booked) 
• Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous 401k match program
• Quarterly and annual bonus plans
• Equity grants
• Generous holiday and paid time off
• Lounge membership

For more information about Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon Total Rewards please visit our career site and view benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement  

It is the policy of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment and to ensure equal opportunity in all terms, conditions, and benefits of employment or potential employment.   

We also prohibit discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories.  

We have established an EEO Compliance Program under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 503”) and the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (“VEVRAA”).  All applicants and employees are treated without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. In addition, we have established an audit and reporting system to allow for effective measurement of its equal employment opportunity activities.   

To implement this policy, we will: 

(1) Recruit, hire, train and promote qualified persons in all job titles, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and any other legally protected categories; 
(2) Ensure that employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements; and 
(3) Ensure that all personnel actions and employment activities such as compensation, benefits, promotions, layoffs, return from layoff, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air sponsored programs, and tuition assistance will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories. 

Employees and applicants for employment will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have engaged or may engage in (1) filing a complaint, (2) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by, or exercising any other right protected by, any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions of VEVRAA, or (3) assisting or participating in any investigation, compliance evaluation, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions  of VEVRAA. 

Government Contractor & Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations 
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT – regulations, 49 CFR part 40) and all applicants are advised that post-offer and/or pre-employment drug testing will be conducted to determine the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opioids, phencyclidine (PCP) and amphetamines or a metabolite of these drugs prior to any offer or employment or transfer into a safety-sensitive position. Failure to submit to testing or positive indications of drug use will render the applicant ineligible for employment with Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines/Horizon Air and any employment offer will be withdrawn.