Director of Planning

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Who we are and where we are going:  

Ascent Aviation Services is one of the largest aviation maintenance, repair, overhaul, storage, and reclamation operations in the world. Our strength comes from our talented and professional employees who excel through teamwork and enthusiasm. Ascent Aviation Services continues to grow and is continually looking for motivated and career-minded aviation professionals who will support our vision and goals. 

The Director of Planning is responsible for the overall management of Planning, Production Control, and Operational Capacity. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), this position provides leadership for all planning operations within the business unit and is accountable for planning, quality, customer satisfaction, operational execution, workforce performance, and financial results. The Director of Planning leads the execution of long and short range schedules for accomplishing work packages in a timely and cost effective manner.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Business Unit Leadership & Strategy

• Assists the Chief Operating Officer in developing and implementing policies, plans and programs to ensure effective scheduling and management of work packages
• Provides the COO and leadership team with visibility of capacity, schedule risks, resource requirements, and operational constraints.
• Converts customer, engineering, and work-scope requirements into executable production plans and establishes baselines for scope, schedule, labor, materials, and aircraft turnaround.
• Establishes realistic aircraft turnaround targets and monitors progress against approved plans, escalating schedule risks and constraints.

Operational Execution

• Ensures that the necessary coordination within areas of responsibility is taking place.  Analyzes and resolves work problems and remains available for consultation of matters relating to work being performed.
• Consults with all segments of management responsible for policy or action.  Makes recommendations for improving execution of timelines or work scope
• Coordinate labor forecasting, tooling availability, and material readiness to match upcoming customer work scopes
• Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like plan adherence, man-hour utilization, and on-time aircraft redelivery.

Workforce Leadership & Development

• Establishes realistic aircraft turnaround targets and monitors progress against approved plans, escalating schedule risks and constraints.
• Manage and develop staff within the planning department through clear communication and expectations

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with HR, Quality, Maintenance, Materials, Finance, and Facilities.
• Partner with Sales, Engineering, Quality, and Production Control teams to review work packages and resolve workflow bottlenecks.

Customer Relations

• Maintain strong customer relationships and participate in operational reviews.
• Support contract discussions and resolve escalated customer concerns.

Regulatory Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with FAA regulations and company procedures.
• Support audit readiness and corrective action programs.

Financial Management

• Own business unit financial performance, including revenue, margin, productivity, and labor efficiency.
• Develop budgets, forecasts, and resource plans.
• Identify cost reduction and profitability improvement opportunities.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Use operational metrics to drive decision-making and performance improvements.

YOU WILL GET MORE THAN JUST COMPENSATION:

• 401K with Company Match

• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• PTO - Eligible for 3 Weeks in your First Year, in Addition to 7 Paid Company Holidays
• Company-Provided Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life Insurance
• Development and Career Growth Opportunities

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing planning teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage integrated schedules, production plans, resource requirements and performance metrics. 
• Strong analytical, problem solving, decision making skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and operational constraints. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 5 years of progressive aviation maintenance, MRO, or aerospace planning experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• Lean Six Sigma or Continuous Improvement certification.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:  

• Ability to work in aircraft maintenance environments and travel as required.

EQUIPMENT OPERATED:  

• Telephone, personal computer, multiple printers, copy machine, and shredder.

• May be required to operate additional office equipment not explicitly listed in this description as needed to perform job duties effectively. 

WORKING CONDITIONS:  

• Frequent interaction with aircraft maintenance facilities, hangars, and operational environments. Availability to support operational needs during irregular schedules and critical events.

OTHER DUTIES:  

• Additional duties may be assigned at the discretion of department management. 

SMS REQUIREMENTS: 

• Employees are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with company policies and government regulations. These rules are written in the interest of preserving the lives and the resources entrusted to each employee, and when the rules are violated, the risk of a mishap is usually increased.
• Employees shall participate in safety education programs and train to recognize hazards on the job and how to report them promptly. As a condition of employment, each member of Ascent Aviation agrees to report errors, incidents, and accidents honestly.
• An employee who observes an unsafe action or condition should bring it to the attention of supervisors and managers. Certain conditions may allow the employee to easily correct or condition a situation. 

Ascent Aviation Services is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment. We provide equal employment opportunities and are committed to making reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of their job. 

If you require any accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know. EEO/AA/F/M/VET/DIS