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Director, Maintenance Operations - Flight School Next

Bell is looking for a Director, Maintenance Operations, in Ozark, Alabama. You will provide senior leadership for all flight training activities in support of Flight School Next. The Director of Maintenance for the Flight School Next (FSN) program provides enterprise-level leadership, strategy, and governance for all maintenance activities supporting Army pilot training operations.

This role defines long‑range maintenance strategy, oversees regulatory compliance, drives digital maintenance integration, ensures subcontractor performance, and enables fleet readiness of the Bell 505 through coordinated oversight of maintenance control, EFMS, maintenance compliance, maintenance training, dispatch operational alignment, and maintenance analytics. This position is accountable for the safe, compliant, and efficient execution of all maintenance functions within the FSN ecosystem and serves as the primary interface with senior leadership, customer stakeholders, and subcontracted Part 145 repair stations

What You’ll Be Doing as the Director, Maintenance Operations:

Strategic Leadership & Program Direction

• Define and lead the long‑range maintenance strategy, Program of Maintenance, and overall sustainment roadmap for the FSN fleet.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across maintenance control, compliance, dispatch, training, and analytics functions.
• Build and sustain a culture of safety, compliance, disciplined execution, and continuous learning across the FSN maintenance enterprise.

Regulatory Compliance, Safety & Airworthiness Oversight

• Provide senior oversight of aircraft airworthiness decisions, compliance controls, and regulatory alignment across all maintenance activities.
• Ensure documentation accuracy, configuration discipline, and adherence to the Bell Program of Maintenance and FSN Performance Work Statement.
• Lead subcontractor and internal audit readiness, quality investigations, and compliance assurance activities.

Subcontractor & Partner Management

• Serve as the primary executive interface with subcontracted Part 145 repair stations, ensuring performance, contract compliance, and issue resolution.
• Oversee escalations involving airworthiness relief (AWRs), configuration issues, documentation discrepancies, and readiness impacts.
• Coordinate cross‑functionally with engineering, supply chain, quality, and flight operations to resolve complex technical issues.

Fleet Readiness & Operational Integration

• Oversee fleet readiness visibility, discrepancy management processes, minimum equipment list (MEL) governance, and technical decision‑making.
• Lead forecasting, maintenance planning integration, and operational risk mitigation across maintenance and dispatch activities.
• Ensure dispatch information and operational schedules seamlessly integrate with maintenance plann