F/A-18 Kuwait Maintenance Manager — Operational (“O”) Level Maintenance

F/A-18 Kuwait Maintenance Manager — Operational (“O”) Level Maintenance

Company:

Boeing Aerospace Operations

Boeing is seeking an experienced, dynamic F/A-18 Maintenance Manager to lead and oversee O‑level maintenance, repair, and readiness activities for Kuwait aircraft at JRB New Orleans, LA. This is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for maximizing aircraft availability and safety by directing daily maintenance operations, managing highly skilled personnel, and ensuring the maintenance organization meets rigorous technical, safety, and readiness standards.

• Lead a mission‑critical team that directly enables flight operations, testing, and Ferry of Kuwaiti aircraft.

• Opportunity to shape maintenance policies, processes, and readiness outcomes for an elite F/A‑18 fleet.

• Operate at the intersection of leadership, technical authority, and operational tempo — where every decision affects aircraft availability and mission success.

 

Core Responsibilities

People and Process Leadership Skills

• Inspirational leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead large, multidisciplinary teams through high-tempo operations while maintaining morale, discipline, and professionalism.

• Coaching and development: Proven track record of mentoring technicians and supervisors, building succession pipelines, enforcing discipline, maintaining morale and professionalism and improving individual and team competency.

• Change leadership: Experience leading process change and cultural transformation initiatives that improve safety, quality, and readiness outcomes.

• Conflict resolution and communication: Skilled at resolving personnel issues, delivering tough feedback, and maintaining transparent, timely communication with stakeholders at all levels.

• Process design and standardization: Ability to design, implement, and sustain standardized maintenance processes, checklists, and SOPs that increase efficiency and reduce variability.

• Performance management: Establishes clear expectations, metrics, and accountability systems; uses data-driven performance reviews to drive continuous improvement.

• Resource optimization: Balances workload, shift patterns, and personnel allocations to maintain readiness while minimizing fatigue and attrition.

• Safety and human factors focus: Embeds human-centered safety practices into processes to reduce errors and improve compliance.

• Cross-functional influence: Able to build coalition across engineering, logistics, QA, and leadership to implement systemic process improvements.

Maintenance and Readiness Management

• Oversee daily O‑level maintenance operations, preventive maintenance, scheduled inspections, and repairs to meet mission requirements and sortie generation goals.

• Provide direct operational support to flight operations — ensuring aircraft are mission‑ready for daily flight schedules.

• Enforce compliance with customer‑established technical manuals, safety regulations, and engineering guidance.

• Plan and forecast maintenance demand using data on utilization, flight hours, and operational trends, and adjust schedules to optimize availability.

• Coordinate flow of materials, tooling, support equipment, and personnel to sustain continuous maintenance operations.

• Prioritize maintenance tasks to maximize fleet readiness, reduce downtime, and meet operational timelines.

• Monitor and report readiness metrics, KPIs, and operational trends to senior leadership.

• Manage the maintenance department workforce: manpower planning, performance management, and skill development.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skill/Experience): 

• 3+ years of experience leading Maintenance Control/Production Control during high‑tempo periods (deployments, surge ops, heavy flight schedules

• Experience prioritizing maintenance to maintain aircraft mission‑capable (MC) rates during surge operations

• 3+ years of experience planning and scheduling maintenance to meet demanding sortie schedules

• Travel both domestically and internationally

• Experience leading or managing large or complex teams of managers and or non-management employees

Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills/Experience): 

• Experience with maintenance data systems and readiness reporting tools.

• Military aircraft maintenance safe for flight/exceptional release qualification.

• Experience with continuous improvement programs (e.g., RCCA, 5S, Lean