MD, Ground Support Equipment and Facilities Maintenance

Intro

Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board!

Why you'll love this job

The Managing Director, Ground Support Equipment (GSE) & Facilities Maintenance (FM) provides enterprise-wide leadership across two critical operational functions, ensuring operational readiness, reliability, safety, and cost efficiency across the network. Leading at true enterprise scale, this role oversees approximately 2,000 team members across hubs, bases, and stations, with direct impact on the performance of the equipment and infrastructure that power a 24/7, mission-critical airline operation.

What you'll do

As noted above, this list is intended to reflect the current job but there may be additional essential functions (and certainly non-essential job functions) that are not referenced.  Management will modify the job or require other tasks be performed whenever it is deemed appropriate to do so, observing, of course, any legal obligations including any collective bargaining obligations.

• Lead and serve a large and complex organization through leaders, individual contributors, and front-line team members
• Ensure operational readiness, safety, and reliability of ground support equipment fleets and facility systems across the network
• Oversee infrastructure and assets including hangars, fire suppression systems, baggage handling systems, HVAC, Passenger Boarding Bridges, and GSE fleets
• Develop and execute integrated strategies aligned to operational and financial objectives
• Optimize manpower, equipment, facilities, and financial resources to maximize performance and efficiency
• Establish performance standards and ensure accurate data collection to drive analysis and continuous improvement
• Manage operating and capital budgets, including forecasting and long-term investment planning
• Implement preventative maintenance programs and asset lifecycle strategies across GSE and FM
• Partner with Airport Operations, Technical Operations, Cargo, Corporate Real Estate, Finance, airport authorities, and station leadership to deliver aligned outcomes
• Manage vendor relationships to ensure service quality, cost control, and operational performance
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to improve safety, reliability, cost performance, and team member experience
• Build collaborative relationships across all workgroups and maintain strong partnerships with union leadership
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and governmental requirements across GSE and FM operations
• Lead and develop a large, diverse workforce, fostering accountability, inclusion, and operational excellence

All you'll need for success

Minimum Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Aviation, or Technical Field related to Aviation or equivalent experience/training
• 10 years of progressive experience leading large teams in ground service equipment, automotive, and/or technical operations, including unionized frontline workgroups
• 10 years of experience in GSE, FM, technical operations, or similar asset-intensive environments, preferably within the airline industry
• Experience managing vendors and large-scale operational budgets
• Ability to travel as needed and support a 24/7 operational environment

Skills, Licenses & Certifications

• Demonstrates the highest standards of ethics and integrity
• Proven ability to lead large, multi-layered organizations
• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline and decision-making capability
• Ability to influence through outstanding interpersonal skills, collaboration, and negotiation skills
• Strong financial, project management, and operational management skills
• Ability to build and maintain relationships at all levels internally and externally
• Proven ability to drive continuous improvement and implement strategic initiatives
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to clearly communicate strategic direction, as well as distill complex messages into relevant and meaningful communications
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop leaders and frontline