Director of Planning

Gradel Pro Search•Fort Worth, TX

20h

About The Position

Our client, a growing aircraft MRO and conversion company, is seeking a Director of Planning to strengthen its aircraft planning function. Reporting directly to the CEO, this leader will translate aircraft maintenance requirements and modification work scopes into executable schedules organized around clear milestones, available manpower, planned man-hours, and material readiness. The role requires hands-on aircraft planning experience with Maintenance Planning Documents (MPDs) and CAMP. The Director will lead planning for aircraft maintenance and modification programs across long-, medium-, and short-range horizons; develop and maintain integrated schedules and resource plans; ensure work packages and production schedules are ready for execution; monitor schedule and labor performance; coordinate risk recovery across operational functions; improve planning processes and systems; and build and develop the planning team.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in aircraft MRO, heavy maintenance, aircraft modification, production planning, or related aviation operations.
Direct aircraft planning experience, including use of Maintenance Planning Documents and CAMP.
Demonstrated experience developing aircraft work packages and converting maintenance requirements into detailed production schedules.
Experience managing schedule flow, program milestones, dependencies, critical paths, and aircraft turnaround plans.
Strong background in capacity and resource planning, including manpower, skill requirements, man-hours, materials, tooling, and facilities.
Experience developing and maintaining Integrated Master Schedules for complex aircraft programs.
Strong understanding of how maintenance, modifications, engineering, quality, supply chain, and material readiness affect aircraft schedules.
Experience tracking planned versus actual labor, earned hours, schedule performance, constraints, and recovery actions.
Proficiency with ERP, MRO, planning, scheduling, and performance-reporting systems.
Experience leading planning teams and coordinating across operational and technical functions.

Responsibilities

Lead long-, medium-, and short-range planning for aircraft maintenance and modification programs.
Translate MPD requirements, CAMP data, customer work scopes, and engineering requirements into executable work packages and production schedules.
Develop and maintain the Integrated Master Schedule, including aircraft inductions, milestones, dependencies, critical-path activities, and completion targets.
Establish schedule flow from aircraft induction through maintenance, modification, testing, and return to service.
Build capacity and resource plans based on available manpower, required skills, planned man-hours, facilities, tooling, and production priorities.
Ensure work packages are properly defined, sequenced, staffed, and supported before release to production.
Integrate parts, materials, tooling, equipment, technical data, and engineering readiness into the production schedule.
Monitor planned versus actual labor, task completion, earned hours, schedule adherence, constraints, and aircraft turnaround.
Identify schedule risks and coordinate recovery plans with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Modifications, Finance, and Program Management.
Maintain accurate planning data and forecasts within approved ERP and MRO systems.
Improve planning standards, labor estimates, task durations, capacity models, reporting, and schedule accuracy.
Build and develop the planning team while establishing consistent planning processes, controls, and accountability.