General Manager- Overhaul and Repair

Smiths Group•Laconia, NH

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The General Manager of Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance, and strategic growth of the MRO operation. The General Manager is expected to be a hands-on, working leader capable of stepping into the operation as needed to address gaps, remove bottlenecks, and maintain workflow continuity while also serving as a strong people manager who builds capability, accountability, and engagement across the team.

Requirements

Proven experience leading teams through growth, change, and operational constraint.
Strong operational acumen with the ability to move seamlessly between strategic leadership and hands-on execution.
Demonstrated success developing inexperienced or early-career teams.
Experience serving as a working or “player‑coach” leader in an MRO or production environment.
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.
Strong understanding of aviation regulatory environments and repair station operations.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aviation, Operations Management, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience) and 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul, aviation, manufacturing, or a regulated industrial environment; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Exceptional people leadership and coaching skills
Decisive, hands-on problem solving
Ability to thrive in a high-growth, labor-constrained environment
Strong communication, influence, and stakeholder management
Results-driven with a strong sense of ownership and accountability

Nice To Haves

FAA Repairman Certificate

Responsibilities

Own full P&L responsibility for the MRO operation, driving safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
Lead daily operations to ensure on-time delivery, regulatory compliance, and adherence to customer and contractual requirements.
Act as a working manager when required, stepping into the process to troubleshoot issues, cover staffing gaps, or accelerate critical work.
Identify, prioritize, and resolve production constraints in a high-growth environment.
Upholds Smiths Leadership Behaviors and Organizational Values of Passion, Integrity, Respect, Ownership, Customer Focus, & Ethics.
Consistently, regularly and predictably at work and on time.
Lead, coach, and develop a largely inexperienced workforce, establishing clear expectations, structured training, and mentorship.
Build bench strength through hiring, onboarding, cross-training, and succession planning in a tight labor market.
Foster a strong safety culture, accountability mindset, and continuous improvement orientation.
Partner closely with HR to address labor shortages and attrition.
Ensure continuous compliance with 14 CFR Part 145, Repair Station Manual (RSM), Quality Control Manual (QCM), training program requirements, and customer/regulatory standards, and all applicable regulatory requirements (ie FAA, EASA, etc)
Promote and enforce a “zero harm” culture across all levels of the organization.
Train team members on safety rules and enforces safe behaviors. Conduct safety meetings, safety observations, safety leadership tours, and incident investigations to ensure a culture of zero harm.
Serve as the senior site leader responsible for repair station compliance, audit readiness, and effective corrective and preventive action (CAPA).
Ensure personnel authorization, training, and qualification requirements are met and documented in accordance with Part 145 and company procedures.
Develops and maintains sound internal control structure for business.
Implement Lean, continuous improvement, innovation strategy, and capacity-expansion initiatives to support rapid market growth.
Develop and execute strategies to balance demand growth with labor, tooling, and facility limitations.
Collaborate with executive leadership on long-term growth planning, capital investments, and capability expansion.
Serve as a senior point of contact for customers, ensuring transparent communication and issue resolution.
Partner with supply chain, engineering, quality, and commercial teams to align priorities and drive results.
Promotes organization in industry, manufacturing or trade associations