General Manager - Overhaul & Repair

Laconia•Laconia, NH

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. This is a hands-on leadership role that may step into operational work to address gaps, remove bottlenecks, and maintain workflow continuity, while also building team capability, accountability, and engagement. The role owns the MRO operation’s P&L and leads performance in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. It oversees daily operations, regulatory and customer compliance, workforce development, continuous improvement, capacity expansion, customer relationships, and coordination with internal stakeholders. The General Manager is the senior site leader for repair station compliance, audit readiness, and corrective and preventive action. The position manages two subordinate supervisors overseeing 40–60 employees in Sales, Operations, Engineering, and manufacturing, and directly supervises 3–5 non-supervisory employees. Responsibilities include hiring, training, work direction, performance appraisal, employee recognition and discipline, and resolving complaints and problems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aviation, Operations Management, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
10 or more years of progressive leadership experience in Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul, aviation, manufacturing, or a regulated industrial environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Proven experience leading teams through growth, change, and operational constraints.
Strong operational acumen and ability to move 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.
Exceptional people leadership and coaching skills.
Decisive, hands-on problem-solving ability.
Ability to thrive in a high-growth, labor-constrained environment.
Strong communication, influence, and stakeholder-management skills.
Results-driven approach with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
Ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily; reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Nice To Haves

FAA Repairman Certificate (preferred, not required).

Responsibilities

Own full P&L responsibility for the MRO operation and drive safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
Lead daily operations to ensure on-time delivery, regulatory compliance, and adherence to customer and contractual requirements.
Step into operational processes as needed to troubleshoot issues, cover staffing gaps, or accelerate critical work.
Identify, prioritize, and resolve production constraints in a high-growth environment.
Uphold Smiths Leadership Behaviors and organizational values of Passion, Integrity, Respect, Ownership, Customer Focus, and Ethics.
Maintain consistent, regular, and predictable attendance and punctuality.
Lead, coach, and develop a largely inexperienced workforce through clear expectations, structured training, and mentorship.
Build workforce bench strength through hiring, onboarding, cross-training, and succession planning.
Foster a strong safety culture, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Partner with HR to address labor shortages and attrition.
Ensure compliance with 14 CFR Part 145, the Repair Station Manual (RSM), Quality Control Manual (QCM), training program requirements, customer and regulatory standards, and applicable requirements including FAA and EASA requirements.
Promote and enforce a zero-harm culture; train team members on safety rules and enforce safe behaviors.
Conduct safety meetings, safety observations, safety leadership tours, and incident investigations.
Serve as 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.
Develop and maintain a sound internal control structure for the business.
Implement Lean, continuous improvement, innovation strategy, and capacity-expansion initiatives to support 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, providing transparent communication and resolving issues.
Partner with supply chain, engineering, quality, and commercial teams to align priorities and drive results.
Promote the organization in industry, manufacturing, or trade associations.
Manage and evaluate subordinate supervisors and teams; interview, hire, train, assign and direct work, appraise performance, reward and discipline employees, and address complaints and problems.