Managing Director, Technical Operations Planning

Alaska Airlines • SeaTac, WA

123d • $196,975 - $325,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Managing Director Technical Operations Planning sets the long-term strategy and oversees the financial performance of the Planning departments at Alaska Airlines (AS). As a people leader, this role establishes strategic goals and direction for a team of leaders to drive results in the areas of maintenance planning, process improvement, and operations research and Analysis (ORA) for the Maintenance Operations division.

Requirements

• 10 years of experience in maintenance planning, resource planning, and/or project management.
• 5 years of progressive people leadership experience including experience managing leaders across varied functions, shifts, or geographies.
• Bachelor’s degree, or willingness to attain a bachelor's degree within six years of start date.
• Strong background in operations research, analytics, forecasting, or data-driven decision-making.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale, cross-functional strategic initiatives with enterprise impact.
• Proven success improving operational performance through process design, systems thinking, and long-term planning models.
• Strong communication (e.g., verbal, written, presentation) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to create collaborative relationships that drive outcomes in the best interest of the company, with others in the organization, and with key external business partners.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S

Nice To Haves

• Airline operations experience.
• Experience leading transformation efforts within an MRO or airline environment.
• PMP or similar project management certification.
• Continuous improvement, Lean, or Six Sigma certification.
• FAA Airframe & Powerplant certificate.
• Experience leading in a labor union environment.

Responsibilities

• Establish strategic goals and direction for the development, implementation, maintenance, continuous improvement and execution of: All maintenance planning activities (line maintenance, heavy maintenance, and aircraft routing of the AS Fleet); Operations research and analysis tools such as dashboards, scorecards, and reports.
• Ensures the Maintenance Planning function designs and delivers a harmonized Planning and Routing process that minimizes aircraft downtime and optimizes the maintenance program factors (parts, tools, staffing, etc.) for both short-term and long-term planning into an actionable schedule that maximizes aircraft health over the long term, achieving safety, compliance, financial, and performance metrics and consistently improving workforce efficiency.
• Drives the development and execution of strategic Maintenance Planning initiatives, programs, and projects to meet division and corporate objectives, and oversees long‑term strategy to ensure successful delivery of the divisional Maintenance footprint and Centers of Excellence (COE).
• Lead cross‑functional alignment with Material Management and Supply Ops, Finance, TechOps Training, and Resource Planning to ensure maintenance planning, aircraft routing, resource forecasting, and long‑term capacity strategies are fully integrated across the enterprise, enabling optimized parts availability, staffing readiness, training pipelines, and cost performance.
• Influence across company and provides strategic recommendations to enterprise leaders.
• Develop people through effective performance management and ongoing feedback, focusing on fostering strategic and systems thinking, development of talent, and succession planning across teams and functions.
• Foster a respectful, inclusive workplace culture by modeling leadership behaviors and implementing effective practices that support a sense of belonging for all employees.
• Serve as the senior M&E representative on key customer, operational, and technical steering committees, shaping enterprise decisions that impact fleet strategy, maintenance readiness, and operational performance.

Benefits

• Unlimited confirmed travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air
• Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous 401k match program
• Annual bonus plans
• Equity grants
• Generous holiday and paid time off
• Lounge membership

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive