Completions Operations Manager

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Job Description:

Are you a seasoned aviation leader with a mastery of Part 145 operations and a passion for rotary-wing excellence?

Airbus Helicopters, Inc., in Columbus, MS is seeking a high-caliber Completions Operations Manager to spearhead our industrial teams across Retrofit, Maintenance, and New Helicopter Completions. This isn't just a desk job—it’s a pivotal leadership role where you will bridge the gap between complex engineering and flawless execution. You will be the operational heartbeat of our facility, overseeing a skilled workforce of approximately 55 technicians and managing the industrial lifecycle of world-class airframes, including the H145, H160, and the UH-72A Lakota.

Meet the Team:

From building to servicing the next generation of aerospace, our team focuses on quality, productivity and efficiency. We ensure the highest quality of care and safety is built into each aircraft we assemble and maintain. Our team members make it happen.

Your Working Environment:

On the eastern border of Mississippi you’ll find Columbus, home to our Helicopter manufacturing and assembly lines and Center of Excellence for the entire North America region. It’s here that we produce the UH-72A Lakota Helicopters for the U.S. Army in addition to the H-125 aircraft for civil and commercial customers.

How We Care For You:

• Financial Rewards: Competitive base salary, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”)

• Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a generous paid parental leave program.

• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages.

Your Challenges:

Industrial Team Management: 50%

• Manage a team of ~55 technicians on multiple shifts and works directly with industrial supervisors to adjust personnel to meet the delivery schedule across multiple Airbus Helicopters airframes (H145, H125, H130, H135, H160, and UH-72A).

• Monitor and direct schedule shifts and enact multiple shifts, as necessary, in order to ensure industrial commitments are met.

• Plan for and ensure that the Supervisors and Technicians have the tools, data, and support required to perform their functions in accordance with the published schedule.  

• Coordinate with and provide timely notifications to support departments of industrial support requirements outside of normal working hours. 

• Coordinate and plan industrial training sessions with the AHI staff instructor to ensure readiness for upcoming projects and that the technicians meet all established required skills training.

• Ensure attendance of weekly team meetings by support departments and actively communicate the needs of our customers and management to the Completions and Retrofit teams.

• Conduct periodic performance evaluations, make recommendations for salary increases (promotion, merit, and adjustment), transfers, hires, and disciplinary actions (including but not limited to terminations).  

• Responsible for coordinating with Military/Civil Programs to ensure that each helicopter is completed or repaired in accordance with the customer’s identified configuration, as well as within the rules and regulations mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration in accordance with issued work orders.

Industrial Budget Management: 30%

• Perform budget assessments and provide industrial quote recommendations in close coordination with the Contracts and Offers teams.

• Research, plan, and communicate the costing of equipment, tooling, training costs and space allocation of upcoming completions and retrofit activities to the Director of NHC/Flight line.

• Proactively shift staff and resources to ensure industrial budgets and schedules are maintained.

• Monitor and assess leading key performance indicators and mitigate industrial budget overruns through close coordination with all support departments.

• Provide weekly industrial hour EAC’s and ETC’s to management and civil/military programs. .

Compliance: 20%

• Ensure compliance with rules/regulations and company policies and procedures, such as, but not limited to, FAA repair station, FOP/GOP, ISO, OSHA, etc through regular auditing of processes and refinement of procedures within NHC and Retrofit.  

• Write, review and implement repair station procedures that ensure all work is performed within all required regulations and in a uniform and reliable manner.

• Manage industrial processes to ensure products and services conform to approved design data and conform to CFR, Part 145 and AS9100 standards..

• Ensure ethics and compliance training is performed as required and established regulations are adhered to.

• Oversee industrial activities on ITAR equipment and ensure that all ITAR regulation are adhered to.

• Ensure all government aircraft special processes are followed in accordance with applicable regulations.

• Implement and lead lean management and 5S processes in order to increase industrial efficiencies. 

• Work directly with the industrial teams to prepare for in house and outsourced audits of the repair station and implement changes to ensure compliance.

Your Boarding Pass: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field or equivalent work experience (4 years)

• Minimum of ten (10) years related Completion and/or LUH Retrofit technical experience with 4 years of Supervisory experience within a repair station.

• Must possess a valid and current Airframe and Powerplant license.  

• Must possess a thorough knowledge of A&P procedures and repair station procedures. Requires proficiency in FAA and FAR regulations. 

• Must be familiar with state and federal safety and environmental regulations, which apply to this area of responsibility.

• Experience with Helionix, Garmin Aviation Equipment, pitot static systems and customized SINT’s

Preferred Education/Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Maintenance Management or equivalent work experience

• Technical familiarity with existing Airbus customers, airframes including H145, H125, H130, H135, H160, UH-72A and completion centers.

• Prior maintenance and retrofit experience on UH-72 airframes as a Lead Technician or Supervisor.

• Completions related training and familiarity- Garmin/Nightsun/ FLIR/ electronics/FCC etc

​

Travel Required: 

• 10% Domestic and International

Citizenship: 

•  Authorized to Work in the US without current or future need for visa sponsorship.

Physical Requirements:  

• Onsite or remote:  95% Onsite

• Vision: able to see and read computer screens and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings.   Several times daily

• Hearing: able to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on the production floor including safety warnings or alarms.   Several times daily

• Speaking:  able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications.  Daily

• Equipment Operation (personal computer, telephone, copies, fax machine, and related office equipment and using electronic identification card to enter building floors and internal doors): able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some tools including production tools such as hydraulic lifts.   Daily

• Carrying: able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs. Daily

• Lifting:  able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs.  Daily

• Pushing / Pulling:  able to push and pull small office furniture and some equipment and tools.   Daily

• Sitting:  able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on the computer.   Daily 

• Squatting / Kneeling:  able to squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items stored on low shelving.  Daily

• Standing: able to stand for discussions in offices or on the production floor.  Daily

• Travel:  able to travel independently and at short notice.  Bi-monthly

• Walking (include routine walking such as to a shared printer to retrieve documents):  able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces.   Daily

• Personal Protective Equipment required:  Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site

• Administrative position only PPE required: Steel-toed shoes are required for all shop floor visits, appropriate hearing/eye protection may also be required when visiting the shop floor.

Take your career to a new level and apply online now.

A full job description will be provided to candidates who progress to the interview stage or any candidate upon request.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company:

Airbus Helicopters, Inc.

Employment Type:

US - Direct Hire

Experience Level:

Professional

Remote Type:

On-site

Job Family:

Leadership

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Job Posting End Date: 04.20.2026Airbus provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or other legally protected status. In addition to federal law requirements, Airbus complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, demotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, benefits and training. Airbus expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or other legally protected status. As a matter of policy, Airbus does not sponsor visas for US positions unless specified. Only applicants with current work authorization will be considered. Airbus does not offer tenured or guaranteed employment. Employment with Airbus is at will, meaning either the company or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice. Airbus reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

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