Director of Customer Support

Columbia Helicopters; Aurora (OR); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Wellness resources

Career development

Job summary

Columbia Helicopters is seeking a Director of Customer Support to lead satisfaction, communications, and aftermarket account management from RFQ to in‑service support. You will oversee the Customer Support organization, maintain service standards, and ensure cross‑functional alignment with Commercial, Military, Technical Support, Operations, and Flight Operations.

The role requires 10+ years in customer support leadership within aviation or defense aftermarket, with strong pricing governance and

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in customer support, aftermarket services, or related fields.
• 10+ years of aviation, rotorcraft, defense, or aftermarket support experience.
• Proven ability to lead customer-facing teams and manage escalated issues with urgency.
• Strong understanding of quote management, pricing, contracts, and service levels.
• Experience coordinating across commercial, technical, operations, and customer-facing teams.
• Ability to analyze customer needs and prioritize accordingly.
• Excellent verbal and written communication for high‑pressure events.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Customer Support organization and set standards, SLAs, and team rhythms.
• Own customer satisfaction metrics, response times, and delivery performance.
• Serve as primary escalation point for complex customer issues.
• Coordinate support activities across Commercial, Military, Technical, Operations, and Air Ops.
• Lead quote processes for aftermarket services, repairs, and parts sales.
• Develop pricing policies and service standards; govern exchanges.
• Oversee exchange pools, availability, and priority alignment for customers.
• Lead customer status reviews and strategic account reviews; align commitments.
• Support contract reviews to ensure operability before acceptance.
• Drive aftermarket revenue through repairs, changes, and field support.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Customer experience

Stakeholder management

Communication

Escalation management

Cross-functional coordination

Pricing governance

Forecasting & analytics

Aviation/defense aftermarket knowledge

Job description

For over 65 years, Columbia Helicopters has been a trusted provider of heavy-lift helicopter services. We create new aircraft, fly heavy-lift helicopters around the world, and provide maintenance support to ensure you are mission-ready for critical operations. If you are passionate about aviation, join our Columbia Family!

The Director of Customer Support leads customer satisfaction, communications, and aftermarket account management from RFQ through delivery and in-service support. This role oversees the Customer Support organization, drives customer service excellence, and ensures customer commitments are coordinated across commercial, military, technical support, operations, and flight operations teams. The Director also provides leadership for technical support and operations coordination functions and serves as the primary escalation point for complex customer issues.

What You Will Do

• Lead the Customer Support organization and establish, maintain, and continuously improve customer-service standards, service-level expectations, and team operating rhythms.
• Own customer satisfaction metrics and service-level performance, including customer response time, quote turnaround time, on-time delivery performance, and AOG recovery time.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for customer issues, ensuring timely communication, coordinated action plans, and effective resolution.
• Coordinate customer support activities between Commercial, Military, Technical Support, Operations, and internal Air Operations teams.
• Lead the quote process for aftermarket services, repairs, modifications, components, parts sales, field support, and related customer support offerings.
• Develop and maintain standard pricing practices, price catalog governance, exchange policies, and customer support service standards.
• Oversee support services, including standard exchange pool sizing, availability expectations, and coordination of operational priorities when customer needs require adjustment.
• Review and propose customer communication plans for major projects, high-impact issues, and AOG events.
• Lead customer status reviews, customer meetings, and recurring account reviews to ensure alignment on commitments, priorities, and service performance.
• Support contract reviews and ensure customer commitments can be executed operationally before acceptance.
• Drive aftermarket revenue growth through repairs, modifications, component services, parts sales, exchange programs, and field support offerings.
• Identify recurring customer issues, sponsor corrective actions, and work with internal stakeholders to improve reliability, responsiveness, and customer experience.
• Develop staffing plans, training plans, career progression, and performance expectations for the customer support team.
• Support strategic military and commercial customer relationships by maintaining consistent communication, understanding customer needs, and translating those needs into actionable priorities.
• Analyze customer needs and recommend operational priority adjustments when appropriate to protect customer commitments and business objectives.
• Part of the core team generating MRO or aftermarket offers
• Conduct oneself in accordance with Company’s Core Values
• Other duties as assigned.

What We Need From You

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in customer support, customer service, aftermarket services, technical support, account management, aviation operations, or a related field.
• 10+ years of aviation, rotorcraft, defense, MRO, technical services, or aftermarket support experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead customer-facing teams and manage escalated customer issues with professionalism and urgency.
• Strong understanding of quote management, pricing practices, contract commitments, service-level expectations, and aftermarket support models.
• Experience coordinating across commercial, technical, operational, and customer-facing teams.
• Ability to analyze customer needs, prioritize competing demands, and recommend operational adjustments based on business impact.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to lead customer meetings and communicate clearly during high‑pressure events.
• Ability to build team capability through staffing, training, performance management, and career development.
• Experience supporting both commercial and military customers.
• Experience with exchange pools, field support, component repair, parts sales, or service program management.
• Experience developing KPIs, service standards, pricing governance, and customer communication processes.

What You Will Love About Working Here

At Columbia, we believe great people do their best work when they feel supported, challenged, and valued. We’re more than a workplace, we’re a team built on trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to doing meaningful work.

Competitive Pay & Strong Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial wellness, and work–life balance. Depending on your role, this may include medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans with company contributions, paid time off, and employee wellness resources.

Growth & Career Development

We invest in our people. From training and development opportunities to internal mobility and leadership support, Columbia encourages continuous learning and long‑term career growth.

Purpose-Driven Culture

Your work matters here. Every role contributes to our broader mission, and we believe in empowering employees to make an impact, share ideas, and help shape the future of the company.

A Team That Has Your Back

We foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where people are respected, encouraged, and supported. You’ll work alongside talented teammates who care about doing great work, and doing it together.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals With Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)