O&R General Manager

Smiths Group; New Hampshire; On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

STS Aerospace in Laconia, NH seeks an O&R General Manager to lead the MRO operation, drive safety, quality, and cost performance, and ensure responsive, compliant production. This hands-on leader will manage staffing, workflow, and continuous improvement in a fast-growth environment.

The role requires strong people leadership, P&L ownership, and deep regulatory expertise across FAA/EASA standards. Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years in aviation/manufacturing leadership are expected.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading teams through growth and change.
• Strong operational acumen with hands-on execution capability.
• Experience developing inexperienced or early-career teams.
• FAA Repairman Certificate (preferred, not required).

Responsibilities

• Own P&L for the MRO operation and drive safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Lead daily operations to ensure on-time delivery and regulatory compliance.
• Serve as a working manager to address gaps and accelerate critical work.
• Develop and execute Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with HR to address labor shortages and attrition.
• Act as senior site leader for repair station compliance and CAPA.

Skills

Leadership experience

Operational excellence

Regulatory compliance

Lean/Six Sigma

Player-coach leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Aviation, Operations Management or related field

Job description

Ready to make your next move? A career at STS Aerospace allows you to take ownership of challenges, think creatively and be a part of our exciting growth journey.

STS Aerospace in Laconia, NH is searching for a O&RGeneral Managerto join the team. This positionis 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.To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Operational Leadership

• 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.

People Leadership & Workforce Development

• 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.

Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• 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.

Continuous Improvement & Strategy

• 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.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• 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

Supervisory Responsibilities

Manages 2 subordinate supervisors who supervise a total of 40-60 employees in the Sales, Operations and Engineering and manufacturing areas. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of these units. Also directly supervises 3-5 non-supervisory employees. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 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.
• FAA Repairman Certificate (preferred, not required).
• 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.

Education and/or Experience

• 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.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing.