Production Lead – Aircraft Modifications and Production - #2168736

Role: Production Lead – Aircraft Modifications and Production

Location: Birmingham Airport

Duration: 6 - 12 months

Role Type: Onsite

Salary: Depending On Experience

Role Overview:

Our globally renowned aerospace client is seeking an experienced Production Lead to oversee aircraft maintenance, modification and production activities on the E-7 Wedgetail programme at its Birmingham Airport.

The successful candidate will coordinate and oversee multidisciplinary aircraft maintenance teams, including technicians, certifying personnel and supplier maintenance teams, ensuring that scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, repairs and aircraft modifications are completed safely, efficiently and to the required quality standards.

Working closely with the client’s management, modification suppliers, engineering, maintenance planning and operational support teams, the Production Lead will be responsible for maintaining production schedules, resolving technical and operational challenges, and ensuring the successful delivery of daily aircraft build and modification plans.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate supplier maintenance teams undertaking E-7 Wedgetail aircraft modification, production, repair and maintenance activities.
• Oversee daily maintenance and production operations, ensuring work is completed safely, efficiently and in accordance with agreed schedules.
• Work closely with modification suppliers, Maintenance Controllers, Team Leads and client management to maintain production performance and operational effectiveness.
• Lead daily production meetings, supplier coordination discussions and operational action reviews.
• Coordinate with engineering, planning, quality, logistics and other support functions to resolve technical issues and remove production bottlenecks.
• Monitor daily build plans, identify potential delays and implement corrective actions to maintain aircraft modification schedules.
• Investigate recurring manufacturing and maintenance issues, ensuring appropriate procedures are followed and effective resolutions are implemented.
• Coordinate and communicate second-shift production requirements with first-shift client management and Industrial Engineering schedulers.
• Promote a strong safety and quality culture, ensuring compliance with applicable aviation regulations, technical procedures and organisational standards.
• Maintain effective communication across multidisciplinary teams, senior stakeholders, programme management and suppliers.
• Support resource planning, workload management and production control to achieve delivery targets, budget requirements and first-time quality standards.
• Encourage continuous improvement in maintenance planning, operational processes and production efficiency.

Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience in aircraft maintenance, aircraft modification, aircraft production or heavy/base maintenance, gained within a commercial or military aviation environment.
• Experience supervising, coordinating or managing aircraft maintenance and production teams.
• Ideally, experience working on Boeing 737 aircraft, particularly the B737NG, or comparable Boeing commercial aircraft platforms.
• Strong understanding of aircraft maintenance planning, production scheduling, hangar operations and workload management.
• Experience coordinating maintenance suppliers, engineering teams and operational support functions.
• Working knowledge of applicable EASA, FAA, CAA or MAA aviation regulations, alongside aviation Quality Assurance and Safety Management Systems.
• Ability to interpret aircraft maintenance documentation, engineering drawings, technical instructions and Authorised Technical Publications.
• Strong technical understanding of aircraft maintenance processes, operational safety and Human Factors requirements.
• Proven ability to identify and resolve technical or operational issues whilst maintaining production schedules.
• Effective leadership and team-management skills, with the ability to motivate multidisciplinary teams and maintain high performance standards.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, including experience engaging with senior management, customers and suppliers.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently under pressure and maintain delivery performance in a demanding operational environment.
• Understanding of aircraft maintenance supply chain, materials management and logistics processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Aircraft Maintenance Licence, such as CAA Part-66, EASA Part-66, FAA A&P, EMAR or equivalent.
• Degree or equivalent qualification in an engineering discipline.
• Familiarity with Boeing 737NG base maintenance, heavy maintenance or aircraft modification programmes.