Airbus

Chief of Staff

Airbus • $110K — $130K *
Kinston, NC 28504In-Person
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or manufacturing, or equivalent experience in a manufacturing environment.
  • 8+ years of experience in aerospace or complex manufacturing with cross-functional project coordination.
  • Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes and operational recovery frameworks.
  • Strong business acumen for financial analysis and budget reviews.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for executive briefings.

Responsibilities

  • Implement and maintain Kinston plant governance structure and KPIs.
  • Oversee operational transformation initiatives to enhance competitiveness.
  • Direct high-priority strategic projects on behalf of the General Manager.
  • Act as Recovery Manager to address production bottlenecks and restore operational performance.
  • Serve as a liaison between various functional departments and plant leadership.

Benefits

  • Collaborative work culture with access to senior leadership.
  • Opportunities for professional growth within a global company.
  • Exposure to high-level strategic initiatives and decision-making processes.
  • Ability to work on complex, cross-functional projects that influence site performance.
  • Travel opportunities to collaborate with teams globally.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

Positions Summary:

The Chief of Staff acts as the strategic partner and facilitator for the Kinston plant leadership team, ensuring the seamless execution of operational strategies, governance cycles, and cross-functional transformation initiatives. The role exists to optimize executive decision-making, drive site competitiveness, and coordinate critical performance recovery plans across the manufacturing facility.

Primary Responsibilities:
  • Site Governance, KPI Cascade, and Performance Management:30% Implement and maintain the Kinston plant governance structure. Drive and track the Objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) cascade across the manufacturing facility. Facilitate the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) standard agenda, managing performance routines and optimizing systems such as CVAT (Cost Value Analysis Tool) and Skywise to ensure strategic operational alignment.
  • Operational Transformation and Competitiveness Programs:30% Oversee operational transformation initiatives and competitiveness workstreams across the Kinston plant. Collaborate closely with the Finance department to analyze and monitor cost reduction trajectories, specifically aligning plant operational performance with the Sparrow cost trajectory program.
  • Special Projects, Strategic Communications, and Recovery Management:30% Direct high-priority 'Tier 1' strategic initiatives and complex plant-wide projects on behalf of the General Manager. Act as a Recovery Manager to rapidly mobilize cross-functional teams, resolving critical production bottlenecks and restoring baseline operational performance during disruptions. Draft executive briefings, tactical status reports, and strategic presentations for Senior Vice Presidents (SVPs) and Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs).
  • Cross-Functional Liaison and Stakeholder Alignment:10% Act as the central operational liaison between the General Manager & Vice President and key functional departments, including Human Resources, Finance, Value Stream Management (VSM), Engineering, Quality, and Operations. Represent plant leadership in internal regional working groups and key operational committees to foster organizational alignment and smooth program execution.
Additional Responsibilities:
  • Other duties as assigned.


Qualified Experience and Training

Education:
  • Required: Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, manufacturing, or a related industrial discipline, or equivalent experience in a manufacturing environment.
  • Preferred: Master's or postgraduate degree in business administration, engineering management, or industrial leadership.

Experience:
  • Required: 8+ years of professional experience in an aerospace, complex manufacturing, or high-level industrial engineering environment, with a demonstrated history of coordinating cross-functional projects.
  • Preferred: 10+ years of experience with direct exposure to aerospace plant management operations, strategic operational recovery, or management consulting.

Licensure/Certifications:
  • Required: None.
  • Preferred: Project Management Professional (PMP) or Lean Six Sigma certif

Knowledge, Skills, Demonstrated Capabilities:
  • Required: Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes, industrial performance metrics, operational recovery frameworks, and project management methodologies. Strong business acumen with the capability to support financial budget reviews and analyze operational data.
  • Preferred: Familiarity with the Airbus Operating System (AOS) and Lean manufacturing practices

Communication Skills:
  • Excellent written and verbal English communication skills are required. Demonstrated ability to draft professional, board-level executive briefings and present complex operational data clearly to diverse internal stakeholders, plant leadership, and global executives.

Technical Systems Proficiency:
  • Proficiency with advanced operational and data analysis systems (such as Skywise), project management tracking software, and standard executive suite tools (presentation design, spreadsheets, and reporting databases).

Travel Required:
  • 10% Domestic and International.

Citizenship:
  • Able to work in US without current or future need for visa sponsorship.

Clearance:
  • None


Decision Making, Complexity:
  • The Chief of Staff exercises independent judgment in defining meeting agendas, structuring governance schedules, tracking key operational actions, and prioritizing executive briefings for the General Manager & Vice President. For complex strategic or operational changes impacting the plant, the position formulates clear, evidence-based options and recommendations, and consults directly with the General Manager & Vice President prior to implementation. The role operates within a highly complex, multi-layered aerospace environment, requiring the synthesis of diverse technical, financial, and operational variables to support site competitiveness.


Organizational information:
  • Is this a people manager? No
  • Direct Reports: Exempt: 0 | Non-exempt: 0
  • Overview: The Chief of Staff reports directly to the General Manager & Vice President of Airbus Aerosystems Kinston Inc. The position serves as an individual contributor and individual partner, collaborating extensively with the site's Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members (N-1 level) to coordinate and streamline site operations

Job Dimensions, Contributions to Success:
  • Direct financial sign-off or budget ownership is not assigned to this role. However, the Chief of Staff plays a highly critical strategic support role by driving operational efficiency projects, coordinating the plant's competitiveness initiatives (e.g., tracking savings trajectories such as the Sparrow program), and working closely with the Finance department to support the General Manager with financial budget reviews and allocations

Nature of Contacts:
  • The role involves a high frequency of involved and influencing communications. Internally, the Chief of Staff interfaces daily with Kinston Senior Leadership, functional departments (Human Resources, Finance, Engineering, and Quality), and operations. Externally and regionally, the role frequently coordinates with the A350 Value Stream Management (VSM) team, as well as stakeholders at other Airbus manufacturing plants and executive offices across the United States and Europe to align strategies and share operational best practices.

Physical Requirements:
  • Onsite or remote: 100% worked onsite at the company's location in Kinston, NC.
  • Vision: Daily frequency. Able to see and read computer screen and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings.
  • Hearing: Daily frequency. Able to hear to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on production floor including safety warnings or alarms.
  • Speaking: Daily frequency. Able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications.
  • Equipment Operation: Daily frequency. Able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some tools including production tools such as hydraulic lifts.
  • Carrying: Daily frequency. Able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30 lbs / 14 kgs.
  • Lifting: Daily frequency. Able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30 lbs / 14 kgs.
  • Pushing/Pulling: Occasionally. Able to push and pull small office furniture and some equipment and tools.
  • Sitting: Daily frequency. Able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on computer.
  • Squatting/Kneeling: Occasionally. Able to squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items stored on low shelving.
  • Standing: Daily frequency. Able to stand for discussions in offices or on production floor.
  • Travel: Able to travel independently and at short notice (approximately 10% of the time).
  • Walking: Daily frequency. Able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces.
  • Personal Protective Equipment required: Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site. Steel-toed shoes are required for all shop floor visits.

Company:
Airbus Aerosystems Kinston, Inc

Employment Type:
Permanent

Experience Level:
Professional

Remote Type:
On-site

Job Family:
Support to Management

About Airbus

Airbus SE is a European multinational aerospace corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells civil and military aeronautical products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, and Airbus Defence and Space. The Airbus segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells commercial jet aircraft of approximately 100 seats; and regional turboprop aircraft and aircraft components, as well as provides aircraft conversion and related services. The Airbus Helicopters segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells civil and military helicopters; and offers helicopter related services. The Airbus Defence and Space segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells military aircraft, such as combat, mission, transport, and tanker aircraft; and missile systems, military satellites, and defence electronics, as well as provides defence related services. The company was formerly known as Airbus Group SE and changed its name to Airbus SE in April 2017. Airbus SE was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Blagnac, France.
Learn more about Airbus
Size
135,000 employees
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Founded
2000
* Ladders Estimates

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