Job Description:About the RoleThe Manager of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) reports to the Director of Line Maintenance and leads JSX's GSE maintenance program across assigned locations. You'll be responsible for the safety, reliability, availability, and lifecycle management of ground support equipment, vehicles, and related stationary equipment while leading the technicians who keep our operation moving.
From preventive maintenance and urgent repairs to vendor management, budgeting, and long-term fleet planning, you'll take ownership of GSE readiness across the network. This role requires a hands-on leader who can balance technical expertise with operational urgency while ensuring work meets manufacturer specifications, JSX policies, OSHA requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.
A Day in the LifeIn this role, you'll:
- Champion a safety-first culture and ensure maintenance practices comply with OSHA requirements, JSX policies, manufacturer guidance, and required PPE standards.
- Lead, coach, schedule, and develop GSE technicians while establishing clear expectations for safety, quality, productivity, documentation, and professional conduct.
- Maintain the reliability and serviceability of tugs, belt loaders, ADA ramps, air-conditioning units, air-start units, ground power units, water cabinets, vehicles, and other ground support equipment.
- Prioritize preventive maintenance, inspections, troubleshooting, repairs, and equipment recovery to minimize downtime and operational impact.
- Provide technical direction for mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, diesel, gasoline, battery, charging, cooling, and drive-system troubleshooting and repairs.
- Ensure assets, inspections, maintenance activity, out-of-service status, parts usage, and return-to-service information are accurately documented in Asset Tiger or the designated tracking system.
- Monitor open repairs and out-of-service equipment, establishing effective review processes to ensure critical work is completed before it impacts the operation.
- Develop and enforce OEM-based preventive maintenance schedules, inspection intervals, service standards, and quality-control processes.
- Partner with station leaders and operational teams to understand equipment priorities, communicate status, coordinate substitutions or rentals, and support irregular operations.
- Manage third-party repair providers, rental companies, transportation vendors, and parts suppliers to ensure timely, cost-effective, and high-quality service.
- Maintain appropriate parts inventories, shop tooling, specialty equipment, and consumables to support timely repairs and reduce downtime.
- Develop repair-versus-replace recommendations, capital requests, annual budgets, fleet standardization plans, and long-term equipment replacement strategies.
- Conduct station inspections and equipment condition assessments to verify asset location, serviceability, safety, appearance, and remaining useful life.
- Maintain clean, organized, secure, and professional GSE work areas, vehicles, tools, parts, and equipment.
- Track equipment availability, repeat failures, preventive maintenance compliance, repair turnaround time, vendor performance, costs, and technician productivity.
- Support recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, training, performance management, succession planning, and development of GSE Crewmembers.
- Partner across Tech Ops, Airport Operations, Safety, Finance, Procurement, Materials, and station leadership to support Company-wide operational needs.
- Lead special projects and provide additional operational support as needed.
Why You'll Love This Role- Own a Network-Wide Program: Take responsibility for the equipment and maintenance processes that keep JSX stations operating safely and reliably.
- Build for Reliability: Develop preventive maintenance standards, improve equipment availability, and create processes that reduce downtime and repeat failures.
- Lead and Develop a Team: Coach GSE technicians, strengthen technical capabilities, and build a culture centered on safety, accountability, and quality.
- Make Data-Driven Decisions: Use equipment performance, maintenance costs, and lifecycle data to guide repair, replacement, and investment decisions.
- Stay Close to the Operation: With approximately 50% travel, you'll work directly with stations and Crewmembers to understand needs and solve problems where they happen.
What Makes a Successful Manager of Ground Support Equipment?We're looking for someone who is:
- Safety-Oriented: You instinctively prioritize safety and hold yourself, your team, and your partners accountable to high standards.
- Technically Skilled: You understand mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, diesel, gasoline, and battery-powered equipment and can provide credible technical direction.
- Proactive: You anticipate equipment needs, identify emerging risks, and address problems before they disrupt the operation.
- Organized: You can manage multiple stations, repairs, vendors, projects, and competing priorities without losing sight of the details.
- Analytical: You use maintenance data, technical knowledge, and operational judgment to make sound repair, replacement, and resource decisions.
- Collaborative: You build strong relationships across departments and communicate effectively with technicians, station leaders, vendors, and business partners.
- Accountable: You take ownership of equipment readiness, cost control, documentation, and follow-through.
- Entrepreneurial: You look for practical ways to improve reliability, standardize processes, reduce costs, and strengthen the operation.
Required Experience- 5+ years of experience in ground support equipment, automotive, heavy equipment, fleet, or industrial maintenance.
- 3+ years of supervisory or management experience in a maintenance or operational environment.
- High school diploma or GED.
- Demonstrated experience troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, diesel, gasoline, and battery-powered equipment.
- Experience developing or managing preventive maintenance programs and maintenance tracking systems.
- Strong working knowledge of tools, test equipment, service manuals, wiring diagrams, hydraulic schematics, technical publications, and OEM maintenance requirements.
- Experience analyzing maintenance data, preparing reports, developing procedures, and presenting recommendations to leadership.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and electronic maintenance or asset-tracking systems.
- Current and valid driver's license.
- Ability to safely operate, tow, and position applicable vehicles and ground support equipment.
- Ability to travel approximately 50% and work flexible hours, including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and holidays, based on operational needs.
- Ability to occasionally lift 75+ pounds and perform physical activities including bending, reaching, climbing, and prolonged standing.
- Ability to work indoors and outdoors for extended periods in hot, cold, wet, or other adverse conditions.
Preferred Experience- Associate or bachelor's degree in Aviation, Automotive/Diesel Technology, Business, or a related field.
- Airline or airport ground support equipment experience.
- Experience managing a geographically dispersed maintenance team or multi-station equipment fleet.
- Experience with Asset Tiger or a similar computerized maintenance management system.
- Experience developing budgets, capital plans, lifecycle forecasts, vendor agreements, and repair-versus-replace analyses.
- Technical training or certifications in diesel, automotive, electrical, hydraulic, HVAC, welding, or heavy-equipment maintenance.
- Knowledge of OSHA requirements, environmental practices, DOT requirements, and airport operating environments.
Benefits & Perks- Health Benefits: New Crewmembers become eligible for coverage on the 1st of the month following the start date, with medical plans beginning at just $110/month. 100% employer-paid dental & vision, plus up to $2,100 annually for HSA contribution. Short-term and long-term disability coverage at no cost.
- Travel Benefits: Enjoy free non-revenue standby travel on JSX, plus deeply discounted standby travel on other major domestic and international airlines for you and your qualifying immediate family.
- 401(k) Match: 50% of your first 8%.
- Generous PTO: Take time to recharge with our flexible PTO plan.
Additional InformationThis role requires approximately 50% travel to JSX stations and other locations based on operational needs.May perform other responsibilities as assigned. Responsibilities and duties may change when circumstances dictate, including emergencies, changes in workload, rush jobs, technical developments, or evolving business needs.
Compensation Range:$78,900.0 - $96,700.0
