Smiths Machine

Overhaul & Repair - General Manager

Smiths Machine$100K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of leadership experience in MRO or aviation manufacturing.
  • Strong operational understanding and P&L management skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and mentor less experienced teams.
  • Familiarity with Lean and Six Sigma methodologies for process improvement.
  • Knowledge of FAA and regulatory compliance standards in aviation.
  • Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

  • Own P&L responsibility, ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency.
  • Lead daily operations for on-time delivery and compliance.
  • Act as a hands-on manager to resolve operational issues.
  • Identify production constraints and implement solutions.
  • Cultivate a safety culture and promote accountability among staff.
  • Oversee workforce development through training and recruiting.
  • Engage with customers to ensure satisfaction and address concerns.

Benefits

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance options.
  • 401(k) plan with company matching contributions.
  • Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.
  • Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
  • Collaborative work environment fostering innovation.
Full Job Description
General Manager of Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) is 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.

Job Description

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.
  • 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.


About Smiths Machine

Smiths Machine is a manufacturing company that specializes in precision machining and assembly services. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Smiths Machine has a team of experienced machinists and technicians who use state-of-the-art equipment to produce high-quality parts and components for various industries, including aerospace, defense, medical, and transportation. The company's services include CNC machining, turning, milling, grinding, and assembly. Smiths Machine is committed to providing its customers with high-quality products and services and has a reputation for delivering on-time and on-budget.
Learn more about Smiths Machine
Size
15,050 employees
Industry
NASDAQ

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