Director of Maintenance

Aircraft - Director of Maintenance (DOM) – General Lee Aviation / Wetaskiwin Air Services Location: Wetaskiwin, Alberta About Us General Lee Aviation (GLA) and Wetaskiwin Air Services (WAS) are an integrated aviation organization in Central Alberta, providing Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) services, Flight Training Unit operations, simulator instruction, and third‑party aircraft maintenance. Established in 1975, Wetaskiwin Air Services has over 50 years of operational history with a strong emphasis on safety, quality workmanship, accountability, and a respectful, professional work environment. The Role We are seeking a Director of Maintenance to lead and re‑organize our maintenance department as the Person Responsible for Maintenance, and Person Responsible for Maintenance Control at our FTU. This role is accountable for how maintenance is planned, executed, documented, staffed, prioritized, and delivered across both company owned and third‑party aircraft. This position requires a hands‑on operational leader who understands how to build structure, maintain momentum, and hold teams, and themselves accountable on a daily and project basis. The DOM must be capable of organizing an entire maintenance department, not simply assigning tasks‑and ensuring work progresses to completion with clear ownership, timelines, and follow through. The DOM will be working on a daily basis with the Flight Operations Manager, and Chief Flight Instructor. This is not a purely administrative or compliance‑only role. Candidates must be comfortable leading from the shop floor and remaining technically engaged when required. The ratio of shop work compared to admin duties will be established upon hiring, and the DOM quarterly and weekly objectives. Core Accountabilities Department Leadership & Organization Lead, structure, and organize the maintenance department to ensure clear workflows, priorities, and accountability. Establish daily, weekly, and project‑based task ownership for AMEs, apprentices, and support staff. Delegate work effectively and actively track progress, quality, and completion. Conduct ongoing performance evaluation, recognition, and corrective accountability for team members. Provide clear direction, expectations, and feedback to ensure consistency and reliability across the department. Strategic & Financial Oversight Demonstrated experience with: Budget development and cost control. Strategic maintenance planning. Quarterly reviews of departmental performance, costs, and operational effectiveness. Align maintenance planning with flight operations, training demand, and fleet availability. Identify risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement within the maintenance operation. Fleet Restoration & Project Management Lead and complete the restoration and improvement of minimum of two project aircraft, returning them to the active fleet as efficiently and safely as possible. Actively manage timelines, labour allocation, parts sourcing, and third‑party support for project aircraft. Ensure project aircraft work progresses with urgency, accountability, and clear milestones. Maintenance Execution & Oversight Act as Person Responsible for Maintenance in accordance with CARs. Provide visible, hands‑on leadership during inspections, defect troubleshooting, and maintenance execution when required. Plan and schedule maintenance to support: Flight training operations. Commercial and internal fleet requirements. Enhance Third‑party customer maintenance and procurement. Maintain compliance with: CARs. Maintenance Control Manual. Maintenance Policy Manual. Maintenance Schedule Approvals. SMS, Quality Assurance, and OHS requirements. Ability to align maintenance activity with flight operations, training demand, and fleet availability. Strong operational judgment to identify risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. Organizational KPIs. Accountability, Tracking & Reporting. Ensure accurate tracking and accountability of employee work tasks using Quantum and Google Workspace, in addition to internal oversight methods. Maintain visibility and accountability for: In house maintenance work. Third party maintenance work. Parts orders and vendor services. Prepare and submit weekly or daily as needed, maintenance and fleet status reports. Review and approve work orders, maintenance releases, and defect tracking. Approve AMO timesheets for payroll and oversee maintenance labour allocation. Procurement & External Coordination Procure aircraft parts and manage inventory. Issue and submit for approval, purchase orders to vendors and suppliers. Oversee third‑party maintenance invoicing to ensure accuracy, traceability, and timely billing. Liaise with Flight Operations team, Transport Canada, suppliers, and service providers. Culture & Standards Promote and enforce a professional, accountable, good communication and safety focused maintenance culture. Lead by example, earning credibility through action and technical involvement. Maintain a healthy, respectful, and structured work environment. Maintenance Scope The DOM will oversee both company and customer aircraft, at the Wetaskiwin GLA Base and at times, to the Lacombe GLA base, including: Fixed wing aircraft (with future rotary‑wing expansion). Structures and avionics support. Field maintenance and on site service. Advanced troubleshooting and defect resolution. High quality workmanship and attention to detail. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS: Part A: Licensing, Experience & Technical Foundation Valid Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licence. M1 licence required. Minimum 6 years aircraft maintenance experience. Qualified and experienced to act as Person Responsible for Maintenance (PRM) in accordance with CARs which includes strong working knowledge of: Canadian Aviation Regulations. AMO operations and regulatory obligations. Maintenance programs and technical records. Willing and able to remain hands‑on when required, including inspections, troubleshooting, and complex maintenance. Ratio to be determined. Part B: Maintenance Leadership & Department Control Proven leadership or supervisory experience. Demonstrated ability to take ownership of a department or projects, establishing structure, workflows, priorities, and accountability. Experience assigning and managing daily, weekly, and project‑based work, with clear ownership and measurable outcomes. Strong delegation skills paired with active oversight, ensuring work is completed correctly, on time, and to standard. Demonstrated ability to hold team members accountable, including performance evaluation, recognition, and corrective action. Demonstrated history of leading technicians through action and technical credibility, not authority alone. Ability to manage timelines, labour allocation, parts sourcing, and third‑party maintenance support. Demonstrated ability to drive projects forward with urgency, accountability, and clear milestones. Part C: Strategic, Financial & Operational Judgment Experience to assist with planning, coordinate, and control operations effectively. Proven experience with: Budget development and cost control. Strategic planning. Accountability, Systems & Reporting. Experience using maintenance tracking software (Quantum or equivalent) to ensure visibility and accountability of work. Ability to maintain oversight of: In‑house maintenance activity. Third‑party maintenance work. Parts orders and vendor performance. Experience reviewing and approving work orders, maintenance releases, and defect tracking. Experience approving AMO timesheets and managing maintenance labour allocation. Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace. Professional attitude and clear commitment to a healthy, respectful, and safety‑focused work environment. Strong communication skills and ability to set clear expectations. Additional Assets M2 licence. 10+ years aircraft maintenance experience. Previous experience serving as ACA, PRM or Director of Maintenance. Flight Training Unit maintenance experience. Structures and/or avionics experience. SMS, Quality Assurance, and OHS leadership experience. Experience with a wide variety of fixed‑wing aircraft, including single‑ and multi‑engine, piston and turbine. Rotary‑wing experience to support future expansion. Compensation & Benefits Salary: $110,000 – $130,000 CAD (based on experience). Performance‑based bonus eligibility. Health and benefits package. Stable, year round employment. Short‑term accommodations available for relocation or transition. Clean, modern maintenance facilities. #J-18808-Ljbffr