Director, aftermarket operations

Since 2018, Elevate Aircraft Seating has been enhancing the passenger experience through innovative aircraft seat design and manufacturing. With locations in California, Washington, and Germany we are guided by creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to quality. We are looking for a skilled Director Aftermarket Operations to join our team in Huntington Beach, CA. This is an on-site position based in Huntington Beach, CA. We value teamwork, inclusivity, and continuous professional development, and we offer competitive benefits along with opportunities for growth.

Export Control Requirements: This position must meet U.S. export control compliance requirements. To meet U.S. export control compliance requirements, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director, Aftermarket Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the global Aftermarket organization, driving execution, scalability, and continuous improvement across spare parts, repairs, product support, and field service operations. Leading a global team, this role is accountable for delivering exceptional customer support while improving operational performance, on-time delivery, service quality, and cross-functional execution.

SUMMARY OF JOB DUTIES - Essential Functions

(Other duties and projects may be assigned or requested.) Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the global Aftermarket organization, including Product Support, Spares, Repairs, Field Service, Performance Management, and future organizational growth.
• Establish the strategic direction, operational framework, governance, and performance management systems required to support the continued growth of the global aftermarket business.
• Lead and develop managers and their teams by fostering a culture of customer focus, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive execution excellence across the aftermarket organization by improving on-time delivery, operational performance, customer responsiveness, and overall business efficiency.
• Partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Program Management, Sales, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to resolve operational issues and improve end-to-end execution.
• Build strong relationships with airline customers, OEMs, and strategic partners through transparent communication, proactive issue resolution, and exceptional customer support.
• Champion a closed-loop customer support process by ensuring customer issues are resolved promptly, root causes are identified, engineering improvements are implemented, and corrective actions are communicated back to customers.
• Identify operational gaps, develop strategic improvement initiatives, and lead the implementation of sustainable solutions that improve customer satisfaction, execution, and business performance.
• Develop organizational capacity by assessing future resource requirements, supporting workforce planning, and preparing the aftermarket organization for continued global expansion.
• Establish, monitor, and communicate key operational performance metrics, ensuring leaders are accountable for achieving business objectives related to delivery, quality, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve operational efficiency, inventory management, planning, forecasting, supply chain performance, and overall value stream execution.
• Support digital transformation, reporting, and performance management initiatives that enhance visibility, decision-making, and operational effectiveness.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing costs, improving quality, increasing productivity, and simplifying business processes across the aftermarket organization.
• Lead daily operational reviews to monitor order execution, identify delivery risks, remove cross-functional obstacles, and ensure customer commitments are achieved.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, company policies, export control regulations, and contractual obligations.
• Foster a collaborative, transparent, and customer-focused culture that aligns with the company's values and supports long-term business growth.
• Maintain a safe, secure and legal work environment, adhering to all Company policies and procedures.
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• Protect the confidentiality of the Company’s information and products.
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned or requested.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS – Education, Knowledge, and Experience

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related discipline required.

Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in aerospace aftermarket, customer support, product support, repairs, spares, supply chain, operations, or a related manufacturing environment. Minimum of 5 years of experience leading managers and globally distributed cross-functional teams within a complex, fast-paced organization. Demonstrated success leading and scaling aftermarket operations or service organizations within aerospace, preferably in aircraft seating, aircraft interiors, cabin systems, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Elevate Aircraft Seating offers competitive wages and benefits to recognize employees for their work. Actual salaries will vary depending on experience and geographic location. Salary Range Transparency: $160,000- $200,000 annually.

Featured Benefits: Up to 20% bonus potential (for bonus eligible positions), Generous 401(K) matching with immediate eligibility and vesting, 3 weeks of Paid Time Off, 12 paid holidays, Affordable health care plans for yourself and your family, And so much more!