Aircraft Maintenance Manager in London

Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

What to expect Reporting to the Head of Aircraft Build & Maintenance, we are looking for an Aircraft Maintenance Manager to join our aircraft build & maintenance team here at Vertical. The role will be responsible for leading, planning, and overseeing all aircraft maintenance activities to ensure fleet airworthiness, regulatory compliance, operational readiness, and safety. You will be both aircraft & programme facing and act to coordinate, support and facilitate the technician workforce in managing the near & medium-term workload. You will liaise across multiple stakeholder functions including engineering and quality departments as well as driving continuous improvement across all maintenance processes. The team, and hence the Aircraft Maintenance Manager, will be supporting the prototype and certification flight test programmes as well as assisting demonstration deployments, possibly overseas.

Given the challenging nature of this opportunity, it will be important that you are able to work well in a growing team and demonstrate initiative to resolve unique technical problems whilst operating in a fast paced and ever-changing environment. You should always be willing to lend a hand where needed throughout the business and across different teams.

What you'll do Maintenance Leadership Manage day‑to‑day aircraft maintenance operations, including scheduled, unscheduled, and preventative maintenance. Liaise with other stakeholders to develop and manage maintenance plans, work schedules, capacity planning and resource allocation for optimal productivity and aircraft availability. Identify and drive improvements in maintenance processes, reliability, and turnaround times. Lean leadership to drive day to day improvement activities such as 5S and continuous improvement in processes & ways of working. Provide KPI tracking and reporting for senior leadership.

Safety, Compliance & Quality Assurance Uphold safety as the highest priority across all maintenance practices. Ensure all maintenance activities comply with any regulatory requirements (DOA, Part 21), manufacturer specifications, and/or company processes. Maintain accurate aircraft records, logbooks, and maintenance documentation. Partner with Quality Assurance to address audit findings, root causes, and corrective/preventive actions. Assist other stakeholders in establishing requirements and subsequent approvals for any required Part 145 operations.

Team Management & Development Lead, mentor, and develop maintenance technicians, supervisors, and support staff establishing development pathways. Ensure staff competency through effective training, certification tracking, and performance management. Foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Operational Coordination Collaborate closely with Flight Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production/Build teams to support aircraft availability and programme timelines. Prioritise maintenance tasks based on operational needs, safety considerations, and fleet status. Coordinate with supply chain teams to ensure availability of parts, tooling, and equipment. Ensure facilities, tools, and equipment are maintained to required standards.

What you'll bring Proven experience in aircraft maintenance leadership or supervisory roles. Excellent working knowledge of aircraft maintenance including documentation, manuals and engineering drawings. Strong understanding of aviation regulations, maintenance planning, and safety management systems. Excellent leadership, communication, and problem‑solving abilities. Good attention to detail and can operate to challenging deadlines without compromising standards or quality.

Preferred An accredited aerospace engineering qualification, aircraft engineering apprenticeship in commercial/military or similar qualification in aircraft systems. Experience managing maintenance in a multi‑aircraft or production environment. Familiarity with digital maintenance systems. Project management experience. A demonstrated flexible and proactive attitude to carrying out responsibilities.

What can you expect from us? We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career. Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal.

Our benefits Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials. 26 days holiday, plus