At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead aircraft maintenance operations, ensuring safety and compliance while maximising aircraft availability.
- Company: Join Virgin Atlantic, a dynamic airline with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, supportive work environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of inclusivity where everyone can thrive and be themselves.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in aviation by leading high-performing teams and driving operational excellence.
- Qualifications: UK CAA Part-66 Aircraft Maintenance Licence or equivalent experience in aviation leadership.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Location: On-site, Heathrow
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week. Shift pattern: 4 ON 4 OFF / 0700 – 1900 days.
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Competitive
Closing Date: 5th July 2026
We review applications on a rolling basis and may close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications.
In a nutshell
Keeping our fleet safe, compliant and ready to fly takes exceptional leadership behind the scenes. As Aircraft Maintenance Manager, you’ll be a key member of our Part-145 Production Management team, leading the safe and effective delivery of aircraft maintenance across our Line, Hangar or Operational Assurance functions. In this operational leadership role, you’ll balance safety, compliance and operational performance, ensuring maintenance activities support the flying programme while protecting technical reliability and on-time performance. Working across Engineering, Operations and Planning teams, you’ll make informed decisions in a fast-paced environment, lead high-performing teams and drive continuous improvement across our maintenance operation.
Day to day
- Leading the safe, compliant and efficient delivery of aircraft maintenance, ensuring operational priorities, technical reliability and on-time performance are achieved
- Managing operational resources, staffing and maintenance activity to maximise aircraft availability while maintaining plan stability and regulatory compliance
- Monitoring aircraft status, maintenance progress and defect management, proactively identifying risks and coordinating effective recovery during operational disruption
- Championing a strong safety culture by promoting Just Culture principles, ensuring compliance with Part-145 requirements and managing operational risk
- Leading, coaching and developing engineering teams, supporting capability, engagement, performance and continuous improvement
- Working collaboratively with Planning, Technical Operations, Airport Operations, Safety and external maintenance providers to deliver a safe and resilient operation
About You
A confident and collaborative operational leader, the ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge with sound judgement, inspiring teams to deliver safely, efficiently and consistently in a dynamic maintenance environment.
- A UK CAA Part-66 Aircraft Maintenance Licence or equivalent operational engineering leadership experience within a regulated aviation environment
- Proven experience leading teams within a Part-145 aircraft maintenance environment, with a strong understanding of aviation safety, compliance and Human Factors
- Strong operational decision-making skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and remain calm under pressure in a time-critical environment
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to collaborate across Engineering, Operations and external partners
- Experience using engineering maintenance systems and operational reporting tools, alongside a proactive approach to continuous improvement and operational excellence
- Ability to hold full HAL airside ID
If you're passionate about leading people, driving operational excellence and helping keep one of the world's youngest fleets flying safely and reliably, we'd love to hear from you.
Be yourself – Our differences make us stronger
Our customers come from all walks of life and so do our colleagues. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. At Virgin Atlantic, we believe everyone can take on the world - no matter your age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We celebrate difference and everything that makes our colleagues unique by upholding an inclusive environment in which we can all thrive. So that everyone at Virgin Atlantic can be themselves and know they belong. To make your journey with us accessible and individual to you, we encourage you to let us know if you’d like a little extra help with your application, or if you have any individual requirements at any stage along your recruitment journey. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team, feeling confident that we’ve got your individual considerations covered.
Manager – Aircraft Maintenance – LHR in London employer: Virgin holidays
At Virgin Atlantic, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment at Heathrow where safety and operational excellence are paramount. Our inclusive culture fosters collaboration and personal growth, empowering our employees to lead high-performing teams while enjoying competitive salaries and a supportive atmosphere. With a commitment to continuous improvement and a focus on employee well-being, we ensure that every team member can thrive in their role and contribute to keeping our fleet flying safely and reliably.
