General Manager - Technical at Kenya Airways

Brief Description        

The Technical Director’s role is responsible for the direction and oversight of all aircraft engineering support and technical management aspects of the Airline; ensuring that its operations are safe, secure, efficient and of high quality for both the airline and customer airlines in accordance with local regulatory requirements, company policies & procedures and other relevant authorities’ requirements. The role also ensures that the engineering function of the business supports the overall objectives of the business in such a way that the overall vision and mission and the purpose of the airline is accomplished.

Detailed Description        

• Ensure that a safety culture is nurtured at all levels of the technical function both in the environment in which they are operating and in the end result of their work output. 
• Ensure that Safety, Security, Quality and Risk Enterprise management policies are adequately implemented and monitored. 
• Drive cross-functional linkages that ensure technical awareness and support for the overall business. 
• Ensure that technical considerations are fully understood by the management team to support safe decision-making whilst driving key metrics around aircraft reliability and availability. 
• Plan, Develop and implement technical strategies and plans to meet the business needs, including technical talent development that guarantees future talent needs of the business. 
• Organize and motivate the function to deliver a high-quality service, meet regulatory requirements, safely at minimum overall cost. 
• Monitor industry and regulatory trends so that Kenya Airways meets best practice requirements. 
• Ensure that the Company code of ethics is adhered to. 
• Drive continuous improvement in operational excellence in all areas of the business. 
• Responsible, and thus accountable for ensuring the management of safety risks and security in maintenance operations 
• Responsible for ensuring that maintenance operations are conducted in accordance with the conditions and restrictions of the air operator certificate (AOC), and in compliance with Kenya Civil Aviation Regulations and the Kenya Airways Maintenance Procedures Manual (MPM) standards. 
• Sponsoring and monitoring finance improvement initiatives and providing inputs and facilitating the decision-making process with relevant stakeholders. 
• Supporting the teams in development of new policies and procedures by providing insights from the financial sector as well as from the knowledge of Kenya’s environment and context; drive the process of institutionalization of new policies and procedures. 
• Maintaining harmonious relationships with external consultants and system vendors for acquiring services and products to support improvement initiatives. Budgeting & Expense Control 
• Monitoring budgets submitted by different technical sections to ensure proper allocation and utilization of financial resources. 
• Continuously oversees and tracks the technical department’s actual performance against the budgeted targets. 
• Reviewing the business case for any major technical investment decisions in light of the technical and business strategy. Relationship Management 
• Develop and maintain internal relationships to ensure a detailed understanding of all Kenya Airways’ needs to deliver high quality aircraft engineering support that meets commercial plans safely and at minimum costs. Coaching and Team Development 
• Ensuring that the technical organization is commensurate with the needs of the business and is able to support the company’s growth plan. 
• Ensuring that all members of the technical team are competent to carry out their role, offering coaching and mentoring support to enhance their delivery and capabilities. 
• Championing the process of effective leadership to raise employees’ awareness towards Kenya Airways’ mission, vision, strategy and values to ensure high-level commitment towards Kenya Airways.

Job Requirements        

Knowledge and Experience Minimum Qualification 

• Undergraduate Degree in Engineering and/or related field
• Postgraduate Degree would be an added advantage. 

Additional Qualifications 

• Demonstrated knowledge in aircraft maintenance 
• Knowledge of the Civil Aviation (Approved Maintenance Organization) Regulations, 2013, and other regulations and materials published by the Authority that are applicable to aircraft maintenance. 

Minimum Years of Experience 

• At least 12 years in a Senior Technical role managing diverse technical teams and structures. 
• Wide range of experience in maintenance and engineering in commercial aviation. 

Other Skills 

• Extensive demonstrated knowledge and experience in maintaining the same category and class of aircraft used by the air operator certificate holder including one year in the capacity of returning aircraft to service. 
• Knowledge of technical information systems, processes and controls. 
• An understanding of or familiarity with the Airline Industry and regulatory/stakeholder pressures. 
• Strong analytical, quantitative and critical thinking skills; ability to balance among different levels of details.