Head of Planning - CAMO
We are seeking a highly experienced on-site Head of Planning to lead the CAMO Medium and Long-Term Maintenance Planning function for one of our main clients.
YOUR MISSION:
Reporting to CAMO and Technical Director, the successful candidate will manage a team of 8 to 10 planning professionals across Base and Line Planning, driving strategic task grouping, Work Package (WP) assembly and delivery, and coordination with Part-145 Planning. This role demands a strong strategic thinker with deep expertise in aeronautical maintenance planning, KPI-driven management, and resource optimization across a multi-fleet, multi-base environment.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic Maintenance Planning
Lead and oversee the medium and long-term CAMO maintenance planning for the entire fleet, encompassing both Base Maintenance and Line Maintenance.
Develop and implement task grouping strategies based on common access requirements, opportunistic maintenance windows, and fleet optimization criteria.
Drive strategic Work Package (WP) assembly for Base and Line Maintenance events, ensuring optimal task consolidation, cost efficiency, Reducing TAT and minimum aircraft on ground.
Define and maintain the planning scheduling, aligning scheduled maintenance events with fleet availability, operational requirements, and commercial commitments.
Establish and continuously refine planning criteria for Work Order (WO) generation, including resolution of technical and logistical incidences that impact WO assembly.
Work Package Management & Delivery
Own the end-to-end WP lifecycle: from initial scoping and task consolidation through quotation review, execution monitoring, and final delivery.
Monitor and control WP delivery timelines, ensuring adherence to planned schedules and proactive management of deviations.
Evaluate and Track Turn-around Times (TATs) for Base Maintenance events, identifying potential bottlenecks and implementing corrective actions to reduce aircraft ground time.
Manage the quotation process for maintenance events, coordinating with Part-145 MROs and ensuring commercial alignment.
Oversee Work Package tracking through Middle Checks, ensuring progressive visibility of task completion, open items, and delivery readiness.
Lead the resolution of planning incidences and deferred items, coordinating with Engineering, Materials, and Part-145 organisations.
Coordination with Part-145 Planning
Act as the primary CAMO interface with Part-145 Planning for the execution of planned maintenance tasks.
Ensure handover of Work Packages to Part-145, including clear task definitions, material requirements, and expected timelines.
Monitor execution progress against planned milestones and escalate deviations through established governance channels. KPIs, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
Define, implement, and monitor a comprehensive KPI framework for the Planning function
Produce regular management reports with actionable insights for Technical Director.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the Planning function, Data analysis and best practices.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, develop, and mentor a team of 8 to 10 planners across Base Planning and Line Planning disciplines.
Define clear roles, responsibilities, and performance targets for each team member.
Build a high-performance, objective-driven team culture with accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Conduct regular performance reviews, identify skill gaps, and implement training and development plans.
Manage workload distribution across the team to ensure balanced coverage of all fleet types and maintenance events
PROFILE WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aviation Management, or related discipline.
EASA Part-145, Part-M, or Part-CAMO related certifications (highly valued).
Professional Experience
Extensive experience (8+ years) in aeronautical maintenance planning within a CAMO or MRO environment.
Proven track record in a senior planning leadership role managing teams of 5+ professionals.
Deep knowledge of Base Maintenance and Line Maintenance planning processes, including WP/WO assembly, task grouping, and event management.
Demonstrated experience in TAT management, quotation evaluation, and maintenance event lifecycle oversight.
Hands-on experience with Maintenance Management Systems
Familiarity with Part-145 production planning processes and CAMO–MRO coordination.
Experience in multi-fleet and multi-operator environments (strongly preferred).
Languages
English: Fluent (mandatory). Ability to lead meetings and produce reports in English.
Ideal candidate differentiators Beyond technical requirements, we particularly value candidates who demonstrate:
A strategic approach to maintenance planning that goes beyond scheduling — actively seeking task consolidation opportunities, cost reduction, and fleet availability maximisation.
Proven ability to build and lead planning teams from the ground up, aligning them with measurable operational and strategic objectives.
Strong experience in WP delivery tracking and TAT reduction, with a hands-on approach to removing bottlenecks and driving accountability.
A KPI-driven management style with the ability to translate data into actionable insights for senior management.
Experience operating across multi-base, multi-fleet environments with the ability to standardise planning processes at group level.
Excellent coordination skills at the CAMO–Part-145 interface, ensuring smooth execution of planned maintenance events.
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE:
EASA regulatory framework: Part-M, Part-CAMO, Part-145, (as applicable to planning.
Maintenance programme management and compliance monitoring.
Core competency: Task grouping methodologies: o Grouping by common access (zone-based consolidation). o Improvement on maintenance packaging (combining scheduled and deferred tasks). o Fleet-level optimisation across aircraft types and operational bases.
Work Package assembly and structure (AMP, STR, AD, SB, Components integration).
TAT analysis and reduction strategies for Base Maintenance events.
Core competency: KPI definition and performance management: o Maintenance planning KPIs o Dashboard design and data-driven decision making. o Root cause analysis for planning deviations.
Maintenance Management Systems (TRAX or equivalent).
Resource optimisation and capacity planning for maintenance events.
Middle Check monitoring and progressive WP tracking methodologies.
CORE COMPETENCIES:
Strategic thinking and long-term vision: Data-driven decision making and analytical rigour
Leadership and team building: Effective communication across departments and stakeholders
Resource optimisation and efficiency mindset: Proactive problem-solving and incidence resolution
Results orientation and continuous improvement: Change management and organisational development
WHAT WE OFFER:
Permanent contract
Full time (Mon – Fri office working hours)
Remuneration in accordance with experience.
