Deputy Maintenance Manager

Job Description

About AHUK... Airbus Helicopters is the world’s largest helicopter manufacturer and the company’s site at Oxford Airport is Britain’s civil helicopter hub. AHUK offers considerable experience in helicopter sales, bespoke completions, maintenance and spares support. Its in‑house engineering capabilities include design, customisation, installation, flight‑testing and certification, as well as technical support, maintenance, training and the supply of spares for civil and military applications.

AHUK is the MoD’s chosen provider of helicopters and maintenance for its No.1 Helicopter Flying School (MFTS) located in RAF Shawbury (Shropshire) and RAF Valley (Anglesey).

• Holiday Allowance:
  We value loyalty and work‑life balance; your annual leave entitlement grows with you, rewarding your commitment with an extra day of leave for each year of service (up to an additional 4 days).
• Health:
  Private Medical Insurance (Bupa). You also have the flexibility to add family members to your policy at an additional cost. Other options include Health‑care Cash Schemes and Den‑Plan.
• Future Wealth: up to 8% Company Pension contribution, when you contribute 6%. Plus Yearly Share Incentive Plans, and Discretionary Group Bonuses.
• Everyday Savings:
  Access to exclusive shopping discounts, including a cashback card to help your money go further.
• Lifestyle:
  Bikes to Work scheme (up to £3,000), Mydrive car purchase scheme, and Technology purchase schemes.
• Added Protection:
  Benefit from Personal Accident Insurance, Health‑care Cash Schemes, and professional Financial/Legal advice.
• Refer a friend Scheme:
  We offer a generous Referral Bonus for any successfully placed candidates you recommend to the business.
• Inclusive Space:
  We provide a dedicated Multi‑Faith Prayer Room, ensuring a quiet, private space for prayer during the day.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP):
  Your mental health matters. Gain access to 24/7 confidential support, counselling, and resources for both your professional and personal life.
• The Canteen Hub: A dedicated space to take a break and recharge, featuring on‑site vending machines for quick snacks and refreshments.
• Fuel Your Day:
  Enjoy free tea and coffee throughout the day.

• Reporting directly to the Maintenance Manager, the Deputy Maintenance Manager acts as the senior production leader on the hangar floor. This role is the driving force behind the technical execution of our Completions and Modifications activity, alongside the active management of daily Base Maintenance activities. As the formal second‑in‑command, you will fully deputise for the Maintenance Manager in their absence, assuming operational oversight to ensure continuous, compliant, and safe facility operations.
• You will be the “pulse” of the hangar‑leading daily team briefs, setting the operational tempo, and serving as the primary enforcer of Part 145 standards, tool control, and housekeeping across all crews. A critical focus of this role is tactical resource planning and capacity management. You will dynamically allocate supervisors and engineering teams to ensure the facility operates within its capacity, maintaining strict turnaround times for base maintenance inputs while concurrently ensuring crews hit the modification project milestones defined by the Project Management Office (PMO).
  
  Additionally, you will act as the crucial technical bridge between the hangar floor and Part 21 Design, ensuring teams have the correct data before work begins.

Essential

• Proven ability to actively manage and balance both routine base maintenance activities and complex modification projects simultaneously.
• Capability, confidence, and leadership presence to fully deputise for the Maintenance Manager and assume facility‑wide operational control when required.
• Strong production leadership skills, with the ability to lead daily shift briefs, direct supervisors, and keep engineering teams focused and moving.
• Proven experience in tactical resource planning, including manpower forecasting, shift management, and dynamic capacity allocation to ensure the facility operates efficiently within its…