Head of Line Maintenance Operations

Role Overview

Head of Line Maintenance Operations at Thales, located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Company Overview

Thales is a global aerospace and defense company with over 50 years of partnership with the United Arab Emirates. Thales provides innovative solutions in Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital. The company employs 80,000 people across 68 countries and maintains a strong local presence in the UAE with more than 500 employees across three offices. Thales Emarat Technologies serves as a key industrial enabler, fostering national sovereignty, self-reliance, and innovation through localization, strategic collaboration, and export of technologies to global markets.

Role Purpose

Implement and deploy human and industrial resources to ensure line maintenance and logistics support for aircraft equipped with Thales IFE systems for airlines under service agreement with Thales AGS. Lead, manage, and coordinate maintenance activities to achieve required performance levels, continuously improve processes and competencies, and contribute to the development, optimization, and profitability of Thales AGS service offerings.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Operations & Compliance

• Ensure contractual commitments related to aircraft IFE maintenance are met.
• Ensure compliance with EASA Part 145 A1 approval requirements.
• Align all operations with Thales AGS quality standards, processes, procedures, and tools.
• Monitor service performance through KPIs including seat availability, inventory levels, and deferred maintenance actions.

Resource Management

• Establish and manage personnel, industrial resources, logistics resources, and tools within approved budgets.
• Lead, manage, and coordinate maintenance activities across Program Support, Logistics Support, Support Resources, and Operations teams within Thales AGS.
• Coordinate with support teams from other division entities, including Repair Stations.
• Support recruitment, training, career development, and qualification management.

Customer & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as primary customer interface responsible for communicating customer expectations and ensuring appropriate prioritization.
• Serve as the primary airline interface regarding IFE maintenance, technical training, and procedural compliance.
• Ensure compliance with contractual commitments and customer satisfaction through performance monitoring and corrective action plans.
• Facilitate close collaboration across customers, Thales AGS teams, and other Thales entities, including IFE divisions.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Organize activities to achieve required performance levels and continuously improve processes and competencies.
• Provide activity reporting and manage improvement plans.

Qualifications & Experience

• 7 or more years of experience in cabin/IFE or avionics maintenance in an airline, MRO, or similar role in an aerospace environment.
• Good knowledge of Civil Aviation maintenance regulations.
• Proven multicultural team management experience.
• Proven customer relationship management experience in complex environments.
• Understanding of local labor laws for the various countries in scope.
• Master degree in Electronics, Aeronautics, and/or Maintenance Engineering.

Skills & Competencies

• Fluent English.
• Strong reporting, analytical, KPI management, Quality, HSE, and Continuous Improvement knowledge.
• Strong interpersonal and executive communication skills.
• Computer skills including MS Office, ERP systems, and databases.
• Ability to travel regionally and internationally.

Additional Information

• Direct reports: 85 employees, including 8 managers.
• Managed budget in 2026: USD 11.6 million.
• Thales offers career development opportunities with a global mobility policy enabling thousands of employees each year to develop careers at home and abroad, in existing areas of expertise or new fields.