Director, Fleet Operations

About Jet Excellence
 

We are a fast-growing fleet charter operator redefining private aviation through data-driven efficiency and owner-focused profitability. With a commitment to trust, safety, and service excellence, we deliver tailored charter solutions and seamless travel experiences supported by a modernized fleet and nationwide reach. 

The Role

The Director, Fleet Operations leads the integrated daily operation of the Company’s floating fleet, ensuring aircraft, crews, maintenance readiness, and flight support are aligned for successful trip execution and service delivery.

An execution-focused leader actively involved in daily operations, the Director establishes shared priorities, resolves issues across Charter Coordination, Fleet Scheduling, and Crew Scheduling, and holds teams accountable for executing a coordinated operating plan. Working alongside these teams, the Director anticipates constraints, closes readiness gaps, and drives operational issues through resolution.

The role partners closely with the Director of Operations, Chief Pilot, and Maintenance leadership. Regulatory responsibilities, operational-control authority, flight decisions, and maintenance release decisions are governed by applicable Company manuals and authorized designations.

Primary Responsibilities

Daily Operational Leadership

• Lead the daily operating plan, aligning aircraft availability, crew readiness, maintenance status, and flight support with trip commitments.
• Provide direct operational support during complex events or high workloads, helping teams remove obstacles and complete critical actions.
• Conduct operational briefings to establish priorities, assign ownership, and confirm readiness for current and upcoming trips.
• Maintain active involvement in fleet activity, working alongside functional teams to identify constraints and close execution gaps.
• Ensure effective shift handoffs and follow-through on outstanding actions.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Direct coordination across Charter Coordination, Fleet Scheduling, and Crew Scheduling while functional managers and coordinators execute their respective responsibilities.
• Resolve competing priorities and dependencies affecting aircraft assignments, crew coverage, positioning, and trip preparation.
• Partner with Maintenance leadership and Maintenance Control to incorporate aircraft limitations, downtime, and anticipated availability into the operating plan.
• Ensure operational changes are accurately reflected in Company systems and communicated to affected teams.
• Align with Client Services and commercial teams on feasible options and realistic delivery expectations.

Disruption Management & Recovery

• Lead the coordinated response to maintenance events, weather disruptions, crew shortages, and other interruptions.
• Evaluate recovery options for operational feasibility, customer impact, crew considerations, and cost, within assigned approval authority.
• Bring the appropriate teams together to develop recovery options, establish decision timelines, and assign actions.
• Drive recovery plans through completion, obtaining required validations and approvals from authorized personnel.
• Escalate safety, regulatory, maintenance, and resource concerns beyond assigned authority.
• Keep leadership and affected stakeholders informed of significant developments.

Team Leadership & Accountability

• Set clear expectations for functional leaders regarding readiness, responsiveness, communication, and execution.
• Coach teams through operational challenges and provide direct support during complex events or high workloads.
• Address missed handoffs, unresolved issues, and performance gaps promptly.
• Assess staffing, coverage, and training needs to support a continuous charter operation.

Operational Performance & Improvement

• Monitor schedule reliability, recovery effectiveness, fleet utilization, positioning efficiency, and recurring causes of disruption.
• Lead post-event reviews and implement practical improvements to planning, procedures, and coordination.
• Track corrective actions to completion and verify their effectiveness.
• Report operational results, emerging risks, and resource needs to leadership.
• Work with the Director of Operations, Chief Pilot, Maintenance leadership, and Safety to keep execution practices aligned with Company manuals and authorized responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership experience in Part 135 charter operations, preferably within a floating fleet environment.
• Experience leading operational managers or multiple aviation support functions across aircraft scheduling, crew scheduling, flight coordination, logistics, and maintenance coordination.
• Proven ability to direct daily operations and lead recovery efforts during significant disruptions.
• Strong working knowledge of aircraft readiness, crew duty and rest requirements, mission planning, and fleet utilization.
• Ability to make timely, sound decisions, resolve competing priorities, and align teams in a fast-paced operating environment.
• Excellent communication, coaching, conflict-resolution, and follow-through skills.
• Proficiency with aviation scheduling and operational management systems; JetInsight experience preferred.

Key Accountabilities

• Coordinated daily fleet execution.
• Aircraft, crew, and mission readiness.
• Schedule reliability and operational continuity.
• Timely and effective disruption recovery.
• Fleet utilization and positioning efficiency.
• Clear communication and cross-functional accountability.
• Team performance and continuous improvement.

Work Arrangement

• Hybrid, based at the Company’s corporate office in Raleigh, NC, with regular onsite presence required to lead and support operational teams.

Benefits 

• Fully paid health, dental and vision insurance for the employee  
• Paid Time Off (PTO)  
• 401k Plan w/Matching  

 

Jet Excellence, LLC is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities (EEO).