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For over 65 years, Columbia Helicopters have been a trusted provider of heavy-lift helicopter services. We create new aircraft, fly heavy-lift helicopters around the world, and provide maintenance support to ensure you are mission-ready for critical operations. If you are passionate about aviation, join our Columbia Family!
About the Role
We are seeking a proven, high-impact Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead and transform the operational engine of a complex heavy-lift helicopter organization. This executive will own performance across Flight Operations, MRO, Aircraft Solutions, Supply Chain, Planning, Quality, Safety, IT, Engineering Support, and Program Management.
This is not a maintenance role. This is a turnaround and execution mandate.
The COO will be expected to quickly assess operational performance, reset accountability, strengthen discipline, and deliver measurable improvements in safety, productivity, cost structure, customer performance, and financial results.
What You’ll Be Accountable For:
P&L Ownership
- Manage the overall profitability and financial health of the aircraft solutions division.
- Develop and execute strategies to meet or exceed revenue, profit, and cost targets.
- Analyze key financial and operational metrics to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
Enterprise Operational Leadership
- Full ownership of all operational organizations, including Air Ops, MRO, Aircraft Solutions, Supply Chain, Planning, Quality, Safety, IT, and related functions.
- Establish clear accountability, performance expectations, and operating rhythm across senior operational leaders.
- Drive integration and eliminate silos between operational teams.
Turnaround & Performance Improvement
- Identify execution gaps and implement corrective action quickly.
- Lead organizational restructuring where needed to improve effectiveness.
- Introduce data-driven management, clear KPIs, and disciplined performance reviews.
- Deliver visible operational improvements within the first 90–180 days.
Financial & Business Impact
- Own operational performance in partnership with Finance.
- Improve labor productivity, asset utilization, and throughput.
- Drive cost discipline while maintaining uncompromising safety and compliance standards.
- Ensure headcount and operating structure align to business reality.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Serve as executive champion for Safety Management System (SMS) and Quality Management System (QMS).
- Ensure continuous compliance with FAA, EASA, CAA, ITAR, and applicable global regulations.
- Maintain audit readiness and reinforce a strong safety culture.
Customer & External Credibility
- Restore and strengthen trust with key customers, partners, and regulators.
- Act as executive escalation point for critical customer or operational issues.
- Represent the company with credibility across commercial, government, and humanitarian stakeholders.
Culture & Leadership
- Build a culture of ownership, execution, and accountability.
- Reward performance, address underperformance, and develop strong leadership bench strength.
- Engage meaningfully with frontline teams (pilots, mechanics, engineers, planners, field crews).
Required Experience
- 15+ years of senior leadership experience in aviation, aerospace, defense, or complex industrial operations
- Executive experience leading multi-functional operational organizations
- Demonstrated success driving turnarounds, restructures, or major performance transformations
- Deep experience in regulated environments (FAA/EASA/CAA or equivalent)
- Strong financial acumen with ability to link operations to P&L performance
- Proven ability to make difficult decisions and lead through change
Highly Preferred
- Experience in rotorcraft, heavy-lift aviation, defense aviation, or special mission operations
- Experience overseeing both MRO and Flight Operations
- Experience in globally distributed or expeditionary operations
- Experience with OEM partnerships, aircraft completions, or STC programs
Leadership Profile
We are looking for a leader who is:
- Direct, credible, and decisive
- Highly structured and disciplined
- Comfortable driving accountability
- Calm under pressure
- Data-driven and execution-focused
- Respected by frontline teams
- Unwilling to accept excuses in place of results
Why This Role
This is a rare opportunity to take on a true enterprise COO role with real authority, real complexity, and real impact. The right leader will shape the future of a highly specialized aviation organization with global reach and mission-critical operations.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)