Group Leader - Flight Simulator Technical Operations (FSTD)

About the Role
Join the company Middle East as a Group Leader, Technical Operations and help establish the technical operations supporting Riyadh Air’s new training centre in Saudi Arabia. This is an opportunity to lead a maintenance team in a new training environment, supporting the readiness, reliability, and regulatory compliance of advanced flight simulation training equipment.
In this role, you will lead the team responsible for preventive and corrective maintenance of training equipment at the customer site. You will be accountable for operational performance, simulator availability, service quality, and the achievement of Performance-Based Accountability Key Performance Indicators directly related to the contract’s operational and financial performance.
Working at the intersection of people leadership, engineering, customer partnership, and regulatory compliance, you will help create an environment where safety, technical excellence, teamwork, and continuous improvement guide every decision.

Duties & Responsibilities
1- Technical Operations and Team Leadership:

• Accountable for the effective management of Engineering team functions. Day-to-day operational effectiveness, monitoring and guidance.
• Ensure that all training devices are operating as per their certification standards, at all times.
• Be the point of contact for the customer for all technical or operational queries and issues.
• Ensure that the internal, customer, and Service Level Agreement (SLA) defined compliance and quality metrics / KPIs are consistently achieved. Deviations are tracked & actioned through corrective & preventive measures. Monitor the defect and interrupt counts and address accordingly.
• Accountable for the performance of the TCOPS team, and the quality of the training devices based on the contractual terms between the company Middle East LLC and our customers.
• Responsible to generate the roster for the operation and ensure sufficient coverage.
• Recruit and hire new staff to meet the operational deliverables and manpower requirements.
• Work closely with upper management to report and communicate serious concerns or issues affecting the technical operation, whether it is technical, staff, or customer related.
• Generate and lead the annual performance reviews of the technical operation staff.
• Communicate operational and organizational information effectively, and with transparency.

2- Performance, Quality, and Compliance:

• Consciously foster a workplace culture that is consistent and aligned with the overall organizational culture that emphasizes the mission, vision, guiding principles and values of the organization & the company.
• Inspire harmonious staff relations and common objectives to get the best out of each staff, while emphasizing the importance of teamwork to achieve our goal to meet & exceed customer expectations.
• Paramount importance to occupational Safety and Health in the workplace and associated metrics.
• Oversight over compliance with the company Global Environmental policy.
• Provide oversight and direction for the development of a superior work force, through training, coaching, mentoring, and the assignment of tasks, roles and opportunities that will foster the professional development of all staff.

3- Effective Project Management:

• Coordinate for successful project execution: Effective planning, scheduling and execution of all new installations and updates, as well as their device qualification process, as per requirements.

4- Customer Satisfaction and Regulatory Requirements:

• Work closely with the customer, to ensure the highest level of service, in order to allow them to deliver a world class training experience for their crews and customers.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with customers, suppliers, project managers, customer service representatives, and regulators.
• Responsible for the planning of annual recurrent evaluations with the regulatory authorities, in coordination with the Quality and Compliance Manager. Prepare and oversee the operation and team to ensure smooth and successful initial and recurrent certifications of the training devices.
• Ensure timely submission of all evaluation update reports to the concerned authority.

Minimum Qualifications

• Engineering Degree or Technical Diploma in Electronics, Electrical, Mechanical, or Aviation related field, with at least 8 years of FSTD technical experience, including at least 5 years on the company equipment.
• At least 4 years in a Managerial/Supervisory position in a FSTD Technical Support environment.
• Aptitude to multi-task, and effectively coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to make quality and timely decisions and recommendations on technical matters and personnel (HR) issues. Decisions must be multi-faceted, and weigh operational, technical, and budgetary considerations.
• Proven ability to create and foster a teamwork environment in which people strive to do their best. Value employees, their contributions, and their inputs to ensure that the team remains engaged.
• Empower employees through task/role ownership, accountability, and transparency.
• Exhibit excellent leadership skills to motivate, develop and push himself and direct reports to continuously reach and exceed expectations.
• Excellent written and spoken English, including the ability to lead meetings, deliver presentations, and communicate effectively with varied audiences.
• Highly customer oriented, with the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with the customer. Must be able to deal tactfully in sensitive situations.
• Ability to prepare a work plan / schedule, and allocate resources to meet operational and budget objectives.
• Strong technical knowledge of FSTD hardware and software and familiarity with technical issues across systems including motion, visual, avionics, hydraulics, flight dynamics, and aircraft systems.
• Vast knowledge of various aircraft types, including Commercial Jetliners (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer), Business Jets, and Helicopters.
• Superior understanding of aircraft and training device terminology.
• Advanced understanding of Commercial and Business Aviation training.
• In depth knowledge of local & International (EASA, FAA, etc) regulations, with demonstrated experience, as they pertain to FSTDs.
• Advanced computer skills with knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite.

What the company Offers

• Comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package.
• Opportunity to play a key leadership role in establishing the technical operations of a new aviation training centre in Riyadh.
• Exposure to a broad and technically diverse simulator operation, supporting multiple training devices and aircraft platforms.
• An environment where technical expertise, ownership, continuous improvement, and engineering excellence are central to success.
• Defined pathways for internal professional development and leadership advancement.