Manager - EA Material Management

United Airlines · Chicago · $102,220–$133,194 (stated in the posting)

Achieving our goals starts with supporting yours. Grow your career, access top-tier health and wellness benefits, build lasting connections with your team and our customers, and travel the world using our extensive route network.

Come join us to create what’s next. Let’s define tomorrow, together.

Description

At United, we have some of the best aircraft in the world. Our Technical Operations team is full of aircraft maintenance technicians, engineers, planners, ground equipment and facilities professionals, and supply chain teams that help make sure they’re well taken care of and ready to get our customers to their desired destinations. If you’re ready to work on our planes, join our Tech Ops experts and help keep our fleet in tip-top shape.

Job Overview and Responsibilities

The Manager – EA Material Management leads the team responsible for material planning and oversight of Supply Chain activities as it relates to Engineering Authorization (EA) projects. This role is accountable for establishing the operating model, priorities, escalation paths, and performance expectations that enable the team to successfully manage the end-to-end EA material lifecycle from planning and sourcing, availability, execution support, and project accomplishment. The Manager will closely coordinate with counterparts across Engineering, EA Planning, Base & Line Maintenance Planning, Procurement, Supplier Performance, Inventory Planning, Base Maintenance Control, and other Supply Chain teams to identify risks, remove barriers, and align material readiness with aircraft modification schedules. This role provides portfolio-level visibility to leadership, drives continuous improvement in planning tools and execution processes, and develops team capability to support Technical Operations’ strategic objectives.

Portfolio Leadership & Material Management Strategy:
- Lead the EA Material Management function by establishing the operating model, priorities, escalation paths, and performance expectations for material readiness across the aircraft modification portfolio
- Provide portfolio-level oversight of Engineering Authorization projects, including Airworthiness
- Directives, safety-critical modifications, reliability initiatives, new aircraft interiors, and other high-priority aircraft modification programs
- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to develop optimal material supportability strategies that support key Tech Ops strategic initiatives, regulatory timelines, operational reliability, and aircraft modification priorities
Team Leadership, Coaching & Performance Management:
- Lead, coach and develop the EA Material Management team responsible for managing assigned EA projects across the aircraft modification portfolio
- Train on department processes and project management, set clear expectations, monitor workload balance, provide performance feedback, support career growth, and complete goal setting and performance evaluations
- Lead by example and foster a positive, inclusive team culture grounded in cross-functional partnership, collaboration and continuous improvement
Cross-Functional Execution & Escalation Management:
- Drive cross-functional execution of the end-to-end EA material lifecycle, including material planning, sourcing strategy alignment, supplier recovery, inventory availability, and issue resolution to support EA accomplishment
- Remove barriers and escalate constraints impacting material availability, supplier commitments, purchase order execution, fulfillment timing, or modification schedules
Process Optimization, Tools & Continuous Improvement:
- Improve manual planning, monitoring, reporting, and follow-up processes through automation, data aggregation, and improved use of system-generated insights
- Serve as a change agent by driving root cause analysis, process standardization, automation, contingency planning, and adoption of new ways of working to reduce material shortages, project delays, and operational disruption
Executive Reporting & Business Performance Management:
- Develop and deliver concise, high-impact updates for senior leadership on EA material health, portfolio risks, mitigation plans, key milestones, and business performance trends
- Translate complex supply chain and project data into clear recommendations that support prioritization, resource allocation, investment decisions, and risk mitigation
- Maintain operating rhythms, KPIs, and review mechanisms that provide visibility into project health, team workload, material availability, and execution effectiveness

Qualifications

What’s needed to succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

Bachelor's degree in Business Management, Supply Chain, Engineering or other technical or scientific field or 4 years of relevant work experience
5+ years of experience in Supply Chain, airline operations, manufacturing, aviation maintenance, engineering, project/program management, or related technical field
2+ years of leadership experience, including direct or indirect people leadership, project leadership, or cross-functional team leadership
Strong understanding of supply chain planning, inventory planning, procurement, supplier performance, and aircraft maintenance or modification processes
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, coach employees, manage workload, and set performance expectations
Strong project and program management skills across multiple high-priority initiatives with competing timelines
Ability to influence cross-functional partners outside direct reporting lines and generate alignment across disparate viewpoints
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to translate data into leadership-level recommendations
Ability to communicate clearly with senior leaders, including risks, tradeoffs, mitigation plans, and resource needs
Self-motivated with demonstrated continuous improvement experience and ability to work under time constraints while maintaining accuracy
Able to travel 30-40% of the time
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship
Successful completion of interview required to meet job qualification
Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position

What will help you propel from the pack (Preferred Qualifications):

Master's degree in Business Management, Supply Chain, Engineering or other technical or scientific field or 6 years of relevant work experience
5+ years of people leadership or portfolio/program leadership experience
Experience with aircraft modification programs, Engineering Authorizations, Airworthiness Directives, or reliability initiatives
Advanced Excel, Power BI, SQL, Python, VBA, or other analytics and automation tools
Experience with SAP, inventory planning systems, or airline maintenance/material systems
Formal Lean Six Sigma or continuous improvement methodology experience
PMI/PMP certification
Demonstrates an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of generative AI tools and effectively leverages them for research, analysis, content creation, and problem-solving. Applies critical thinking to validate AI-generated outputs while adhering to company policies related to responsible AI use, data privacy, and security

The base pay range for this role is $102,220.00 to $133,194.00.
The base salary range/hourly rate listed is dependent on job-related, factors such as experience, education, and skills. This position is also eligible for bonus and/or long-term incentive compensation awards.

You may be eligible for the following competitive benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, accident & disability, parental leave, employee assistance program, commuter, paid holidays, paid time off, 401(k) and flight privileges.

United Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation, contact JobAccommodations@united.com

More jobs at United Airlines · Skilled Trades & Maintenance jobs in Chicago