General Manager – Airport Operations and Maintenance Services

An established international industrial group is looking for an experienced operations and service contract leader to join its Chilean subsidiary. The appointed candidate will oversee an existing team and in-place maintenance contracts, holding full accountability for business performance, client relationships, safety standards and workforce management.

Key Responsibilities
• Take overall ownership of the Chilean entity, covering financial performance, budgeting, profitability, cost control, cash flow and business forecasting.
• Lead operations and maintenance delivery under active contracts, guaranteeing service continuity, equipment uptime, SLA adherence and timely resolution of emergencies.
• Manage strategic client relationships, contract renewals, scope variations, claims handling, performance improvement initiatives and new business development.
• Ensure full compliance with HSE standards, airport authority requirements and local applicable regulations; foster a proactive safety culture and transparent incident reporting.
• Lead shift-based operational teams, develop frontline supervisors, drive performance management, and maintain sound labour relations with staff, employee representatives and trade unions.
• Administer resources, spare parts and subcontractors, prioritise daily operations, and enable seamless alignment across operations, technical support, finance and global headquarters.
• Prepare regular business performance and key risk reports for international management, communicating fluently in Spanish and English as required. Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical or Mechatronic Engineering, Business Administration, or equivalent proven professional experience.
• 10+ years of background in operations, maintenance or industrial services, with solid track record of team leadership and end-to-end management accountability.
• Hands-on experience in budgeting, financial performance tracking, service contract governance, operational KPIs and key account management.
• Experience working in continuous-run environments; airport, aviation, logistics, mining, infrastructure, facility management or industrial maintenance backgrounds are preferred.
• Sound knowledge of HSE management and experience handling labour relations for frontline teams; union negotiation experience is a strong plus.
• Professional working proficiency in Spanish and advanced English, capable of presenting results, attending stakeholder meetings and conducting negotiations in both languages.
• Based in Santiago, or willing to relocate to Santiago for on-site work, and able to accommodate the reasonable requirements of a 24/7 operating environment. Desirable Experience
• Experience with airport assets including passenger boarding bridges, baggage handling systems, GSE, automation systems or other mission-critical equipment.
• Track record managing renewals, contract variations, claims and margin optimisation for long-term service contracts.
• Practical familiarity with KPIs, CMMS / ERP platforms and continuous improvement frameworks. The Opportunity This role offers the chance to lead a mature business within a global industrial group, with high autonomy to run the local operation and build the local team. Remuneration package will be aligned with your experience and scope of responsibility. All enquiries and applications will be treated in strict confidence. Applications: Please submit your application via the official job channel or the retained search consultant for this mandate. Candidate information will not be disclosed to any third parties without prior consent.