Accountable Manager - Quality Manager

This position combines two distinct responsibilities at our FAA-certificated Part 145 repair station in South Korea. As Quality Manager, this person owns the repair station's quality management system (QMS), ensuring products and services meet FAA, customer, and applicable Korean regulatory requirements. As the FAA-designated Accountable Manager, this person holds ultimate authority and responsibility for all repair station operations conducted under 14 CFR Part 145, serves as the organization's primary point of contact with the FAA, and ensures the repair station is properly funded, staffed, and resourced to remain in continuous compliance.

Because our repair station is located outside the United States, this role also works closely with the FAA's Certificate Holding District Office and, where applicable, coordinates with South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and other host-country aviation authorities to satisfy the additional requirements of 14 CFR Part 145, Subpart N, for repair stations located outside the U.S.

Key Responsibilities — Quality Manager

• Develop, implement, and maintain the Repair Station Manual (RSM), Quality Control Manual (QCM), and supporting procedures and work instructions.
• Manage the Safety Management System (SMS) per FAA standards.
• Own and continuously improve the quality management system, including internal audit, corrective/preventive action (CAPA), and non-conformance programs.
• Serve as the primary liaison for FAA inspectors and other regulatory auditors, and act as point of contact for customer and third-party quality audits (airlines, OEMs, and other MRO partners).
• Oversee receiving inspection, in-process inspection, and final release/return-to-service processes to ensure compliance with 14 CFR Part 145 and Part 43.
• Administer or coordinate quality-related training, including initial and recurrent training required under the repair station's FAA-approved training program.
• Manage supplier and vendor qualification, approval, and certification processes.
• Maintain and report quality metrics, trends, and continuous improvement initiatives to senior leadership.
• Support Engineering and Operations with root cause analysis, FMEAs, and process improvements as needed.
• Ensure global alignment of documentation with the other regional Part 145 quality documentation.

Key Responsibilities — Accountable Manager (14 CFR Part 145)

• Serve as the FAA-designated Accountable Manager, holding the authority and responsibility over all repair station operations conducted under 14 CFR Part 145, per §145.153.
• Ensure repair station personnel understand and follow applicable FAA regulations, and serve as the organization's primary point of contact with the FAA.
• Ensure the repair station is adequately funded, staffed, and resourced to maintain continuous regulatory compliance.
• Represent the repair station in dealings with the FAA's Certificate Holding District Office, including certificate renewals, operations specifications changes, and enforcement matters, if any.
• Coordinate with South Korean civil aviation authorities (e.g., MOLIT) and other applicable regulators as needed to support the repair station's Subpart N obligations and any additional local approvals held by the organization (e.g., EASA, other bilateral agreement approvals).
• Review and approve significant changes to the RSM/QCM, organizational structure, or scope of ratings before submission to the FAA.
• Escalate and resolve safety, quality, or compliance issues that require executive-level authority or resourcing decisions.

Required Qualifications \& Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Aviation Maintenance, Aerospace Engineering, Quality Systems, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in aviation quality assurance/quality control, with at least 2+ years in a supervisory or managerial role within an FAA Part 145 repair station, airline, or MRO environment.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of 14 CFR Part 145 (including Subpart N for repair stations located outside the U.S.), Part 43, and related FAA regulations.
• Must meet FAA qualification requirements to be accepted as Accountable Manager under 14 CFR §145.153, including demonstrated organizational authority over repair station operations, personnel, and funding.
• Fluent (business level or higher) in both Korean and English, written and verbal, to support communication with the FAA, corporate leadership, and local staff.
• Based in South Korea, or willing to relocate, with the standing to represent the repair station directly to the FAA and Korean aviation authorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Korean Aircraft Maintenance Technician certificate (항공정비사) and/or FAA Airframe \& Powerplant (A\&P) certificate.
• Lead Auditor certification (AS9110, AS9100, or ISO 9001).
• Prior experience working directly with an FAA Certificate Holding District Office or Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).
• Experience with EASA Part-145 or other dual/multiple regulatory approvals common to Korean MRO providers.
• Experience in a Korean airline, MRO, or aerospace manufacturing environment (e.g., Korean Air, Asiana, KAI, KAEMS, or similar).

Knowledge, Skills, \& Abilities

• Strong understanding of quality planning, assurance, and control tools (root cause analysis, 8D, CAPA, statistical process control).
• Strong leadership and organizational skills; comfortable holding final authority and accountability for repair station compliance.
• Ability to train and develop staff at all levels, from shop-floor technicians to management.
• Self-starter who works independently and exercises sound judgment on compliance and resourcing decisions.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, able to work effectively with both Korean staff and U.S.-based regulators/corporate partners.

Work Environment \& Physical Requirements

• Primarily an office environment, with regular time spent on the hangar/shop floor to support audits, inspections, and quality oversight.
• Ability to walk, stand, and move throughout hangar and shop floor areas; appropriate PPE provided as required.
• Ability to see and hear well enough to review documentation, inspect work, and communicate with staff in both office and shop floor settings.
• Occasional domestic and international travel (\~20–30%), including travel to the U.S. as needed for FAA-related matters.