Director of Aftermarket Services

Director of Aftermarket Services Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers. The Team This brand-new role reports to the Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer and will shape and implement Vertical’s aftermarket commercial infrastructure. The Aftermarkets function will be built and prepare to support global customer operations following aircraft certification in 2028 and the planned scale-up of deliveries from 2029. With a strong global orderbook, close partnerships with leading operators, and support from top-tier suppliers, the team is focused on building innovative, scalable solutions to meet the unique opportunities and challenges of a new aircraft programme entering service. What to Expect This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of electric aviation by building the aftermarket function from the ground up. You’ll lead the development of support models, services, and partnerships that will ensure the Valo enters service smoothly and delivers an outstanding experience for our global customers. Collaborating closely with Engineering, Operations, Digital, Supply Chain and our customers, you’ll combine deep aerospace experience with fresh thinking to solve new challenges in innovative ways. You’ll have the freedom to move fast, bring bold ideas to life, and create a service culture that’s ready for the next era of aviation. What You’ll Do - Define and implement the aftermarket strategy and roadmap to support global customer operations and deliver a world-class in-service offering - Embed aftermarket thinking into every stage of the Valo programme to ensure a smooth entry into service with outstanding safety, reliability, and life cycle performance - Lead readiness across all aftermarket service areas including: - Aircraft MRO – tech publications, electronic logbooks, maintenance partnerships, training, battery overhaul, logistics, and spares - Support services – customer support reps, service engineering, contract and spares management - Operations – pilot and ground crew training (with CAE), fleet operations, and Vertical’s operations centre - Aircraft upgrades – develop battery and system upgrade offerings - Digital services – define customer and service requirements to guide software development for efficient cloud-connected operations - Build and lead strategic aftermarket partnerships to extend capabilities, ensure cost-effective solutions, and maintain focus on Vertical’s core strengths - Use Vertical’s flight test and certification campaigns to validate aftermarket processes and technologies ahead of service entry - Create and run a dedicated customer airline office to capture real-time feedback during the test phase - Recruit, grow and lead a high-performing team that delivers value for our customers, partners and shareholders What You’ll Bring - An engineering degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering - Currently operating in a senior aerospace aftermarket or commercial operations, or in-service support leadership role - Strong experience of developing and executing complex product (aircraft or engine, motors)/global aerospace aftermarket services strategies - Full breadth of aftermarket services knowledge and capabilities - Track record of recruiting, building and developing high-performing aftermarket care teams. - Proven experience ... (truncated, view full listing at source)