Program Manager, Transformation (Aircraft and Supply Chain)

Overview of role:
The Transformation organization sits at the core of the WestJet Group and is accountable for translating the enterprise strategy into delivered, measurable financial outcomes. Program Managers within Transformation own a single enterprise program end to end, including the business case, the benefit commitments embedded in the annual budget and five-year plan, and the program delivery budget. These roles are designated for top-tier talent with a proven record of delivering transformation at scale and serve as a developmental platform for future leadership roles.
As a member of this team, the Program Manager, Transformation (Aircraft and Supply Chain) leads end-to-end delivery of WestJet’s Aircraft Lifecycle Management and Reliability-Driven Supply Chain agenda and is accountable, in partnership with the Program Sponsor, for the realization of $10–50M in annual run-rate EBITDA benefit. Reporting to the Director, Corporate Strategy and working in close partnership with the VP, Fleet Asset Management and Director, Supply Chain, this role sets delivery strategy and cadence, secures decisions from executive sponsors and the Executive Committee, and directs cross-functional and external delivery resources so committed transformation benefits are achieved.
Key Responsibilities

Own end-to-end delivery of the aircraft lifecycle and parts supply chain transformation agenda, including scope, integrated plan, milestones, decision gates and the committed outcome of $10–50M in annual run-rate EBITDA benefit, so that transformation value is realized and sustained
Own the program business case and benefit commitments with Finance and the Program and Executive Sponsor(s) – size unsized components, set and defend the benefit assumptions used in the annual budget and five-year plan, and report realized value against baseline, so that committed savings are credible and auditable
Direct matrixed delivery teams drawn from Tech Ops, Supply Chain, Fleet Asset Management, Treasury, Technology, Finance and Commercial, plus external consulting and vendor partners – define the work, set standards and hold delivery owners to committed outcomes without formal reporting authority
Establish a standardized end-to-end aircraft lifecycle decision framework, including governance, decision gates, processes and supporting tools, to enable the lowest total cost of ownership across the leased fleet
Drive transparency of lifecycle economics – lease return provisions, ownership costs, engine and airframe maintenance, modifications, spares and out-of-service exposure – and convert that transparency into stronger lease inception, extension, return and remarketing outcomes
Lead the reliability-driven supply chain workstreams – parts demand signal and reliability forecasting, inventory planning and network positioning, material purchasing and supplier economics, and repair cycle and component economics – to reduce urgent-buy premiums, raise inventory turns and release working capital
Sequence and de-risk foundational technology enablers (e.g., maintenance system and records platform modernization, procurement and repair analytics tooling), ensuring benefits and costs are tracked against the approved case
Engage executive stakeholders on a regular basis, including the Executive Sponsor(s), Chief Transformation Officer and the Executive Committee – frame trade-offs, recommend decisions on scope, sequencing and investment, and secure alignment and resources, so that the program is unblocked at the pace required
Determine and manage the program delivery budget, including approved external consulting spend, and establish the delivery operating system – war rooms, escalation paths, RAID discipline, structured lookbacks and Lean problem solving – so that risk, interdependencies and change impacts are controlled
Integrate the aircraft and supply chain agenda with fleet planning, maintenance planning and enterprise budget cycles so that decisions made two to four years ahead of cost realization are visible, costed and owned

Competencies & Attributes

Strategic and analytical mindset with the ability to synthesize technical, operational, commercial and financial inputs into concise, compelling insights and defensible benefit cases
Strong asset and cost acumen; able to connect maintenance and engineering decisions to lease provisions, ownership costs, cash, EBITDA and balance sheet outcomes
Deep operational credibility with maintenance, engineering, supply chain and fleet teams; comfortable on the hangar floor and in the executive boardroom
Politically astute and organizationally savvy; skilled at anticipating risks, surfacing trade-offs and mitigating challenges before they materialize
Demonstrated excellence in program, portfolio and stakeholder management, with meticulous attention to detail and a bias for execution under tight timelines
Highly trusted and discreet; adept at handling commercially sensitive lessor, supplier and contract information with integrity and professionalism
Exceptional communication and executive writing skills; able to tailor messaging from technical specialists to the Executive Committee
Collaborative and team-oriented, yet self-directed and confident in assuming leadership without formal authority
Optimistic, resilient and solution-focused, with a passion for delivering meaningful organizational impact through operational change

Professional Experience & Qualifications

Minimum of 8–12 years of progressive experience in transformation, technical operations, fleet asset management, supply chain or enterprise program delivery within large, complex or matrixed organizations
Demonstrated accountability for delivering large-scale, enterprise-wide transformation programs of comparable financial scale at another organization – the successful candidate will have done this before, not led it for the first time
Strong operational experience with a track record of delivering results in technical operations, maintenance, engineering or parts supply chain, including inventory planning, procurement, and repair and overhaul economics
Solid working knowledge of aircraft leasing economics, including lease rates and terms, return conditions, maintenance reserves and return provisions, engine and LLP economics, green-time management, and extension, part-out and remarketing trade-offs
Direct experience managing aircraft lease returns is strongly preferred, including return-condition negotiation, maintenance and records readiness, work scope and timing decisions, and settlement or compensation outcomes with lessors
Experience delivering technical operations or supply chain system implementations (e.g., maintenance and engineering systems, records management, procurement or inventory platforms), including vendor selection and benefits realization
Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives across operations, technology, treasury, finance and commercial, driving alignment and execution across diverse stakeholder groups without formal authority
Strong familiarity with corporate governance processes, including preparation of Board and executive committee materials, business case approval, budget cycles and enterprise portfolio governance
Lean / Continuous Improvement background, with Lean Six Sigma certification preferred; PMP or equivalent an asset
Aviation or comparable complex operating environment experience preferred
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Aviation Management, Supply Chain or a related field required; Master’s degree or MBA preferred