Upholstery Shop Supervisor

Upholstery Shop Supervisor – Aviation

Location: Chesterfield, MO
Job Type: Full-Time
Department: Completions & Refurbishment

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Upholstery Shop Supervisor to lead an aviation upholstery team responsible for high-quality aircraft interior completions, refurbishment, fabrication, and installation.

This is a hands-on leadership position requiring an experienced upholstery professional who can supervise technicians while actively contributing to production. The ideal candidate will have extensive aviation refurbishment and completion experience, strong leadership skills, excellent mechanical aptitude, and a commitment to quality, safety, and on-time project completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and provide daily direction to upholstery technicians and shop leads.
• Lead daily shop meetings and coordinate project priorities, staffing, and workflow.
• Assist hands-on with upholstery fabrication, installation, refurbishment, and repair work.
• Coordinate work identified through inspections and component refurbishment.
• Determine labor, service, parts, tooling, and material requirements for incoming projects and non-routine work.
• Monitor project schedules, labor hours, quality, and overall work progress.
• Identify potential schedule or quality issues and develop recovery plans when necessary.
• Coordinate with other departments and supervisors to ensure projects remain on schedule.
• Ensure technicians have the proper parts, tooling, technical information, skills, and staffing necessary to complete assigned work efficiently.
• Maintain and enforce quality control standards throughout each project.
• Provide training, coaching, mentoring, and on-the-job training to technicians.
• Conduct performance evaluations and address employee performance or personnel concerns.
• Coordinate technician scheduling, vacation requests, and time off.
• Monitor labor collection and actual labor hours against established targets.
• Promote continuous improvement and identify opportunities to increase shop efficiency and productivity.
• Maintain a clean and organized work environment utilizing 5S principles.
• Ensure compliance with company safety procedures, EH&S requirements, OSHA standards, and applicable aviation regulations.
• Monitor equipment, aircraft systems, hazardous materials, and shop practices to maintain a safe working environment.
• Protect customer aircraft, components, materials, and property throughout the work process.
• Prepare reports and provide project updates to management as required.
• Take ownership of project challenges and work across departments to resolve roadblocks and maintain project expectations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 10–15+ years of related aviation refurbishment, completion, and repair experience required.
• Previous supervisory or leadership experience required.
• Advanced knowledge of aviation upholstery operations, fabrication, installation, refurbishment, and repair.
• Knowledge of applicable FAR requirements, including FAR Parts 25, 43, 49, 91, 121, 135, and 145.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead experienced technicians while mentoring and developing junior team members.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, schedules, and project deadlines.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Strong commitment to workmanship, quality, safety, and continuous improvement.

Physical & Work Requirements

• Ability to routinely lift up to 60 pounds and occasionally lift up to 100 pounds.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and frequently bend, squat, kneel, and stoop.
• Good hand and finger dexterity for detailed upholstery and fabrication work.
• Ability to work in confined spaces, around aircraft maintenance materials, at heights above six feet, and in varying temperatures and noise levels.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Must be able to work various shifts and overtime when needed.
• Occasional overnight and short-notice travel may be required.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced aviation upholstery professional who combines technical expertise with strong leadership ability. This individual should be comfortable working alongside technicians on the shop floor while managing staffing, schedules, quality, training, safety, and overall project execution.

We are looking for a leader who takes ownership of their department, communicates effectively across teams, develops employees, solves problems quickly, and maintains exceptionally high standards for aircraft interior workmanship.

Apply today if you have extensive aviation upholstery experience and are ready to take the lead in a hands-on supervisory role.

Join a team that values hard work, professional growth, and employee success. Our clients are established organizations that invest in their people, provide opportunities for advancement, and foster collaborative work environments.