Airside Operations Specialist

Area of Responsibility

Airside  – Ramp, Cargo, Equipment

Purpose of the Job

To provide expert guidance and oversight on all aspects of airside operations safety, regulatory compliance, and best practices. The role ensures that airside processes are aligned with national and international aviation safety standards and drives continuous improvement in operational safety performance.

Job Responsibilities

1. Safety Leadership & Oversight

• Act as the key advisor for airside operations safety and compliance.


• Lead investigations into airside incidents, accidents, and near-misses, ensuring root cause analysis and corrective actions.


• Develop, review, and update airside safety procedures, SOPs, and manuals in line with ICAO, local aviation authority, and company standards.

2. Compliance & Regulatory Management

• Ensure airside operations comply with regulatory requirements, airport authority standards, and internal policies.


• Maintain awareness of changes in aviation regulations, safety standards, and industry best practices, and advise management accordingly.


• Conduct audits, inspections, and gap analysis to ensure compliance across all airside activities.

3. Risk Management & Safety Promotion

• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks in airside activities.


• Promote a proactive safety culture among airside operations teams.


• Assist in developing safety training programs tailored to the local airport facility and provide subject matter expertise in safety briefings.

4. Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with airlines, airport authorities, regulators, and internal teams to ensure coordinated compliance and safety initiatives.


• Support operational teams in implementing safety measures without impacting operational efficiency.

Job Responsibilities Cont…

. Continuous Improvement

• Analyse safety performance data, identify trends, and recommend improvements. Work on to implement the proactive and predictive approaches in implementing fully functional SMS


• Participate in projects to enhance airside safety processes and operational efficiency.


• Mentor and coach Airside Operations Staff on safety and compliance practices.

6. Internal & Third-Party Audits

The Primary Contact from Airside Operations for all Regulatory, third party as well as internal audits Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

1. Airside Safety Performance




• Reduction in the number of airside incidents and accidents (Target - 50 % decrease in first year).


• Number of near misses reported and effectively closed with corrective actions (Target - zero repetition of the near misses of the same nature once the corrective action is implemented)




2. Compliance & Audit




• Compliance audit score (internal and regulatory) (target ≥ 95%.)


• Timely closure of audit findings / corrective actions (within agreed timelines) (Target - 100%)




3. Risk Management




• Number of identified hazards mitigated within specified timeframes. (Target – Three hazards every Quarter)


• Implementation rate of preventive measures following safety reviews (Target ≥ 95% within the deadlines)




4. Regulatory Alignment




• Timely updates of SOPs and manuals in line with changes in aviation regulations (Target – 100%)


• Number of non-compliance issues reported by regulators (Target: zero Level 1 findings).

Note – The role defined here is not exhaustive, and duties and responsibilities in line with the job function may be added from time to time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Preferred qualifications in Aviation Management, Safety Management, or related field)

Experience

• 3–5 years of experience in airside operations, with 3–4 years in safety, compliance, or regulatory roles.


• Good knowledge of ICAO standards, local aviation regulations, and SMS (Safety Management Systems) and ISAGO


• In depth understanding of airside operational processes and ground handling procedures

Skills

Competencies