Flight Operations Support Director

Airbus Defence and Space; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Airbus Africa and Middle East FZE is seeking a highly experienced Flight Operations Support Director to manage a portfolio of operators across the AME region. The role involves coordinating flight operations and training topics, maintaining trustful relationships, and representing Airbus Flight Operations Support and Skywise services.

The ideal candidate will have deep flight operations expertise, strong communication and negotiation skills, and willingness to travel regularly.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in flight operations and related services.
• Background in airline flight operations is advantageous.
• Strong ability to work with integrated data processing systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and follow-up flight operations and training subjects with operators.
• Maintain trustful relationships and promote Airbus and Skywise products.
• Identify safety issues and contribute to safety improvements.
• Represent Airbus and Skywise with operators and promote operators’ adherence to standards.
• Provide clear, actionable data and reports to management and teams.

Skills

Flight operations domain

Airline ops experience

EDP systems familiarity

Customer service orientation

Presentation skills

Excellent communication

Negotiation skills

Travel readiness

Arabic language ability

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Job Description

The job holder reports to the Head of Flight Ops Support - Africa, Middle East, South Asia (AMESTL)

BASIC PURPOSE

The Flight Operations Support Director (FOSD) contributes to the work of the Regional Flight Operations Support office and manages a portfolio of airlines in the region.

Within the framework of the Customer Services policy, he/she represents the Airbus Flight Operations Support & Training Standards department to the Flight Operations and Flight Training departments of the operators in the region. He/she establishes constant exchanges and a trustful relationship with his/her operators, in order to identify and address their existing or potential issues, needs or opportunities.

MAJOR PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED IN THE POSITION

• Coordinate and follow-up various flight operations & training subjects with his/her operators, using all available communication means.
• Understand operators’ flight operations and training organizations, activities and context.
• Understand operators’ flight operations, training and services issues and needs.
• Make technical presentations of the Airbus Flight Operations & Training products & services.
• Participate as an active/proactive member of each In-Service Core Team (ISCT) making his/her Flight Operations and Training activities visible and including Flight Operations and Training team members when necessary.
• Identify and report any (potential) safety issue and contribute to safety enhancement initiatives.
• Identify flight operations services opportunities for Airbus or Skywise.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

The FOSD ensures that the Flight Operations, Training and Services issues and needs of the operators are properly channelled and answered in due time. He/she promotes the adherence to the Airbus Flight Operations and Training standard and the use of Airbus and Skywise products and services. He/she contributes to Airbus Safety by identifying and reporting existing or potential safety issues at the operators.

The jobholder is expected to:

A/ Technical assistance

• Ensure that the flight operations queries, issues and needs of his/her operators are properly addressed.
• Coordinate and follow-up actions with the operators.
• Provide added value in the communication between the operator and the Airbus Flight Operations and Training department and Skywise Support department, in order to avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

B/ Relationship with customers, promotion of Airbus & Skywise products and services

• Establish and maintain a close and trustful relationship with the operators, through all available communication means, e.g. regular visits, Gmeets, phone calls, Tech Requests, emails.
• Represent Airbus or Skywise in front of the operators for matters related to flight operations & training standards, products and services
• Demonstrate the operational benefits of the Airbus & Skywise products and services.
• Promote adherence to Airbus standard and utilization of the Airbus & Skywise products and Services.
• Promote and protect the Airbus and Skywise image.

C/ Relationship with Airbus and Skywise, reporting

• As a member of the Regional Flight Operations Support office, works closely with the Airbus and Skywise regional teams, and is an active member of the In Service Core Teams in order to establish the necessary priorities and to ensure best in class support to the operators in the region.
• Provide accessible customer overviews for Flight Operations & Training topics to Flight Operations & Training or Customer Services management for general knowledge and customer reviews.
• Maintain proper communication with all Airbus & Skywise departments (not limited to S). Make recommendations on the level of support required to keep the customers satisfied
• Identify and report operators’ flight operations, training and services issues, needs and opportunities.
• Gather data and intelligence for use in all departments of Airbus & Skywise, in particular for the development of our products and services.
• Report any (potential) safety issue that is identified in the day to day relationship with the operators
• Contribute to safety enhancement initiatives as triggered by the Airbus or Skywise Safety Management System (SMS).

MAJOR END RESULTS

• Ensure trustful and long term relationship between operators and Airbus.
• Warrant a level of flight operations support that will ensure customer satisfaction, safety and profitability, to the best interest of Airbus.
• Contribute to the promotion of Airbus policies, products and services.
• Help Airbus Management understand the operators’ context and constraints, by providing reliable and relevant information on the operators.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Technical and soft skills

• Deep experience in the flight operations domain
• Background in airline flight operations would be a plus.
• Ability to work with highly integrated Electronic Data Processing systems.
• Highly concerned by customer service and service minded.
• Excellent personal presentation. Excellent presentation skills, both oral and written.
• Excellent communication, coordination/facilitation and relational skills to deal with various customers and various Airbus departments.
• Autonomous and tenacious. Able to work under pressure and adapt in a very dynamicenvironment. Capable of managing many tasks in parallel and of continuously redefining priorities.
• Strong influence and negotiation skills, being able to convince or negotiate with customers in complex situations.
• Willing and able to travel regularly.
• English negotiation level is required.
• Arabic language skills are a strong advantage.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Airbus Africa and Middle East FZE

Employment Type: Permanent

Experience Level: Professional

Job Family: Customer Flight/Mission & Ops Support

By submitting your CV or application you are consenting to Airbus using and storing information about you for monitoring purposes relating to your application or future employment. This information will only be used by Airbus.

Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to [e-mail].

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.