Specialist – Foreign Operator oversight

The General Civil Aviation Authority; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is seeking professionals to drive the FOA Risk Based Surveillance Programme. The role includes planning, analysis, prioritization, and rostering to ensure robust safety oversight of foreign operators and regulatory compliance across UAE airports.

You will engage in oversight of operator approvals, documentation validation, and collaboration with international authorities while supporting continuous improvement in aviation safety and regulatory process

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute risk-based surveillance plans across field inspections, alcohol testing, procedures, and safety trend analysis.
• Identify safety and compliance risks using data and stakeholder consultations.
• Analyse movement of foreign aircraft operators to detect non-compliance or unusual activity.
• Manage inspector scheduling across UAE airports to meet annual inspection targets and safety oversight.

Job description

Job description

FOA Risk Based Surveillance Programme (Planning/Analysis/Prioritization/Rostering)

• Develop and execute comprehensive risk-based surveillance plans encompassing field inspections, alcohol testing, examination of broader processes, procedures, documentation, and manuals, risk profiling, and safety trend analysis.
• Identify safety risks and compliance concerns using available data and intelligence, including through consultation with industry stakeholders.
• Analyse movement of foreign aircraft operators detect non-compliance or unusual operational activity.
• Manage the inspectors scheduling to the different UAE airports to achieve our annual target of inspections and to ensure effective safety oversight on our target operators.

Industry Regulatory Oversight

• Review and assess applications for foreign air operator acceptance and renewal, ensuring compliance with national regulations and ICAO Annex 6.
• Validate operator documentation including AOC, Operations Specifications, and SMS-related materials.
• Liaise with foreign operators and civil aviation authorities to verify approvals and resolve acceptance issues.
• Participate in technical reviews for new operators, aircraft types, or significant operational changes.
• Support investigation processes, contributing to root cause analysis and safety performance reviews.
• Maintain records of operator approvals and compliance status in regulatory systems.
• Provide input for policy revisions and process enhancements in line with international best practices.

Enforcement Case Management

• Apply relevant regulations and standards in reviewing and handling enforcement cases involving foreign operators.
• Document enforcement cases comprehensively, outlining actions taken and justifications.
• Ensure timely resolution of cases to mitigate regulatory or safety risks.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders while ensuring confidentiality and data integrity throughout the enforcement process.

Operational Planning and Excellence

• Support the implementation and monitoring of the FOA Operational Plan, ensuring alignment with the GCAA’s strategic direction.
• Coordinate data collection, performance monitoring, and closure reporting of operational deliverables.
• Contribute to initiatives that improve service delivery and stakeholder satisfaction in the FOA domain.

Quality Management

• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements in all aspects of operations.
• Manage operational standards and specifications, aligning them with industry best practices.
• Implement Quality Control measures, focusing on key aspects such as controls and processes, staff competence, and soft elements to maintain consistent service quality / Foster and promote a Quality Culture grounded in attitudes and values that enhance the quality of everyday work practices and the overall output of all services in coordination with QRM.

External/Internal Audit

• Support all auditing activities carried out by external entities on Safety Affairs including ICAO, and IMS to ensure smooth and productive audit.
• Analyse and implement corrective actions in case of findings raised by other departments, during internal surveillance program to ascertain alignment of FOA/Safety Affairs standards in line with international standards and continuous improvement.