Airport Operations Manager - Terminal

AIR CANADA; Dorval; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Canada in Dorval is seeking an Airport Operations Manager - Terminal to lead day-to-day operations across the terminal, including check-in counters and boarding gates. The role emphasizes safety, customer service, and effective supervision of a unionized team, with collaboration across departments to ensure smooth operations.

The position requires a post-secondary diploma or equivalent leadership experience, excellent communication, and the ability to work in a 24-hour airport environment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership and team management capabilities.
• Ability to coach, empower, and develop staff.
• Strong oral and written communication with stakeholders.
• Experience working with unionized personnel and knowledge of collective agreements (asset).
• Willingness to work shifts in a 24-hour airport environment (weekends/holidays).

Responsibilities

• Lead complex daily airport operations in the assigned terminal sector (check-in, gates, checkpoints).
• Ensure unionized staff perform tasks in their sectors and comply with SOPs and safety protocols.
• Represent Air Canada brand and customer service excellence in all interactions.
• Coach and develop team members; foster accountability and a safety-first culture.
• Conduct on-site incident investigations and ensure timely reporting.
• Coordinate with other operational managers to mitigate disruptions and improve performance.
• Engage with multiple departments and suppliers to meet service and operational requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Coaching

Communication

Union awareness

Decision making

Education

Post-secondary diploma or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Belonging to Air Canada is about belonging to a Canadian symbol, Air Canada recently voted best airline in North America. Take your career to new heights by joining our innovative and diverse team at the forefront of passenger air transport.

As an Airport Operations Manager - Terminal, you will play an important leadership role in bringing to life our ambition of being recognized as one of the top 10 airlines in the world, by directing day-of operations so that activities are carried out efficiently and safely. Your priority will be to ensure that the airline meets or safely exceeds customer expectations regarding their experience with Air Canada in the various terminal areas, including boarding gates and check-in counters.

Your priority will be to create a safe, positive, and supportive environment in which your leadership empowers members of our unionized team (IAMAW and Unifor) to excel. By coaching your team empathetically with a focus on their development and building trust, you will enable them to exceed customer expectations and maintain our warm sense of hospitality.

Responsibilities:

• Be responsible for leading the complex daily activities of airport operations, with care and class, in the assigned sector, including check-in counters, boarding gates, and checkpoint areas, to ensure smooth and efficient flow.
• Ensure that unionized team members perform their tasks in their assigned sector.
• Ensure daily compliance with safety protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs), thereby fostering a safety-first, always culture.
• Represent the Air Canada brand and the company's vision for customer service excellence, reflecting our commitment to a warm welcome and representing our country with pride.
• Collaborate in leading and supervising unionized personnel, and encourage employees to be accountable for their actions while respecting collective agreements.
• Play an influential role in fostering a sense of responsibility among personnel, and empower employees to use their judgment and experience to do what is right when needed.
• Participate in regular feedback sessions with team members to foster team collaboration and the United to Succeed behavior.
• In collaboration with other operational managers, mitigate performance issues, including determining developmental needs and unsatisfactory performance, through coaching, guidance, and disciplinary measures.
• Perform audits to ensure uniform compliance with safety guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service standards, in order to identify root causes of weaknesses and take effective corrective actions.
• Promote and enhance the safety culture in all spheres of operations by encouraging proactive reporting and quickly managing incidents using reports from Air Canada's Safety Management System hosted in the Aviation Quality Database (AQD).
• Monitor and ensure on-time performance by supervising operational processes and procedures and collaborating with team members to manage and resolve delays or issues, while supporting our safety-first culture. Manage and resolve operational disruptions, emergencies, and customer concerns quickly.
• Step in to manage and de-escalate situations when passenger issues arise, ensuring a positive resolution while respecting Air Canada's safety policies and standards.
• Treat passengers with care and class, providing exceptional customer service consistent with Air Canada's commitment to a warm welcome.
• Provide high-quality, safe customer service, particularly in cases of operational irregularities (delays, cancellations, denied boarding, etc.), respecting national laws, Canadian laws, and internal policies and procedures.
• Conduct on-site incident investigations and ensure complete, prompt, and accurate reporting.
• Coordinate day-to-day ad hoc activities with the Station Ground Services Specialist as needed, especially during operational irregularities.
• Monitor and optimize results and take corrective action in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, as applicable.
• Collaborate regularly with other departments and suppliers to meet service and operational requirements.
• Properly assess passengers based on circumstances and standard operating procedures (SOPs) (unruly passenger, medical situation, etc.).
• Stand and walk long distances throughout the terminal frequently.
• Adapt to new concepts, technologies, and processes as the industry evolves, embracing change and leading by example.
• Participate in emergency response training.
• Communicate in a fast-paced environment via internal chat, phone, radio, and email.
• Brief unionized team members on new standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensure they are implemented.
• Stay up to date regarding annual recurring training.
• Be available to work in different airport sectors as needed, and demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to meet changing operational needs.
• Demonstrate punctuality and reliability to support the overall success of the team in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary diploma, at minimum, or equivalent operational experience.
• At least two years of experience in a leadership role or equivalent operational experience.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, and the ability to inspire, coach, and empower employees.
• Managerial courage to make tough decisions to ensure operational integrity, safety, and punctuality.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to interact effectively with team members, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal relations (within the organization and the team).
• Talent for independent time management.
• Customer orientation and commitment to delivering high-quality service.
• Ability to work shifts in 24-hour airport facilities, including weekends and holidays.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC).
• Proven dynamic situational responsiveness, with an ability to adapt to unpredictable task changes throughout the day in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to solve problems and make decisions, especially in high-stress situations.
• Ability to walk long distances frequently.
• Ability to adapt to new technologies and share knowledge thereof.
• Excellent understanding of airport operations and airside operations, an asset.
• Experience working with unionized personnel and understanding of collective agreements, an asset.
• Knowledge of safety protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs), an asset.
• Mastery of Microsoft Office suite and familiarity with various systems and programs used in the airline industry, an asset.

Employment Conditions:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the country concerned at the time a job offer is presented and are responsible for obtaining work permits, visas, or other necessary authorizations. Proof of eligibility must be provided before the start date.

Language Requirements

All else being equal, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.

Diversity and Inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible, and rewarding work environment that showcases the unique contribution of our employees to our company's success.

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage diverse applications so that we can have a workforce that is varied and representative of our customers and the communities where we live and serve.

Air Canada thanks all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.