Airfield Operations Trainer

Doncaster City Council; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Annual leave 29+ days

Relocation assistance

On-site gym

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Doncaster Sheffield Airport is seeking an Airfield Operations Trainer to lead the development, delivery, assessment and assurance of training and competence across the Airfield Operations function and wider airside community. Reporting to the Head of Airfield Operations, you will own the learning cycle from needs analysis to certification and improvement.

You will drive the Airfield Operations Competence & Assurance System (AOCAS) and oversee ADP and airside safety training in line with CAP 790

Qualifications

• A recognised Level 4 or higher qualification in education, training, learning and development, or demonstrably equivalent professional training qualification.
• A recognised vocational or competence assessor qualification such as D32/D33, A1, CAVA or recognised equivalent.
• Advanced learning and development, coaching or quality-assurance qualifications would be advantageous.
• Previous aviation or Airfield Operations experience would be beneficial but is not essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, delivery, assessment and assurance of training and competence across the Airfield Operations function and relevant parts of the wider airside community.
• Own the learning cycle from training needs analysis and instructional design through to delivery and assessment.
• Establish and maintain the Airfield Operations Competence & Assurance System (AOCAS).
• Lead ADP and airside safety training delivery and assessment in accordance with CAP 790 and local procedures.
• Provide coaching and remedial learning to staff with varying experience and learning needs.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and use results to drive continuous improvement.

Job description

Airfield Operations Trainer

Job details

Salary Grade 9 £42,123 - £46,579 per annum Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Region Doncaster Job category/type Transport/Traffic Date posted 17/09/2026 Job reference REQ23993 Attachments Airfield Operations Trainer Job Role Summary V04 (1).docx FD Application Form.docx

Job description

Based at: Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Salary details: Grade 9 £42,123 - £46,579

Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time

Hours: 37 hours per week

Flexible working arrangements: Flexible working requests will be considered.

Closing date: 27 th September 2026

DBS CTC clearances are required for appointment to this post.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport is preparing to relaunch, and we are seeking an exceptional training and competence professional to play a key role in building the capability of our Airfield Operations Team and wider airside community. This is an exciting opportunity to shape training and competence arrangements from the ground up at one of the UK’s most promising regional airports. As part of the Airfield Operations Team, you will have the freedom to bring modern learning, assessment and development practice into a safety-critical aviation environment, helping us establish a training function that is engaging, practical, evidence-based and focused on demonstrable workplace competence. Although beneficial, you do not need to be an experienced Airfield Operations professional; we are looking first and foremost for someone who understands how people learn, how competence is objectively assessed and how exceptional training systems are built.

About the Role

We are seeking an Airfield Operations Trainer to lead the development, delivery, assessment and assurance of training and competence across the Airfield Operations function and relevant parts of the wider airside community. Reporting directly to the Head of Airfield Operations, the postholder will act as the department’s lead specialist for learning, training, assessment and competence assurance.

The role will own the learning cycle from training needs analysis and instructional design through to delivery, coaching, practical assessment, evaluation and continuous improvement. A key priority will be establishing and maintaining the Airfield Operations Competence & Assurance System (AOCAS), ensuring our operational teams are not simply trained, but can demonstrate and maintain the competence required to undertake safety-critical activities.

You will also lead the delivery and assurance of Airside Driving Permit (ADP) and wider airside safety training, combining classroom, practical and workplace learning to develop safe and competent performance. You will exercise independent professional judgement when assessing competence and will have the authority to defer or withhold competence sign-off where the required standard has not been demonstrated.

This is an opportunity to bring fresh thinking to aviation training. Working alongside experienced operational and technical subject matter experts, you will translate complex regulatory, technical and operational requirements into learning that is accessible, engaging, measurable and operationally relevant. You will also help us explore new approaches to learning, technology, human factors, coaching and competence assurance as the Airport develops its future training capability.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Leading, developing and continuously improving the Airfield Operations training and competence framework and Airfield Operations Competence & Assurance System (AOCAS).
• Undertaking training needs analysis and designing structured learning, assessment and competence solutions for safety-critical operational activities.
• Designing and delivering engaging classroom, practical, scenario-based and workplace learning for Airfield Operations personnel and the wider airside community.
• Establishing objective assessment standards, assessing workplace competence and determining whether individuals have achieved the required standard, including deferring or withholding competence sign-off where necessary.
• Leading and assuring Airside Driving Permit (ADP) and airside safety training and assessment in accordance with CAP 790, applicable regulatory requirements and local procedures.
• Providing individual coaching, developmental feedback and remedial learning to support personnel with differing levels of experience, ability and learning need.
• Working with operational and technical subject matter experts to translate complex requirements and procedures into effective, accessible and auditable learning and assessment.
• Evaluating training effectiveness and using assessment results, operational performance, incidents, audits, exercises and lessons learned to identify trends and continuously improve learning and competence arrangements.
• Providing specialist assurance to the Head of Airfield Operations on training effectiveness, competence standards and associated risks, including supporting regulatory and internal assurance activity.
• Assessing the training and competence implications of operational change and ensuring appropriate learning and assessment is completed before changed safety-critical activities are introduced.
• Building effective relationships across Airfield Operations, Safety & Compliance, ATC, Airport Fire & Rescue, Security, Engineering, airlines, ground handlers, contractors and external training organisations.
• Maintaining professional expertise in learning and assessment while developing the technical, regulatory and local Airfield Operations knowledge required to deliver assigned training safely and credibly.

The Successful Candidate

We are looking for an accomplished training, learning and competence professional who can bring excellent training practice into a complex, operational and safety-critical environment. You will understand that effective training is about much more than delivering content: it is about designing meaningful learning, developing people, assessing performance objectively and being able to demonstrate that learning has transferred into competent workplace performance.

You will have significant professional experience designing, delivering, assessing and evaluating training, ideally within an operational, technical, regulated or safety-critical environment. You will be confident undertaking training needs analysis, developing structured learning and assessment solutions, coaching individuals and making objective competence decisions. You will also have the professional credibility to challenge where required and to maintain competence standards where operational or organisational pressures exist.

A recognised Level 4 or higher qualification in education, training, learning and development, or demonstrably equivalent professional training qualification, together with a recognised vocational or competence assessor qualification such as D32/D33, A1, CAVA or recognised equivalent, is required. Advanced learning and development, coaching or quality-assurance qualifications would be advantageous.

Previous aviation or Airfield Operations experience would be beneficial but is not essential. What is essential is the ability and willingness to learn a new technical environment, work effectively with operational subject matter experts and complete a structured programme of aerodrome familiarisation, training and competence before independently delivering or assessing assigned safety-critical airfield subjects.

You will be an excellent communicator and facilitator who can make complex information understandable and engaging to learners with very different levels of knowledge and experience. You will be curious, objective and evidence-led, with strong coaching and interpersonal skills and a genuine commitment to professional learning, human factors, Just Culture and continuous improvement.

Above all, we are looking for someone who wants the opportunity to build rather than simply inherit: someone excited by the prospect of helping us establish a modern, innovative and high-performing training and competence function as Doncaster Sheffield Airport returns to operation.

What We Offer

In return, you will have the opportunity to play a vital role in the successful relaunch of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and help shape the future of one of the UK's newest and most exciting airports.

We offer a competitive benefits package, including:

• Leading defined benefit pension scheme with generous employer contributions.
• 29 days annual leave (rising to 34 days after 5 years' service) plus 8 bank holidays.
• Eligibility for Shared Cost AVCs.
• Relocation package of up to £8,500.
• Broad range of family-friendly workplace policies.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Cycle to Work and Home Technology salary sacrifice schemes.
• Wide range of employee discounts and wellbeing benefits.
• Financial wellbeing support, including affordable loans.
• Free access to Occupational Health, counselling and physiotherapy services.
• Access to on-site gym facilities.
• Free on-site parking.

If you are passionate about creating safe, compliant and resilient operations and want to be part of an exciting new chapter for Doncaster Sheffield Airport, we would love to hear from you.

Please ensure you view the job summary as you will need to demonstrate in your application form how you meet the required criteria.

Address

Address
Civic Office
Waterdale
Doncaster
DN1 3BU