Airport Operations Manager

Birmingham Airport Authority; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham Airport Authority invites applications for an Airport Operations Manager to lead 24/7 airport operations, make critical operational decisions and coordinate emergency responses. The role manages Terminal and ACC teams, maintains strong relationships with airlines and partners, and ensures excellent service delivery across customer touchpoints.

Applicants should have proven experience in busy aviation operations, strong leadership, and a track record of effective stakeholder management

Qualifications

• Airport or Airline Operations — Proven experience in a busy operational aviation environment.
• Emergency & Incident Management — Experience leading emergency responses or critical operational incidents.
• Leadership & People Management — Strong background in leading teams, managing performance and driving engagement.
• Stakeholder & Partner Management — Ability to build effective relationships with airlines, handlers and control authorities.
• Operational Systems Knowledge — Familiarity with ACC tools like AODB, CCTV, door control and fire alarm systems.
• Customer Service Delivery — Experience delivering high‑quality customer service in a fast‑paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead 24/7 airport operations, ensuring safe, secure and efficient service delivery.
• Coordinate and direct the airport’s response to all emergency incidents, ensuring effective deployment of teams.
• Provide timely operational updates to Executive and Senior Management Teams.
• Allocate aircraft stands safely and manage out‑of‑hours engineering support and critical decision‑making.
• Lead Terminal and ACC teams, ensuring rostering, performance management and continuous improvement.
• Oversee all customer touchpoints, ensuring smooth passenger flows and high service standards.

Skills

Operational Leadership

Emergency & Incident Management

Leadership & People Management

Stakeholder & Partner Management

Operational Systems Knowledge

Customer Service Delivery

Tools

AODB

CCTV

Door Control Systems

Fire Alarm Systems

Job description

About The Role

The Airport Operations Manager (AOM) is the single point of contact for all airport operations across the site. You will lead the safe, secure and efficient running of the airport, making critical operational decisions and coordinating emergency responses. As the senior duty leader, you will manage Terminal and Airport Control Centre (ACC) teams, maintain strong relationships with airlines and partners, and ensure excellent service delivery across all customer touchpoints.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership — Lead 24/7 airport operations, ensuring safe, secure and efficient service delivery.
• Emergency Response — Coordinate and direct the airport’s response to all emergency incidents, ensuring effective deployment of teams.
• Stakeholder Communication — Provide timely operational updates to Executive and Senior Management Teams.
• Airfield & Engineering Oversight — Allocate aircraft stands safely and manage out‑of‑hours engineering support and critical decision‑making.
• Team Leadership — Lead Terminal and ACC teams, ensuring effective rostering, performance management and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Customer & Terminal Management — Oversee all customer touchpoints, ensuring smooth passenger flows, efficient use of facilities and high service standards.

Experience Required

• Airport or Airline Operations — Proven experience in a busy operational aviation environment.
• Emergency & Incident Management — Experience leading emergency responses or critical operational incidents.
• Leadership & People Management — Strong background in leading teams, managing performance and driving engagement.
• Stakeholder & Partner Management — Ability to build effective relationships with airlines, handlers and control authorities.
• Operational Systems Knowledge — Familiarity with AODB, CCTV, door control, fire alarm systems and other ACC tools.
• Customer Service Delivery — Experience delivering high‑quality customer service in a fast‑paced environment.

About Us

Birmingham Airport is the UK’s seventh‑largest, with 30 airlines connecting passengers to over 120 direct destinations and more than 400 worldwide. We are on a strong growth trajectory, with forecasts indicating we will serve over 18 million customers annually by 2033. By then, HS2 will link us to central London in just 37 minutes, and we are committed to achieving our ambition of becoming a net zero carbon airport.

Our purpose is: Proud of Every Journey. That means everyone at the airport and the 100 organisations operating on the airport site, taking pride in getting customers safely, punctually, and comfortably from A to B.

By creating a kind, values-driven environment where everyone feels empowered to bring their best to work, we will retain and develop our people – and deliver on our purpose. Our seven pillars, Growth, Customer, Neighbour, Efficiency, People, Safety & Security and Carbon, support the strategic output of the company.

Our values

Curious, Dedicated, Inclusive, Respectful & Supportive guide how our colleagues treat each other as we serve customers with safety and security as our top priority.