Airport Operations Manager

Introduction

It takes a special kind of teamwork to keep the world’s most iconic airport running smoothly. Over 65,000 people across hundreds of companies work at Heathrow and together they are Team Heathrow. The airport team includes colleagues from airlines, baggage handlers, control authorities, retailers, passenger services, emergency services, transport providers, security, engineering, airfield operations and more.

Our team is responsible for managing relationships with our partners and coordinating day-to-day operational activities, including the Airport Operating Centre (APOC) operational plan.

Our purpose is to make every journey better and we work closely with our Team Heathrow Partners to achieve it. We do this by building trusted relationships with our partners, working to understand our shared goals and continually driving up standards across safety, operational and resilience performance. This demands close collaboration and communications, clear governance, and working to quickly identify and resolve shared issues that proactively deliver improvement across Heathrow and for our passengers.

It’s an inspiring, exciting place to work, with unlimited opportunities to make a difference. Be part of this city within a city and you’ll find a team that feels like family, and a place where you belong.

Job Description

Airport Operations Manager (AOM) - 18-Month Fixed Term Contract

The Airport Operations Centre (APOC) at Heathrow is the heart of our airport operations, ensuring that passengers have a smooth and timely travel experience. APOC utilises information from over 80 systems, monitored and updated by a dedicated 24-hour team.

As an Airport Operations Manager (AOM), you will lead the operation during both planned and unplanned incidents, playing a critical role in crisis management. This high-profile senior management position requires sound judgment and the ability to deliver excellent service while ensuring the safe continuity of business. You will work closely with directors, the executive team, and crisis management, focusing on risk assessment and mitigation.

The AOM team works a mixture of days and nights, including weekends, with 12.5-hour shifts. Being part of the Incident Response Command roster is required. This role includes shift allowance, on-call allowance, and car allowance.

Your role will involve

• The Airport Operations Manager (AOM) is the decision maker directing the Heathrow operation. The AOM is based in the control centre, steering the teams and enabling Heathrow to operate to a more dynamic, intelligent and collaborative plan.
• Act as the final decision-maker in situations where consensus has not been reached.
• Utilise available intelligence to anticipate and mitigate potential impacts on operations, such as weather, aircraft flow, and asset availability.
• Lead the operation during crises, ensuring the welfare, safety, and well-being of passengers and colleagues.
• Maintain a focus on key targets, including punctuality, passenger experience, safety, and compliance.

These Skills Are Essential

• Valid UK driving licence.
• Comprehensive understanding of operations, including protocols, procedures, policies, and security legislation.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and impact at a senior level.
• Excellent judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Effective team management and leadership skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and apply coping mechanisms for personal resilience.

Ideally, you will also have:

• Experience managing in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong understanding of command and control structures and Heathrow’s Emergency Orders.

About Us

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and come home buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us and inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family-friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working location

This is an airport-based position. Every day, you will play a critical role in helping us to give our passengers the best airport service in the world.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work, and through our diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.