Chief Pilot / Flight Ops Manager - Rotary

JMC Aviation; Greater London; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

JMC Aviation, a UK AOC helicopter operator, seeks an experienced Chief Pilot / Flight Operations Manager to lead flight operations from the South East of England. This senior role requires strategic oversight, regulatory compliance, and strong leadership across a multi-type rotary-wing fleet.

Reporting to the leadership team, you will supervise flight crews, manage regulatory interactions with the UK CAA, drive safety culture, and coordinate with customers, regulators, and internal stakeholders

Qualifications

• Extensive rotary-wing operational experience in a commercial helicopter environment.
• Experience with postholder responsibilities or close support to AOC management functions.
• Strong working knowledge of UK CAA, AOC and Air Operations requirements.
• Experience engaging with regulators, audits and compliance processes.
• Confident leadership with strong communication, judgement and stakeholder-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and support flight crew, flying standards and day-to-day operational performance.
• Ensure all flying activity complies with UK CAA requirements and Operations Manual.
• Promote proactive safety culture across the operation.
• Develop relationships with customers, regulators, senior management and internal stakeholders.
• Convert customer requirements into safe and commercially responsive operational delivery.
• Oversee pilot recruitment, induction, development, standardisation and readiness.
• Collaborate with training, safety and compliance teams to support continuous improvement.
• Act as a point of contact with the UK CAA on regulatory matters, audits and submissions.
• Support audits and regulatory visits with timely closure of findings.
• Contribute to manual development, procedures, approvals and regulatory submissions.

Skills

Leadership

Crew management

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Safety culture

Education

CPL(H) or ATPL(H)

Tools

AW139

AW169

H145

AW109

Job description

We are representing an established UK AOC helicopter operator in the appointment of an experienced Chief Pilot / Flight Ops Manager to lead flight operations from the South East of England.

This senior leadership role will suit a commercially aware aviation professional with the operational judgement, regulatory understanding and leadership capability to maintain the highest standards of safety, compliance, service delivery and crew performance across a multi-type rotary-wing fleet.

Role Overview

Reporting into senior leadership, the Chief Pilot / Flight Operations Manager will provide operational direction, ensure robust regulatory oversight and act as a key interface between crews, management, customers and the UK CAA.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and support flight crew, flying standards and day-to-day operational performance.
• Ensure all flying activity is conducted safely and in full compliance with UK CAA requirements, company procedures and the Operations Manual.
• Maintain and promote a proactive safety culture, setting consistently high standards across the operation.
• Develop trusted working relationships with customers, regulators, senior management and internal stakeholders.
• Convert customer requirements into safe, effective and commercially responsive operational delivery.
• Oversee pilot recruitment, induction, development, standardisation and operational readiness.
• Collaborate with training, safety and compliance teams to support continuous improvement.
• Act as a key point of contact with the UK CAA on operational matters, audits, inspections and regulatory oversight.
• Support internal and external audits, regulatory visits and the timely closure of findings and corrective actions.
• Contribute to manual development, operational procedures, approvals and regulatory submissions.

Candidate Profile

• Extensive rotary-wing operational experience within a commercial helicopter environment.
• Previous exposure to postholder responsibilities or close support to AOC management functions.
• Strong working knowledge of UK CAA, AOC and Air Operations requirements.
• Experience engaging with regulators, audits and compliance processes.
• Confident and credible leadership style, with strong communication, judgement and stakeholder-management skills.
• Commercially aware, professional and customer-focused approach.
• Experience on AW139, AW169, H145 or AW109 aircraft types.
• HEMS and/or charter experience would be advantageous.
• UK CAA CPL(H) or ATPL(H).
• Valid Class 1 Medical.
• Eligibility to live and work in the UK.
• Ability to hold the position of Nominated Person Flight Operations Manager within a UK AOC structure.

Compliance & Equal Opportunities

JMC Aviation is committed to equal opportunity and diversity in the workplace. All applicants will be considered based on merit, qualification, and business need, regardless of age, gender, nationality, or background. We operate in full compliance with global aviation recruitment regulations.

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