Compliance & Assurance Officer

Bournemouth Airport; Christchurch; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Bournemouth Airport is seeking a proactive Compliance & Assurance Officer to strengthen the Aviation Safety & Compliance team. You’ll conduct audits and monitoring, identify risks and drive improvements across airport operations, collaborating with multiple departments to sustain safety standards.

You’ll be responsible for turning findings into action, maintaining documentation and supporting internal and external audits while developing a strong safety culture across the airport.

Qualifications

• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to identify issues or inconsistencies.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• A logical, analytical and practical approach to problem-solving.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including producing clear reports.
• Confidence working with colleagues across different teams and departments.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of assigned activities.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and maintaining records.
• Professional, approachable manner and the ability to challenge constructively.
• Genuine interest in safety, compliance, aviation industry.

Responsibilities

• Conduct audits, inspections and compliance monitoring across airport operations.
• Identify compliance gaps, potential risks and opportunities to improve processes.
• Follow up audit findings with corrective actions and evidence, ensuring closure.
• Develop and improve compliance processes, checklists, tools and documentation.
• Collaborate with operational teams to support safety and compliance expectations.
• Maintain records, action trackers and compliance documentation.
• Prepare audit findings, reports and practical recommendations for review.
• Manage assigned compliance activities within priorities and governance.
• Support a positive safety culture with open communication and constructive challenge.
• Keep up to date with CAA, ICAO and internal standards.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Independent worker

IT skills

Professional demeanor

Interest in aviation safety

Job description

At Bournemouth Airport, safety is at the heart of everything we do. Behind every aircraft movement, every airside operation and every successful day is a team dedicated to making sure our airport operates safely, efficiently and to the highest standards.

We're looking for a proactive, enthusiastic and detail-focused Compliance & Assurance Officer to join our Aviation Safety & Compliance team.

This isn't just about ticking boxes or writing reports. It's about getting out into the operational environment, understanding how things really work, identifying opportunities to do things better and helping turn those improvements into meaningful action.

You’ll work with people from across the airport, gaining a unique insight into what makes an airport tick, while playing an important part in maintaining and improving our safety and compliance standards.

If you're naturally curious, have an eye for detail and enjoy working with people to solve challenges, this could be an excellent opportunity to develop your career in aviation safety and compliance.

The Role

Reporting to the Aviation Safety & Compliance Manager, you'll support the delivery and continuous improvement of the airport's Safety & Compliance framework.

You'll be responsible for carrying out audits, inspections and compliance monitoring activities across assigned areas of the airport, identifying potential risks, highlighting opportunities for improvement and helping ensure that corrective actions are completed effectively.

You'll have the opportunity to take ownership of your work, manage agreed activities independently and contribute ideas that improve the way we operate.

Working closely with operational departments, you'll help ensure that Bournemouth Airport continues to meet applicable Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and organisational requirements.

What You'll Be Doing

No two days at an operational airport are quite the same, and this role offers the opportunity to get involved in a variety of interesting activities.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Getting behind the scenes: Conducting audits, inspections and compliance monitoring across different areas of airport operations, helping ensure activities are delivered safely and in accordance with relevant requirements.
• Spotting what others might miss: Identifying compliance gaps, potential risks, emerging concerns and opportunities to improve operational processes.
• Turning findings into action: Following up audit findings, corrective actions and investigation recommendations, ensuring improvements are implemented, supported by appropriate evidence and formally closed.
• Making improvements that matter: Helping develop and improve compliance processes, checklists, tools and documentation to make our assurance activities more effective.
• Working with teams across the airport: Building positive relationships with operational colleagues, understanding their challenges and supporting them in meeting safety and compliance expectations.
• Keeping us inspection-ready: Supporting internal and external audits, maintaining accurate records, action trackers and compliance documentation.
• Communicating clearly: Preparing audit findings, reports and practical recommendations for review by the Aviation Safety & Compliance Manager.
• Taking ownership: Managing assigned compliance activities within established priorities, plans and governance arrangements, ensuring actions progress effectively.
• Supporting a positive safety culture: Encouraging open communication, constructive challenge and a shared commitment to safe airport operations.
• Keeping up with requirements: Developing and maintaining an understanding of relevant CAA, ICAO, industry and organisational standards.

You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to the wider development of the airport's Safety & Compliance framework, supporting continuous improvement and helping strengthen our overall approach to safety assurance.

About You

We're looking for someone who is naturally inquisitive, organised and confident working with people.

You don't need to be the loudest person in the room, but you do need to be comfortable asking questions, challenging things constructively and following issues through until they're resolved.

You’ll enjoy understanding how processes work, identifying where improvements can be made and helping others achieve better outcomes.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to identify issues or inconsistencies.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• A logical, analytical and practical approach to problem-solving.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise reports.
• Confidence working with colleagues across different teams and departments.
• The ability to work independently, use your initiative and take ownership of assigned activities.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and experience maintaining records, reports or action trackers.
• A professional, approachable manner and the ability to challenge constructively.
• A genuine interest in safety, compliance, operational improvement or the aviation industry.

Experience That Would Be an Advantage

Previous experience in any of the following areas would be beneficial:

• Aviation, airports, airside operations or another safety-critical environment.
• Compliance monitoring, auditing, inspections or quality assurance.
• Safety Management Systems (SMS), risk management or operational assurance.
• Working within a regulated industry.
• Managing audit findings, corrective actions, investigations or improvement plans.
• Knowledge or awareness of CAA, ICAO or other relevant regulatory requirements.

Don't have direct aviation experience?

We'd still like to hear from you.

Skills gained in industries such as transport, rail, logistics, engineering, manufacturing, health and safety or other regulated environments may be highly transferable.

We're particularly interested in people who have the right attitude, a willingness to learn and the confidence to ask questions, investigate issues and make practical recommendations.

Why Join Bournemouth Airport?

An airport is a unique place to work. It's fast-moving, highly regulated and full of interesting operational challenges.

As our Compliance & Assurance Officer, you'll have the opportunity to see how different parts of the airport work together, develop your knowledge of aviation safety and play a meaningful role in supporting safe airport operations.

What makes this role different?

• Variety: You’ll work across different operational areas rather than focusing on one repetitive task.
• Real-world impact: The issues you identify and improvements you help deliver can directly contribute to airport safety.
• People and collaboration: You’ll engage with teams across the airport, building relationships and understanding how operations work.
• Ownership: You’ll be trusted to manage agreed activities and contribute your own ideas.
• Professional development: You’ll have opportunities to build valuable experience in aviation safety, auditing, assurance and regulatory compliance.
• A unique working environment: You’ll gain behind-the-scenes exposure to an operational airport and the systems and processes that keep it running.

You’ll be joining a team where your attention to detail, professional judgement and willingness to make improvements will be genuinely valued.

Ready for a New Challenge?

If you enjoy finding answers, understanding how things work and helping people find better ways of doing things, this could be the opportunity you're looking for.

Whether you're already working in compliance or looking to bring your transferable skills into the aviation industry, we'd love to hear from you.

All applicants must:

• Have the legal right to work in the UK.
• Be willing to undertake a criminal record check.
• Be able to provide five years of checkable referencing history.
• Please note: If you have not heard from us within four weeks of applying, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Recruitment Fraud Awareness – Important Notice

Please be aware that neither Bournemouth Airport nor any recruitment partners we work with will ever ask candidates to pay a fee, other than for criminal record checks.

If you are ever unsure about the legitimacy of a job advertisement or recruitment communication claiming to represent Bournemouth Airport, please contact us directly via email before applying or providing any personal information.