Operations Data Analyst

Loganair Ltd; Paisley; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional airline in the UK is seeking a Data Analyst to lead data insights and enhance operational efficiency. This role involves working with the N-Ops & Crew system, training staff, and developing key performance indicators. The ideal candidate should have over 3 years of experience in data analysis within a complex operational environment, preferably aviation. Proficiency in SQL and advanced Excel is required, with a focus on leveraging data for compliance and operational excellence in a fast-paced setting.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Opportunity for impact in operations

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in a complex operational environment, ideally aviation/airline.
• Solid analytical capabilities with data manipulation and process improvement.
• Understanding of FTL regulations and BALPA agreements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business owner for the N-Ops & Crew system.
• Train Operations colleagues on system best practices.
• Develop and deliver KPIs and regulatory reports.
• Conduct root cause analysis for disruptions.
• Advise on crew resource forecasting and training tracking.

Skills

Data manipulation

Forecasting

Root cause analysis

KPI development

Process improvement

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Education

3+ years Data Analyst experience

Tools

SQL

Advanced Excel

IBM Planning Analytics

Python/R

Job description

Loganair is Scotland's Airline and the UK's largest regional carrier, proudly connecting communities across Scotland, the wider UK, Ireland, and northern Europe with essential scheduled services. Operating a diverse fleet including ATRs, Embraers, and specialist aircraft for remote routes, we serve more UK destinations than any other airline; often to island and highland communities where reliable transport is a lifeline.

As we continue to drive operational excellence, safety, and efficiency in a dynamic regional environment, we're seeking a Data Analyst to become the business expert and system owner for our core operations platform, N-Ops & Crew (N-OC). This role is central to modernising processes, automating workflows, and leveraging data to support safe, compliant, and cost-effective operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business owner and expert for the N-OC system (NAVBLUE), collaborating closely with the supplier on configuration, enhancements, troubleshooting, and roadmap development.
• Train, upskill, and empower Operations colleagues to fully utilise N-OC, driving best-practice adoption and system maturity across the team.
• Partner with the Planning Analytics team (using IBM Planning Analytics) to guarantee data accuracy, integrity, and seamless flow from operational sources into management dashboards, board reports, and executive insights.
• Develop, refine, and deliver critical KPIs, statistics, and regulatory reports (CAA/EASA compliance), with a strong emphasis on crew resource forecasting that adheres to Flight Time Limitations (FTL) rules and Loganair's BALPA scheduling agreement.
• Lead advanced crew resource analysis and risk forecasting.

• Model flying requirements against crew availability, proactively highlighting risks to safe operations.
• Factor in leavers, new joiners, training pipeline, annual leave, sickness, absence, customer-specific experience requirements, fleet types, qualifications, and compliance with FTL/BALPA rules.
• Identify inefficiencies and deliver actionable recommendations to Operations management.
• Enhance training tracking for better monitoring, risk mitigation, and integration into crew forecasts.
• Provide accurate data inputs/outputs to support recruitment decisions.

• Conduct thorough delay and disruption root cause analysis (Ground Handling, Airport, Crew, Technical), evaluating impacts on passengers, positioning flights, standby aircraft/crew utilisation, and overall network resilience.
• Produce and improve other operational KPIs and statistics, including crew/trainer utilisation factoring absence, productivity, regulatory and customer compliance, board reports, and roster equality and fairness under BALPA agreements.
• Develop training reporting focused on efficiency and full compliance with employment contracts and union (BALPA) agreements.
• Advance safety and compliance trend analysis, shifting to automated insights from large datasets improving on current approaches of manual sampling.
• Play a pivotal role in key Operations and business-wide projects, providing data expertise and cross-departmental liaison — including initiatives to eliminate waste (\'War on Waste\'), modernise and automate legacy systems and processes, and explore AI-driven efficiencies.

Requirements

Essential

• Data Analyst experience (ideally 3+ years) in a complex operational environment; aviation/airline background strongly preferred, particularly in crew planning, rostering, or operations.
• Solid analytical skills with expertise in data manipulation, forecasting, root cause analysis, KPI development, and process improvement.
• Proficiency in SQL, advanced Excel, and data visualisation/reporting tools (experience with IBM Planning Analytics highly advantageous).
• Working knowledge of complex crew/operations systems (direct experience with N-OC, NAVBLUE platforms, or similar like Jeppesen is a major plus).
• Strong understanding of aviation operations, with emphasis on crew rostering, utilisation, FTL regulations, and union/BALPA scheduling agreements in a UK context.
• Ability to translate complex business/operational needs into data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Excellent communication and training skills to engage colleagues and present to senior stakeholders.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and resilient in a fast-paced, safety-critical regional airline environment.

Desirable

• Knowledge of UK/European aviation regulations (CAA, EASA) related to operations, crew, safety, punctuality, and compliance.
• Experience with automation, process optimisation (e.g., Lean), or early AI applications in operations.
• Familiarity with Python/R for advanced analytics.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible impact at the heart of Loganair's operations, helping shape a more efficient, automated, and data-led future while supporting the communities we serve.