Passenger Operations and Safety Manager

Edinburgh Airport; Scotland; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A major international airport is seeking a Passenger Operations & Safety Manager to oversee and enhance the passenger journey across Scotland's busiest airport. Responsibilities include managing passenger operations, ensuring safety compliance, driving improvements in service, and collaborating with various teams. The ideal candidate will possess exemplary communication and problem-solving skills, a degree or equivalent experience, and a thorough understanding of airport operations. This role includes a rotational shift pattern, with competitive benefits including a pension scheme.

Benefits

Pension scheme with employer contributions up to 7%

256 hours holiday, increasing with service

Annual discretionary bonus

Private healthcare after one year of service

Free car parking on site

Qualifications

• Experience in operations and continuity/contingency planning within Aviation (minimum 3 years).
• Clean driving license, valid within the UK.
• Passion for delivering excellent passenger experience, including for those with additional needs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the entire passenger journey across the terminal.
• Manage day-to-day shift operations of Airport Service Agent teams.
• Conduct audits of terminal common user areas for safety and cleanliness.

Skills

Interpersonal and communication skills

Self-organisation skills

Teamwork

Problem-solving

Understanding of Airport operations

Education

Degree in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism or related discipline

Job description

The Passenger Operations & Safety Manager is responsible for delivering a safe, secure, compliant and efficient passenger operation.

The role includes responsibility for the passenger journey end–to–end (excluding security) across Scotland's busiest airport ensuring the business operates at maximum efficiency.

This role has a rotational roster, covering dayshift, backshift and night shifts. Shifts are up to 12hrs in length, with the earliest start currently being 0500.

You can find out more about the team here.

About the Recruitment Process

The recruitment process for this role will comprise of 2 stages with members of our Airport Operations and Service team. The first interview will be with our Terminal Operations and Passenger Services Managers, to find out more about your experience and some competency based questions. The second interview would include a senior member of our Airport Operations team, and may involve a task or presentation. Please note, depending on the volume of applications, the recruitment process for this role may change.

We are committed to supporting diverse ways of thinking and working, so if require adjustments in the recruitment process, please let us know on your application. You can find out more about our interview process here.

What you'll be doing

• Overseeing the entire passenger journey across the terminal, playing a leading role in enhancing passenger operations. Identify and implement any opportunities for improvement, and ensuring third–party service performance.
• Responsible for delivering a successful passenger operation by monitoring forecasted passenger flows, identifying and communicating potential issues, and collaborating with the Airport Operations Control Centre and Airport Operations Manager to deliver an optimal end–to–end journey.
• Identify and mitigate against areas of operational risk by working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure minimal disruption to passengers and the airport operation.
• Responsible for the day–to–day shift management of the Airport Service Agent teams, ensuring the teams are best utilised to support the terminal and trolley operations. Supporting the Service Delivery Managers to manage these teams, including training the team and completing HR administration, such as monitoring attendance and completing return–to–work paperwork.
• Complete future operational planning, including day–to–day planning of the check–in hall operations and working with the wider Airport Operations and Service team to ensure events and additional flights can take place while maintaining business as usual operations.
• Support the delivery of our passenger experience strategy, working with Customer Support and Business Analytics teams to understand the needs of our passengers.
• Lead meetings both face‑to‑face and over teams with internal, external stakeholders and 3rd party service providers driving improvements in passenger experience and safety.

Ensuring campus safety

• Working with Health & Safety, the fire service and compliance teams, develop and deliver the airports safety inspections programme as part of our airport safety auditing plan.
• Conduct daily and monthly audits of terminal common user areas, ensuring any identified safety or cleaning issues are promptly resolved or escalated.
• Work with EAL/EASL departments and third parties to address any safety concerns, and monitor health and safety across the campus, identifying and mitigating trends.
• Lead with initial investigation to accidents (Terminal, landside campus) to identify immediate causes and taking necessary actions to drive improvement, including the ability to develop and deliver briefings to senior leadership levels.
• Audit campus cleanliness (both visually and using identified reporting methods e.g., apps) to ensure the airport maintains cleanliness standards and remains a hygienic and contaminant free environment.

Provide on scene incident management and emergency response

• Be the lead for response to fire, medical and emergency incidents in the terminal, roads and our landside infrastructure.
• In conjunction with the Airport Operations Manager, responsible for the deployment and execution of contingency plans and Edinburgh Airport Emergency Orders to enable the full restoration of operations as quickly as possible, whilst assuring the welfare and safety of all terminal and campus users.
• As part of Edinburgh Airport command structure, assume the role of Bronze commander when appointed by the Airport Operations Manager to lead the on‑scene response to incidents.
• Create and regularly review contingency and recovery plans relating to passenger operations.

Drive continuous improvement with our partners

• By co‑ordinating all aspects of the day‑to‑day service provisions, continually review and develop them to ensure that passengers receive the highest levels of customer service to give passengers great service.
• Working closely with Ground Handling and Airline partners to ensure they can provide a smooth operation for passengers and maintain on time performance.
• In line with the departmental objective matrix, work on assigned areas of focus throughout the year. Including working on projects and presenting suggestions to senior management on how to improve performance and operations.
• Working with the Edinburgh Airport projects team to ensure all projects can be completed while maintaining operations and ensuring safety of all passengers and staff.

What we're looking for

• This role requires the successful candidate to obtain a Counter Terrorist Check, so you must have been living in the UK for the last 3 consecutive years.

Qualifications and credentials

• Degree level qualification or equivalent experience in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism or a related discipline.
• A clean driving licence, current and valid for driving within the United Kingdom.

Specific Experience

• Essential : Exemplary inter–personal and communication skills.
• Essential : Exemplary self–organisation skills, including ability to self–direct.
• Essential : Excellent team–worker with the ability to work constructively in and between different teams, and to lead/motivate others (including ability to challenge and change behaviours).
• Essential : A passion for delivering an excellent passenger experience including hidden disabilities or additional needs.
• Essential : Ability to filter information, see the bigger picture and determine where to focus.
• Essential : Strong understanding of Edinburgh systems and operational data; Logic–driven problem–solving.
• Essential : Deep understanding of Airport operations to include a minimum of 3 years' experience in both operations and continuity/contingency planning within Aviation.
• Desired : Strong understanding of Edinburgh systems and operational data; Logic–driven problem–solving.
• Desired : Good knowledge of life safety systems and EAL terminal fire strategy and evacuation arrangements.
• Desired : Holder of first aid at work certificate, defib and medical gasses.

What we'll offer you

• Pension scheme– employer contributions can be up to 7%.
• 256 hours holiday, based on full time roles, increasing with service.
• Annual discretionary bonus.
• Supporting your health and wellbeing– private healthcare after 1 years' service, access to our Employee Assistance Programme and occupational health services.
• Free car parking on site and when you go on holiday.
• We offer a range of other benefits, find out more here.