Safety Manager

Ascent Flight Training; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascent Flight Training, at The Hub in Bristol, is seeking a Safety Manager to lead and continually improve the Aviation Safety Management System across our national training network. The role reports to Head of Support & Services and entails acting as the Safety Manager for our CAA-approved training organisation.

You will drive hazard identification, risk assessment, safety performance monitoring, investigations and governance, delivering independent safety advice to senior leaders and

Qualifications

• Significant experience in aviation safety management.
• Strong understanding of Safety Management Systems and safety assurance.
• Knowledge of UK aviation regulatory frameworks, including CAA and military requirements.
• Experience operating within highly regulated environments.
• Ability to analyse safety data and provide objective risk-based advice.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership and governance boards.
• Strong report writing and investigation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the Ascent Safety Management System (SMS).
• Manage hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation activities.
• Monitor Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) and safety assurance activities.
• Lead safety investigations and drive organisational learning.
• Chair and support internal and external safety governance forums.
• Provide independent safety advice to senior leaders and key stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships with customers, regulators and aviation service providers.
• Promote a positive, just and fair safety culture across the enterprise.
• Support regulatory audits, inspections and authority engagement activities.
• Maintain safety dashboards and performance reporting to senior leadership and the Board.

Skills

Aviation safety

SMS knowledge

Regulatory frameworks

Stakeholder management

Leadership & influencing

Safety investigations

Job description

Ascent Flight Training (Management) Ltd
Competitive Salary Full-time Permanent
Safety Manager
Location: The Hub, Bristol (with travel to UK aviation training sites as required)
Help shape the future of aviation safety
At Ascent Flight Training, safety is at the heart of everything we do. We deliver world-class military flying training through a complex network of customers, partners and suppliers and are seeking an experienced Safety Manager to lead and continuously improve our Aviation Safety Management System.
This is a unique opportunity to take a strategic leadership role, providing independent aviation safety advice and assurance to our Board, Leadership Team, customers, regulators and supplier network while helping maintain the highest safety standards across one of the UK's most important military aviation training programmes.
The Role
Reporting to the Head of Support & Services, you will act as the focal point for aviation safety across the organisation and hold the nominated Safety Manager position for our Civil Aviation Authority Approved Training Organisation (ATO).
You will:

• Lead and continuously improve the Ascent Safety Management System (SMS)
• Manage hazard identification, risk assessment and risk mitigation activities
• Monitor Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) and safety assurance activities
• Lead safety investigations and drive organisational learning
• Chair and support internal and external safety governance forums
• Provide independent safety advice to senior leaders and key stakeholders
• Build strong relationships with customers, regulators and aviation service providers
• Promote a positive, just and fair safety culture across the enterprise
• Support regulatory audits, inspections and authority engagement activities
• Maintain safety dashboards and performance reporting to senior leadership and the Board.

About You

We're looking for an experienced aviation safety professional who combines technical expertise with strong leadership and influencing skills.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in aviation safety management
• Strong understanding of Safety Management Systems and safety assurance
• Knowledge of UK aviation regulatory frameworks, including CAA and military aviation requirements
• Experience operating within complex, highly regulated environments
• Ability to analyse safety data and provide objective risk-based advice
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience presenting to senior leaders and governance boards
• Strong report writing and investigation skills.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience as a Safety Manager or Nominated Postholder
• Defence aviation or Military Air Environment experience
• Knowledge of ATO, CAMO and Part-145 environments
• Duty Holders Air Safety Course (DHASC) qualification
• Experience working with MoD Aviation Duty Holders and associated safety organisations.

What Success Looks Like

You’ll be recognised as the independent aviation safety expert within Ascent, driving continuous improvement, supporting operational effectiveness, maintaining regulatory compliance, and helping ensure the safe delivery of flying training across the enterprise.

Why Join Ascent?

At Ascent, you’ll work with highly skilled professionals dedicated to delivering excellence in military flying training. You’ll have the opportunity to influence safety strategy at the highest levels, engage with key customers and regulators, and make a genuine difference to aviation safety performance across a nationally important programme.

We’re proud to foster a flexible and inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives are valued. Whether working onsite or remotely, we support a culture that encourages collaboration, individuality and work-life balance. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are open to considering flexible working arrangements for all roles, including part-time hours, job share, and alternative working patterns, and we encourage conversations about individual needs during the recruitment process. We are actively working to remove barriers within our hiring practices and aim to provide a fair, accessible and supportive experience for every candidate. If you require any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to support you.