Operational Safety Coordinator (Fixed-Term)

Airways New Zealand; Christchurch, Auckland; On-site; NZD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aviation safety organization seeks an Operational Safety Coordinator in Christchurch. The role involves supporting safety investigations, liaising with stakeholders, and data analysis. Ideal candidates will possess strong communication skills, administration experience in safety systems, and proficiency in Microsoft Office. Commitment to safety and attention to detail are essential.

Qualifications

• At least one year administration experience with safety systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Teams, and Excel.
• Experience in operational safety and knowledge of aviation processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide coordination and technical support for operational safety investigations.
• Collect and analyze operational data, including radar replays and audio playback.
• Liaise with stakeholders and generate operational safety reports.

Skills

Communication and influencing

Data collation and reporting

Attention to detail

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Operational Safety Coordinator (Fixed-Term)

About Airways:
Our people manage New Zealand's 30 million square kms of airspace, providing air traffic control, surveillance, communication, flight inspection, mapping, and airspace design services. We work with government, regulatory authorities, airlines, airports, and the general aviation community to ensure pilots, passengers and goods reach their destination - safely. At Airways, our values underpin all that we do.We value Safety, One Airways, Excellence and Success in all that we do.

Our organisation is made up of operational business groups that are supported by governance and corporate services functions. To learn more about our people and organisational structure, check outwww.airways.co.nz/about .

About the Team:
The Safety and Assurance team provides safety leadership, advice and independent assurance to Airways across the entire safety spectrum including operational safety, health, safety and wellbeing, security and safety promotion. This team ensures Airways benchmarks to the appropriate Safety Management System (SMS), Protective Security Requirements (PSR) and other relevant standards.

Experts in their specific areas, the team takes a strategic, holistic approach to safety, providing independent and trusted advice, ensuring a consistent approach to safety across the business. Safety & Assurance also provide thought leadership externally and globally to support the aviation safety system.

The Operational Safety Team is responsible for air traffic control and technology safety investigations and Operational Safety reporting within Airways. It is also responsible for managing internal and external data requests, undertaking safety advisory activities and supporting safety promotion activities. The Operational Safety Team also takes a leadership role regarding best practice for measurement and monitoring of Operational Safety performance whilst ensuring compliance with relevant Civil Aviation rules.

About the Role:
We have a 12-month fixed-tern full-time opportunity for an Operational Safety Coordinator to join us in Auckland (airport) or Christchurch (Burnside).

Reporting to the Operational Safety Manager, you’ll support the Airways’ Safety & Assurance function by ensuring that operational safety investigations and related data requests are delivered in a robust, timely, and accurate manner.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

• Providing essential coordination and technical support through the collection, collation, and analysis of operational data, including radar replays, audio playback, and transcripts.
• Supporting the pipeline of operational safety investigations, safety-related concerns, and data requests.
• Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, administering the Rolls-Royce Safety Management System (RRSMS) and Barrier Model application, and generating operational safety reports and metrics.
• Maintaining high standards of data integrity through efficient processing and stakeholder engagement to ensure investigations are effectively supported, and that Airways continues to uphold a strong operational safety culture.

For a full list of responsibilities and additional insights, refer to the attached position description.

About You:
Due to the nature of the role and our operations, you'll be comfortable working in a complex, regulated environment. You will also hold exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.

Additionally, you will have:

• At least one year administration experience where you worked with safety systems
• Demonstrated experience in data collation, reporting, and database management
• Aviation exposure and knowledge, preferably gained as a pilot, working at an airport or through air traffic control or flight services exposure
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint (document repository) and Excel (working with databases)
• Proactive nature with the ability to prioritise and influence towards meeting tight deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high standards of accuracy
• A proactive attitude with a passion for safety and continuous improvement.
  

Beneficial:
Experience in operational safety within the aviation industry.

To Apply:
If you have a safety led mindset, is quality focused and enjoy interacting with a wide variety of stakeholders, please submit your application (CV and cover letter) via the Airways careers site or Seek.

Please note that you must be legally eligible to work in New Zealand to be considered.

This role will require the successful candidate to undergo pre-employment background checks including but not limited to references, drug and alcohol screening and criminal conviction.

Application closing date is Monday, 20 October 2025, however all applications will be reviewed as they are received and progressed accordingly – don’t delay!

At Airways, our people are at the heart of what we do to keep NZ skies safe. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where people feel they belong and can bring their whole self to work. We currently hold the Rainbow Tick and NQTick (neurodiversity) and are working towards Gender Tick. We make our recruitment decisions based on the best candidate for the job and therefore encourage applications from diverse candidates.