Terminal Operations Manager

Auckland Airport; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Auckland Airport seeks an experienced operational leader to serve as a trusted deputy to the Head of Terminal Operations. You will guide a large-scale, 24/7 operation, drive continuous improvement, and build capabilities across the organisation.

You will lead the evolution of the Operations Control Centre, ensure safety, customer experience, and performance, and represent Terminal Operations in senior forums with autonomy and sound judgement.

Qualifications

• Senior deputy experience within a complex 24/7 operation.
• Track record of delivering operational change and improvement.
• Strong decision-making with autonomy in a senior role.

Responsibilities

• Act as trusted deputy to the Head of Terminal Operations and provide leadership continuity.
• Lead the ongoing evolution of the Operations Control Centre and drive improvements.
• Provide visible leadership across a 24/7 operation and align partners around priorities.
• Develop and implement future-focused operating models and processes.
• Foster accountability and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Build leadership capability and empower frontline leaders to perform.
• Leverage data and BI to identify trends and improve performance.
• Represent Terminal Operations with senior stakeholders and align agencies.

Skills

Leadership

Change leadership

Operational excellence

Data-driven decisions

Safety management

Stakeholder engagement

People development

Education

Operational management degree

Job description

About the Role

We are looking for a forward-thinking operational leader who can serve as a trusted deputy to the Head of Terminal Operations and sees opportunities where others see complexity. You will bring extensive experience leading large-scale, 24/7 operations and a track record of delivering meaningful change in dynamic environments. You will be comfortable stepping across the wider Terminal Operations portfolio, making sound decisions with appropriate autonomy, representing the function with senior stakeholders, and providing visible leadership when required. You’ll be energised by building capability, challenging the status quo, and preparing both people and processes for the future. Most importantly, you’ll empower others, drive accountability, and bring people together to achieve exceptional outcomes across a complex airport ecosystem.

What you will be doing

At Auckland Airport, we're preparing for the future. This role requires an experienced operational leader who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments and is passionate about challenging the status quo to drive continuous improvement.

In this role, you will:

• Act as a trusted second-in-command to the Head of Terminal Operations, providing leadership continuity across the wider portfolio, representing the function in senior operational forums, and making timely, sound decisions when delegated.
• Lead the ongoing evolution of the Operations Control Centre, setting clear standards and driving continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational performance, customer experience, resilience, and organisational capability.
• Provide visible, decisive leadership across a complex 24/7 operational environment, aligning your team and wider operational partners around clear priorities where operational continuity, safety, security, customer experience, and performance are critical.
• Develop and implement future-focused operating models, processes, and ways of working that support Auckland Airport's long-term growth and transformation objectives.
• Foster a culture of accountability, curiosity, and continuous improvement, encouraging teams to challenge existing practices and identify opportunities for operational excellence.
• Build leadership capability across the function by coaching, mentoring, and empowering frontline leaders to confidently lead high-performing teams.
• Leverage operational data and business intelligence to identify trends, improve decision-making, and proactively manage operational performance.
• Build trusted relationships and lead across organisational boundaries, representing Terminal Operations with senior internal and external stakeholders, resolving competing priorities, and aligning agencies and partners around outcomes that benefit the broader airport operation.

What you will bring to the role

Auckland Airport is a busy hive of activity, and how you lead matters as much as what you deliver. You will bring our AKL values to life: All In | Tātou Tātou — how we feel; Know How | Kōkiri Tahi — how we think; and Let’s Go | Karawhiua — how we act. For this role, that means visible leadership, sound judgement, collective ownership, and the confidence to act when the operation needs you.

To be successful, you'll bring:

• Demonstrated experience operating as a senior deputy or trusted second-in-command, with the judgement and credibility to represent an executive leader, lead across a broad portfolio, and make high-consequence decisions with appropriate autonomy.
• Significant leadership experience within a complex 24/7 operational environment, where operational continuity, safety, customer experience, and performance are critical.
• A proven track record of leading operational transformation and continuous improvement initiatives, with the ability to identify opportunities, challenge traditional ways of working, and implement sustainable change.
• Strong change leadership capability, with experience preparing teams and operating models for future growth, evolving customer expectations, and organisational transformation.
• Exceptional enterprise and commercial judgement, with the ability to balance safety, security, operational resilience, customer outcomes, risk, reputation, and business objectives while making timely decisions in a complex environment.
• Demonstrated success leading through influence across multiple stakeholders and functions, building strong partnerships across a broad operational ecosystem rather than operating within a siloed environment.
• A leadership style that creates accountability, ownership, and high performance at all levels. You’ll set clear expectations, hold teams accountable for outcomes, and ensure commitments are delivered, while remaining calm, visible, and decisive during disruption and significant operational events.
• Experience developing leaders and building organisational capability, empowering the next layer of leadership to make decisions, drive performance, and effectively lead their teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, using data and insights to inform decision-making, prioritise resources, and improve operational outcomes.
• Experience leading health, safety, wellbeing, security, emergency management, and operational risk within a safety-critical environment, with the ability to integrate these disciplines into day-to-day operational decision-making.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in operational management, business, risk management, emergency management, aviation, or a related discipline.

About us

From the arrival of the Tainui Waka into the Manukau Harbour, Auckland Airport has always been a place of journeys. We stand proudly as the gateway to Aotearoa, welcoming travellers beginning their journeys, farewelling Kiwis to new destinations, connecting businesses and workers to new opportunities, and celebrating partners and investors who back us along the way. We have ambitions to be a global hub and a comprehensive development programme to deliver this vision.

With so many moving parts to keep the airport precinct running, it’s our collaboration and passion that keeps everything together. This is what our culture and heritage have been built on. When you work with us, you’ll share our ambition to be a great New Zealand business, and one that’s making a strong contribution to the wellbeing of our communities and economy.

E mahi ana mātou mō Aotearoa. We are working for New Zealand.

Auckland Airport is more than just a business. It’s a truly unique place with an important role to play in New Zealand’s recovery. Together we’re its custodians, knowing that the work we do has the power to create positive change for our customers, the community, the environment and for the prosperity of Aotearoa. We’re all about creating a sense of place where everyone can thrive, and one where others aspire to work. We’re a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome people from all walks of life.

Whiria te tangata. Our values weave us together. They’re what we stand for, who we are and how we act.

Please note that applications will be reviewed continuously throughout the recruitment period, and appointments may be made before the official closing date of the advert.

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