Airside Manager

dnata Singapore Pte Ltd; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

dnata Singapore Pte Ltd is seeking an Airside Manager to lead the 24/7 OCC and Load Control teams, ensuring safety, on-time performance, and cost-efficiency in a dynamic aviation environment.

The role provides governance across OCC and load control, drives disruption recovery, and champions continuous improvement in operations, risk management and customer service. Strong leadership and weight & balance expertise are essential.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Aviation/Operations Management or related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years in ramp handling/load control or OCC.
• Minimum 5 years in supervisory/leadership roles in aviation operations.
• Experience with load control systems, DCS, KPI reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead 24/7 Operations Control Centre (OCC) and Load Control functions.
• Establish standards for shift handovers, logs, escalation records and incident documentation.
• Oversee weight and balance governance and loadsheets accuracy.
• Ensure compliance with aviation regulations, SOPs and customer requirements.
• Drive disruption recovery actions and post-disruption reviews.
• Maintain business continuity plans and operational risk registers.
• Coach supervisors and lead continuous improvement and automation initiatives.

Skills

Decision-making under pressure

Cross-functional communication

Stakeholder management

Leadership

After-hours escalation support

Education

Diploma in Aviation/Operations Management

Tools

Load control systems

DCS

KPI reporting tools

Job description

Summary

The Airside Manager is responsible for leading the 24/7 Operations Control Centre (OCC) and Load Control functions to ensure operations are safe, compliant, on-time, and cost-effective. The role provides operational oversight, disruption recovery leadership, and governance across OCC and load control activities, while driving continuous improvement in operational performance, compliance, and service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

1) Operations Control Centre Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the Operations Control Centre (OCC) on a 24/7 basis.
• Establish and enforce standards for shift handovers, control logs, escalation records, and incident documentation quality.
• Define and maintain the authority matrix for shift leads, including decision rights at shift level and escalation thresholds to the Duty Manager and Airside Manager.
• Lead escalation and direct recovery actions during disruptions to manage operational priorities and maintain service continuity.
• Conduct post-shift and post-disruption reviews to capture lessons learned and improve operational response.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels, competency coverage, and succession planning for OCC and load control functions.
• Coach team leaders/supervisors and foster a high-performance, accountable operating culture.
• Chair the daily operational update call (including weekends and public holidays) and ensure timely communication of risks, constraints, and recovery priorities.

2) Load Control Governance

• Oversee weight and balance governance, ensuring the accurate and timely preparation, verification, and control of loadsheets, load instructions, and related documentation.
• Manage load control exceptions (e.g., last-minute changes, offloads, payload restrictions, special loads, aircraft substitutions) with proper coordination, escalation, and documentation.
• Ensure compliance with customer‑specific load control requirements, aircraft limitations, and approved operating procedures.
• Monitor loadsheet/documentation accuracy trends and drive corrective actions to improve reliability and compliance.

3) Compliance, Safety and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with applicable aviation regulations, company manuals, standard operating procedures, and customer requirements.
• Lead investigations into operational deviations, documentation errors, safety occurrences, and customer complaints related to OCC/load control.
• Participate in risk management committees and maintain operational risk registers for OCC/load control, including tracking mitigation actions to closure.
• Maintain audit readiness and support internal, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Track recurrent issues and implement process controls to prevent repeat findings.

4) Business Continuity and Disruption Management

• Oversee and maintain business continuity plans for OCC and load control, including contingency and fallback procedures.
• Coordinate operational recovery across relevant stakeholders during disruptions, ensuring alignment on priorities and actions.
• Support preparedness for system outages, resource constraints, and other operational contingencies.

5) Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

• Own and monitor key operational KPIs, including (but not limited to) OTP, delay attribution, loadsheet accuracy, and turnaround impact.
• Review trends, identify root causes, and implement corrective/preventive actions to improve performance
• Lead process improvement and automation initiatives (e.g., alerts, dashboards, standard templates, workflow enhancements) to improve control, visibility, and efficiency.
• Drive data-informed decision‑making through KPI reporting, incident tracking, and operational performance reviews.

6) Training, Competency and Team Development

• Ensure training compliance for OCC and load control teams in accordance with regulatory, company, and customer requirements.
• Conduct periodic competency reviews and identify development gaps for supervisors and shift leads.
• Support development plans, cross‑training, and capability‑building to strengthen operational resilience.

7) Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate with internal operational functions, airport operator, regulators, and relevant stakeholders to support safe and efficient operations.
• Act as a key focal point for OCC/load control matters during routine operations and disruptions.
• Ensure alignment and timely communication across teams to support operational priorities and service delivery.

Requirements

• Minimum Diploma in Aviation, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in ramp handling or load control, or Operations Control Centre with demonstrated working exposure to the other
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory or leadership experience in ground handling or aviation operations.
• Experience with load control systems, DCS, operational control systems, and KPI reporting tools (e.g., dashboarding, delay reporting, incident tracking)
• Willingness to support after‑hours escalation / incident response
• Strong decision‑making ability under pressure in a fast‑paced operational environment.
• Strong cross‑functional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Preferably holds a valid Flight Dispatcher / Flight Operations Officer Licence (or equivalent), and/or formal Aircraft Weight & Balance certification, as well as a valid Singapore Class 3 Driving Licence.