Airport Operations Specialist (Landside)

FlySafair; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading South African airline is looking for an Operations Manager to develop and oversee operational plans, manage third-party relationships, and ensure service quality and compliance. The role involves analyzing operational data, making data-driven decisions, and providing guidance to operational staff. This position is crucial for maintaining high service standards and operational resilience in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee weekly operational plans aligning resources to passenger demand.
• Anticipate operational constraints and recommend solutions to maintain service quality.
• Manage relationships with third-party providers and airport authorities.

Job description

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee weekly operational plans, aligning resources (staffing and equipment) to business priorities and passenger demand forecasts;
• Anticipate operational constraints and recommend proactive solutions to maintain service quality and compliance;
• Contribute to workforce and capacity planning to ensure operational resilience;
• Manage relationships with contracted third-party providers and airport authority, ensuring adherence to contractual obligations, service-level agreements, and safety standards;
• Lead performance reviews with service providers, addressing deficiencies and negotiating improvements;
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (Flight Operations, Technical and Ground Handling) to align operational activities;
• Act as the delegated authority for the Base Manager during periods of absence, ensuring operational continuity and compliance with safety, security, and regulatory requirements;
• Provide guidance and direction to operational staff, escalating and resolving complex issues when required;
• Represent the Base Manager in audits, regulatory inspections, and cross-functional operational forums where required;
• Collect, interpret, and model operational data (e.g., turnaround times, incident investigations, delay root cause analysis, passenger handling metrics, and third-party KPls);
• Design and maintain dashboards and reporting tools to monitor real-time performance and longterm trends;
• Apply statistical and data-visualisation techniques to generate insights that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service delivery;
• Partner with the Base Manager and senior stakeholders to make data-driven recommendations on operational strategy and resource allocation.