Operations and Scheduling Manager
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Our client is seeking an experienced Operations & Scheduling Manager to lead a combined Operations and Scheduling function within a safety-critical aviation training environment.
This is a leadership role responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe, accurate, and achievable daily training schedules while overseeing a broad range of operational support activities. The successful candidate will manage operational risk, optimise resource utilisation, and lead a team responsible for supporting a complex flying training programme.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & People Management
- Lead and manage the Operations & Scheduling team, providing direction, coaching and performance management.
- Deputise for the Training Manager where required.
- Translate business objectives into clear team priorities and operational goals.
- Manage staffing levels, team development, recruitment activities and succession planning.
- Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture.
Operations & Scheduling
- Oversee the production and delivery of safe, accurate daily training schedules across classroom, simulator and airborne training activities.
- Ensure daily flying programmes are produced and published within required timescales.
- Monitor operational risks and implement mitigation measures to support safe delivery of training.
- React effectively to changing priorities, resource constraints and last-minute operational changes.
- Lead operational support functions including mission planning, daily operational briefings and flight operations services.
Safety, Compliance & Quality
- Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all relevant aviation, safety and quality standards.
- Manage operational risks and support incident, safety and near-miss reporting processes.
- Support aviation emergency response activities in accordance with established procedures.
- Ensure team processes comply with quality management systems and regulatory requirements.
Stakeholder Management
- Build strong relationships with instructors, operational teams, service providers and external stakeholders.
- Act as a key point of contact for training management and scheduling systems.
- Lead daily planning coordination with operational partners to validate future training programmes.
- Resolve operational challenges and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
Continuous Improvement & Performance
- Drive process improvements to enhance efficiency, productivity and operational performance.
- Monitor training delivery, resource utilisation and operational metrics.
- Maintain accurate reporting relating to trainee progress, scheduling changes and service performance.
- Identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve sustainability and maximise operational effectiveness.
Requirements
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in complex planning and scheduling within a dynamic operational environment.
- Proven ability to analyse large volumes of information and make sound decisions under pressure.
- Experience supporting aviation operations within either military or civilian aviation environments.
- Strong problem-solving capability and ability to manage competing priorities.
- Experience leading or supervising teams.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Strong IT literacy, including experience using complex information management systems and Microsoft Office applications.
Desirable
- Experience within a flying training environment.
- Knowledge of training management and scheduling systems.
- Familiarity with safety-critical operational environments.
- Experience chairing planning meetings and presenting operational decisions to stakeholders.
- Understanding of quality management systems and aviation compliance requirements.
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- High-quality, accurate and efficient scheduling and operational support.
- Strong leadership and positive team engagement.
- Effective management of operational risk and safety considerations.
- Continuous improvement of processes and productivity.
- Excellent stakeholder relationships and customer service standards.
- Calm and decisive leadership in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Candidate Profile
You will be:
- A confident people leader who motivates and develops others.
- Resilient, calm and composed under pressure.
- Commercially aware with a focus on operational performance.
- Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
- Comfortable making critical decisions in fast-moving environments.
- Committed to safety, quality and continuous improvement.
Benefits
Competitive salary and package; negotiable for the right experience.Benefits include enhanced holiday allowance, pension, healthcare, EV car scheme, cycle to work schemes, EAP etc.