DIRECTOR, SAFETY AND AIRSIDE OPERATIONSReports To: Vice President, Safety, Security and Operations
Location: Montreal, Canada
Centre of Excellence: Operations, Safety and Security
Position PurposeThe Director, Safety and Airside Operations provides technical leadership for ACI World's work on airport safety and airside operations. The role leads global advocacy, develops practical guidance for airport members, and advances initiatives that improve safety and operational performance across the airport community.
As a senior technical expert, the Director represents airport interests in international policy and standards-development activities, including work undertaken through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The role develops ACI positions, oversees ACI-appointed technical representatives, monitors emerging safety and operational issues, and translates regulatory and industry developments into practical guidance for airports.
Key Responsibilities1. Airside Operations and Safety Technical Leadership
- Serve as a senior subject-matter expert on airside operations and airport safety.
- Provide technical leadership on airside operations issues including runway and taxiway safety, apron and stand operations, aircraft movement areas, airside vehicle operations, wildlife management, safety management systems, operational risk management, aerodrome certification, emergency and contingency planning, and other airside safety matters.
- Monitor emerging operational risks, technologies, regulatory developments, and industry trends.
- Provide technical advice to ACI leadership, Regions, committees, and airport members.
- Support development of ACI policies and strategic priorities related to airport safety and airside operations.
2. Global Advocacy and Industry Representation
- Lead ACI World advocacy on airside operations and airport safety.
- Represent ACI in ICAO Panels, Working Groups, technical forums, and other international industry bodies, as assigned.
- Oversee and coordinate ACI-appointed representatives, providing technical direction and ensuring alignment with ACI positions and member priorities.
- Develop working papers, technical positions, comments, and recommendations reflecting airport operational realities.
- Assess proposed standards, regulations, and industry initiatives and identify implications for airport operators.
- Maintain effective relationships with ICAO, IATA, CANSO, regulators, aircraft manufacturers, and other industry stakeholders.
3. Guidance, Policy and Best Practices
- Lead development and maintenance of ACI manuals, handbooks, policies, guidance, advisory publications, and implementation tools.
- Translate ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, regulatory developments, and industry experience into practical guidance for airport operators.
- Ensure technical outputs are risk-based, operationally credible, and applicable to airports of different sizes and levels of maturity.
- Use airport experience, industry data, and lessons learned to identify and promote effective practices.
4. Programme, Project and Team Leadership
- Lead complex technical programmes and projects from concept through delivery, aligned with ACI's strategic plan and member priorities.
- Supervise a geographically diverse team, including employees working remotely and across different regions and time zones.
- Set clear priorities and expectations and provide coaching, feedback, technical direction, and professional development.
- Coordinate contributions from airport experts, committees, Regions, industry partners, consultants, and other stakeholders.
- Facilitate technical discussions, build consensus, and manage project risks, competing priorities, and dependencies.
5. Member and Region Engagement
- Engage airport operators and ACI Regions to understand emerging safety and operational challenges and incorporate them into ACI priorities.
- Support ACI World Committees, task forces, and working groups in translating member expertise into tangible outcomes.
- Develop and contribute to workshops, webinars, technical briefings, conferences, and peer-exchange activities.
- Collaborate across ACI on issues intersecting with capacity, facilitation, cybersecurity, sustainability, infrastructure, technology, and other airport priorities.
- Support APEX in Safety, Global Training, Communications, Data and Intelligence, and other programs with technical expertise as required.
Qualifications and Experience- University degree in aviation, engineering, airport management, safety management, operations management, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- Seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in airport operations, airside operations, airport safety, aviation regulation, or a related field.
- Strong practical understanding of airport and airside operations, safety management, and operational risk management.
- Strong knowledge of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices and the international aviation regulatory environment.
- Experience developing technical guidance, policy, standards, procedures, or similar materials.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex programmes, multi-stakeholder initiatives, and geographically dispersed teams.
- International, regulatory, association, or technical representation experience is an asset.
Competencies and Values (C1 - Director Level)- Strong technical expertise and credibility in airport safety and airside operations.
- Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and decision-making skills.
- Excellent written, presentation, and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to influence, facilitate discussions, manage difficult conversations, and build consensus across diverse stakeholders.
- Strong people leadership and project management skills.
- Sound judgement and the ability to balance safety, operational, regulatory, and practical considerations.
- Strong relationship-building skills and commitment to integrity, inclusivity, stewardship, collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
Working RelationshipsInternal:
- Vice President, Safety, Security and Operations
- Directors, Senior Managers, Managers, and other colleagues across Operations, Safety and Security and other Centres of Excellence
- ACI World Committees, task forces, and working groups
- APEX, Global Training, Communications, and Data and Intelligence teams
External:
- ACI Regions and airport members
- ICAO Panels, Working Groups, and other technical bodies
- Civil aviation authorities and other regulatory organisations
- Industry partners including IATA, CANSO, ASA, ICCAIA, aircraft manufacturers, and other aviation organisations
- Consultants, academics, and subject-matter experts
Supervisory Responsibilities- Supervises a geographically diverse team, including remote employees across different regions and time zones.
- Sets performance expectations and provides coaching, feedback, technical direction, and professional development.
- May oversee secondees, consultants, and project-based contributors.
- Promotes accountability, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and high performance across the team.
What we offer- A challenging and exciting position in an international and multicultural environment.
- Hybrid work environment
- 4 weeks of vacation/year.
- 5 sick days/ year.
- 5 mental wellness days/year.
- Employee cell phone (iPhone) with TELUS Health virtual care included.
- Health insurance coverage from your first day of employment.
- RRSP company matching contributions
- Opus/EXO Transit discount on monthly pass.
- Employee recognition points earned to convert into redeemable gift cards
- Very flexible employee monthly wellness account to use to achieve a greater work life balance
