The Specialist, Regional Airline Operations reports to the Director, Regional Airlines and Markets and leads operational oversight across Air Canada's regional airline partners (e.g. Jazz and PAL Airlines), driving structural, operational, and commercial efficiencies under Capacity Purchase Agreements. The position is accountable for designing and executing operational improvement programs that ensure safety and optimize on-time-performance, while aligning regional partners with network, fleet, and long term business strategies. Acting as a central integrator, the role translates strategy into sustainable operational performance while adhering to cost-control principles. Responsibilities • Lead new regional carrier expansions and transitions, ensuring adherence to launch timelines and capacity plans • Lead audits at hub airports and identify root cause of inefficiencies. • Act as an internal champion of all Air Canada regional carriers • Develop and maintain relationships with all operational departments at Jazz & AC • Develop and maintain audit process at hub airports & regional carrier operations centres to monitor performance • Lead operational improvement initiatives at the YTZ Express Hub with support from Jazz, Airports and the Airport Authorities • Develop guides for service requirements and standards for regional carriers to ensure operational and commercial integrity • Incrementally develop a well-rounded knowledge in all aspects of managing a regional carrier (operational, commercial, financial, contractual & community relations) • Assist in contractual aspects of the regional carrier relationships, including financial and regional fleet elements • Lead internal and external operational CPA review meetings • Establish standard reporting measures on regional operators/industry comparison reports • Maintain relationships with external stakeholders (primarily Airport Authorities) • Represent Air Canada in regional markets across the AC network • Own large-scale, multi-year operational improvement initiatives across regional airline partners • Hold day-to-day oversight of Capacity Purchase Agreements to ensure contractual provisions, assets, and labour models are fully leveraged to maximize value for Air Canada. • Act as a key steward of CPA performance, identifying structural inefficiencies, risks, and opportunities, and recommending corrective or enhancement actions. • Coordinate response to safety incidents and trending issues in coordination with AC Safety and the carriers • Introduce and embed new operational processes within regional partners to improve efficiency, predictability, and accountability. • Serve as a critical integrator between network planning, regional partners, maintenance, and finance to synthesize changes and translate them into executable actions. • Develop compelling business cases, narratives, and executive-level communications to support decision-making, alignment, and adoption of transformational initiatives. • Escalate risks, constraints, and delivery challenges with clarity and discipline, proposing solutions and trade-off options for senior leadership • Other duties as assigned. Qualifications • University degree in business administration, aviation management or a related field, or equivalent years of experience. • Minimum 5 years of experience in the airline industry or relevant experience. • Strong interest in the regional carrier business model and industry. • Ability to steer nuanced discussions around complex problems involving multiple organizations. • Holistic thinker, storytelling via data and entrepreneurial approach to task and projects. • High-level understanding of business performance & reporting. • Ability to build a cohesive project framework managing the contribution of internal and external stakeholders. • Self-starter with demonstrated interpersonal skills and initiative. • Demonstrated change management skills. • Strong communication and negotiation skills. • High level of comfort with the financial aspects of the airline business. • Previous finance or accounting experience is an asset. • Established network of contacts within AC commercial and operational branches is a bonus. • Demonstrate punctuality and dependability to support overall team success in a fast-paced environment. Conditions of Employment: Candidates must be eligible to work in the country of interest at the time any offer of employment is made and are responsible for obtaining any required work permits, visas, or other authorizations necessary for employment. Prior to their start date, candidates will also need to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the country of interest. Linguistic Requirements Based on equal qualifications, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.