Airport Operations Manager

Belonging to Air Canada is akin to belonging to a Canadian symbol, Air Canada recently voted best airline in North America. Take your career to new heights by joining our innovative and diverse team at the forefront of passenger air transport.

As an Airport Operations Manager, you will play an important leadership role in bringing to life our ambition of being recognized as one of the top 10 airlines in the world, by managing day-of operations efficiently and safely. Your priority will be to create a safe, positive, and supportive environment in which your leadership empowers our unionized team members (IAMAW and Unifor) to excel. By coaching your team empathetically with a focus on development and building trust, you will enable them to exceed customer expectations and maintain our warm hospitality.

The role will allow you to touch on various sectors such as the following: Station Operations Center, ramp operations, baggage services, staffing allocation and planning, and terminal operations. Across all sectors, you will be responsible for both the customer experience and the safe and efficient execution of our activities by applying safety protocols, conducting thorough post-incident investigations, and ensuring uniform compliance with our safety instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Responsibilities:

• Be responsible for leading complex daily airport operations activities, with care and class, in the assigned sector, whether check-in counters, boarding gates, baggage hall, ramp, Station Operations Coordination Center (SOCC), and planning, to ensure smooth and efficient flow.
• Support Air Canada customers and ensure compliance with operational requirements by working with local external agencies such as the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), as well as ground service providers, other airlines, airport suppliers, and Transport Canada, among others.
• Ensure daily compliance with safety protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), thereby fostering a culture of "Safety First, Always."
• Represent the Air Canada brand and the Company's vision for Customer Service excellence, reflecting our commitment to a warm welcome and representing our country with pride.
• Collaborate in the direction and supervision of unionized staff, encouraging employees to be accountable while respecting collective agreements.
• Play an influencing role to foster a sense of responsibility among staff, allowing employees to use their judgment and experience to "do what is right" when needed.
• Participate in regular feedback sessions with team members to foster internal collaboration and the "United to Succeed" behavior.
• In collaboration with other operational managers, mitigate performance issues, including determining developmental needs and unsatisfactory performance, through coaching, guidance, and disciplinary measures.
• Perform audits to ensure uniform compliance with safety instructions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and service standards, to identify root causes of weaknesses and take effective corrective actions.
• Promote and enhance safety culture across all operational spheres by encouraging proactive reporting and rapidly managing incidents using Air Canada Safety Management System reports hosted in the Aviation Quality Database (AQD).
• Monitor and ensure on-time performance by supervising operational processes and procedures and collaborating with team members to manage and resolve delays or issues, while supporting our safety-first culture.
• Manage and rapidly resolve operational disruptions, emergencies, and customer concerns.
• Conduct incident scene investigations and ensure complete, prompt, and accurate reporting.
• Provide high-quality customer service safely, particularly in case of operational irregularities (delays, cancellations, denied boarding, etc.), respecting country laws, Canadian laws, as well as internal policies and procedures.
• Help process any customer service requests and resolve issues on time, especially during operational irregularities.
• Adapt to new concepts, technologies, and processes as the industry evolves, embracing change and leading by example.
• Participate in emergency response training.
• Communicate in a fast-paced environment via internal chat, telephone, radio, and email.
• Brief unionized team members on new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure they implement them.
• Stay up to date with annual recurrent training.
• Be available to work in different airport sectors as needed, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability to meet changing operational needs.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education diploma, at minimum, or equivalent operational experience.
• At least two years of experience in a leadership role or equivalent operational experience.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire, coach, and empower employees.
• Managerial courage to make tough decisions to ensure operational integrity, safety, and punctuality.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to interact effectively with team members, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal relationships (within the organization and team).
• Aptitude for independent time management.
• Customer orientation and commitment to delivering high-quality service.
• Ability to work shifts in 24-hour airport facilities, including weekends and statutory holidays.
• Valid Class G or Class 5 driver's license from the province of employment.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) and an Airside Vehicle Operator's Permit (AVOP).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Restricted Operator's Certificate (ROC-A) (for radiocommunications in Canada) issued by Industry Canada.
• Proven dynamic situational awareness, with an ability to adapt to unpredictable task changes during the day in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to solve problems and make decisions, especially in high-stress situations.
• Ability to walk long distances frequently, lift at least 50 pounds (approx. 23 kg), and drive airside vehicles in various conditions.
• Ability to adapt to new technologies and share knowledge thereof.
• Solid understanding of airport operations.
• Knowledge of terminal and airside operations, an asset.
• Experience working with unionized staff and understanding collective agreements, an asset.
• Knowledge of safety protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and familiarity with various systems and programs used in the air transport industry, an asset.
• Demonstrated punctuality and reliability to support the overall success of the team in a fast-paced environment.

Conditions of employment:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the relevant country at the time a job offer is presented and are responsible for obtaining work permits, visas, or other necessary authorizations. Proof of eligibility must be provided before the start date.

Language Requirements

Equal qualifications being equal, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.

Diversity and inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible, and rewarding workplace that highlights the unique contribution of our employees to our company's success.

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage diverse applications so we can build a workforce that is varied and representative of our customers and the communities where we live and serve.

Air Canada thanks all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.