Inspecting Officer (Ground Safety)

Location: Gatwick, GB

Please note, the first 12 months of this role will be spent in a Policy Support Ground Safety role based within the Aerodromes Policy team.

Salary: Up to £38,800

Contract Type: Permanent – Full time

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The Role

The Inspecting Officer for Ground Safety will spend their first 12 months in a Policy Support role for ground safety within the Aerodromes Policy team helping in the development of ground handling policy. In these 12 months you will:

• Support the Ground Handling Policy Specialist with the development and introduction of the new Ground Handling Regulations.
• Support the Airspace, Air Traffic Management & Aerodrome (AAA) policy reviews by providing information on the aspects of the ground handling policy in regulating the ground handling sector.

Following this period, you will transition into the Inspecting Officer for Ground Safety role in Flight Operations and will conduct oversight of entities to ensure they are operating in a safe and competent manner and in compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements, industry standards and best practice, these include commercial air transport operators.

Policy Support Accountabilities (first 12 months):

• Policy Development Support - Assist Ground Handling Policy Specialist in developing safety and business-aligned policies, including CAA Action Plans and external requirements.
• Ground Handling Regulation Implementation - Support development of standards and legislation under new Ground Handling Regulation aligned with ICAO practices.
• System Compliance - Ensure adherence to CAA regulatory and management systems while achieving policy objectives and service standards.
• Project Participation - Attend Ground Handling Project Board meetings, subgroups, and ICAO virtual meetings as required.
• Administrative Support - Draft consultation responses, support webinars, and assist with industry engagement events for rulemaking processes.
• Working Group Contribution - Support or chair study groups (e.g., Hydrogen challenges) and deputise when needed.
• Cross-Business Collaboration - Provide support to other CAA areas through presentations, training courses, and innovation trial assistance.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Attend external meetings with industry, ground handling organizations, ICAO and GHOST to present updates, gather feedback, and contribute ground handling expertise.

Inspecting Officer Accountabilities:

• Oversight - Conduct audits and inspections to ensure continuing competence of Flight Operations entities.
• Appraise, by audit and inspection, the suitability of applicants for the grant of an AOC.
• Decide appropriate remedial action without recourse to senior staff (e.g. Flight Operations Manager).
• Make independent decisions on remedial actions and communicate findings to entity senior management.
• Evaluate corrective actions and conduct follow-up audits to verify effectiveness.

Technical Expertise & Support

• Provide specialist knowledge in Ground Safety.
• Advise Flight Operations Managers on current entity issues and assist in training inspecting staff.
• Undertake project work, participate in working groups, and deliver international outcomes for safety mitigation.

Enforcement Action

• Assess all enforcement options and escalate regulatory or criminal concerns through appropriate management channels.
• Make decisions on commissioning investigations for suspected aviation law breaches or Investigation and Enforcement Team (IET) recommendations.

Performance Based Regulation

• Capture and share safety intelligence from internal/external sources across CAA groups.
• Apply Performance Based Oversight principles to deliver outcome-focused, risk-based entity oversight.
• Escalate risks appropriately within Safety & Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) and hold industry Accountable Managers accountable for safety management.

About You

Minimum essential requirements for both roles:

• Knowledge of ground handling operations gained through industry or regulatory experience such as Airport Operations, Auditor, Inspector, Subject Matter experience in ground handling.
• Knowledge of aviation auditing techniques and experience in safety management or oversight.
• Understanding of relevant UK, and global legislation (e.g. ICAO, FAA) and a working experience with all or some of the industry standards such as JIG, IGOM, IATA AHM.
• An excellent set of interpersonal skills suitable and appropriate to work as part of a team and to respond quickly, but calmly and correctly, when sudden needs arise.
• Polite, empathetic and tactful manner.
• Ability to persuade others to modify thinking and procedures.
• A skillful organiser and an ability to exercise initiative in planning for results.
• A robust decision-maker with the ability to take the initiative, but able to identify when to refer to others.
• An enquiring mind geared to the need to identifying failings and improvements to current processes and procedures together with a positive approach to discuss practical actions.

Desirable skills for the role:

• Aviation related degree or professional level qualification.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance. CTC - To be vetted we will usually expect a reasonable period of residency in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. For this role this will need to be 3 years. If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations. We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers. We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office, before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028.

Inclusivity

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and celebrate our diversity ensuring all are backgrounds included here at the CAA. As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview.

We offer a range of excellent benefits such as:

• Flexible & hybrid working arrangements available
• 28 days annual leave + public holidays (additional 5 days leave purchase scheme)
• Generous pension scheme (Up to 12% employer contribution)
• Wellbeing Room at Gatwick
• Mental Health and Suicide First Aiders
• Employee Assistance Programme, talking therapies and neurodiversity support via Occupational Health & access to Headspace for colleagues and 5 dependents
• Free onsite gym at Gatwick or discounted gym membership for London
• EV charging points
• Employee Development courses internally and via Skillsoft

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone.

Interview Date: w/c Monday 7th July 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

No recruitment agencies please.