Associate - Airline Finance and Licensing in London

Salary: £45,000 to £54,790 per annum dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent

Security Level: BPSS

Location: Westferry, London – Average 2 days per week office attendance expected

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship

Closing Date: Monday 23rd November 2026

Interview Date: 2nd and 3rd December 2026

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

We are looking for an Associate to join the Airline Finance & Licensing Team. This is an excellent opportunity for an analytical and commercially minded individual interested in aviation, financial analysis and regulatory oversight. The role supports the assessment of airline financial strength, liquidity and business performance while contributing to regulatory decision-making. The UK travel and aviation markets are constantly evolving and subject to various short and longer-term challenges and opportunities. This role provides the exciting opportunity to be at the forefront helping shape our regulatory approach as operators seek to deal with the impact of these events.

As an Associate it will be your role to support Principals in the team ensuring robust financial and regulatory oversight of UK airlines, foreign carriers and where required space operators. Additionally, the role will see you take on a wide range of other activities. These include:

• Ad hoc project work
• Analysing and interpreting industry data
• Producing relevant reports for departmental, CAA-wide or external audiences
• Assisting in documenting guidelines and procedures

About You

You are analytical, curious and eager to learn. You enjoy working with financial information, solving problems and translating complex analysis into clear insights. You work effectively both independently and as part of a team. We are a supportive environment that is driven by our mission to protect the consumer and ensure safety. If this sounds like something you want to be involved in then please apply, we’d love to hear from you.

Essential:

• Experience analysing financial statements and financial performance indicators
• Understanding of credit analysis principles and financial risk assessment
• Industry analysis, competitive analysis
• Negotiation, interpersonal skills
• Financial modelling and data analysis skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (Excel, PowerPoint)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills
• Ability to manage priorities and work collaboratively within a team

Desirable:

• Experience in aviation, banking, financial services, consulting or corporate finance
• Progress toward or completion of a professional qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CFA or equivalent)
• Understanding of airline business models and aviation economics
• Understanding of the travel companies and airline sector
• Regulatory environment for aviation and travel companies
• Experience with data visualisation tools
• Knowledge of AI tools and technologies

AI and Continuous Learning:

The successful candidate will have an interest in AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies and interest in developing these skills further to improve analysis, reporting and productivity.

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. BPSS - To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

The CAA is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct. To help ensure transparency and protect the independence and reputation of the CAA, candidates invited to interview will be required to complete a Declaration of Interests form, disclosing any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence, or be seen to influence, their ability to perform the role objectively and impartially.

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.

Inclusive Recruitment

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be guaranteed an interview. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates in the CAA recruitment process

We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.

Working With Us

Explore What We Offer section on our careers website to find out about our benefits and how we support work-life balance.

Our Values

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

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.