Manager, Compliance & Enforcement

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards. We pride ourselves on adapting to the constantly evolving aviation environment. Our ATOL Compliance & Enforcement team plays a critical role in safeguarding consumers and maintaining trust in the travel industry. We lead on monitoring compliance with ATOL and consumer protection regulations, tackling systemic risks and ensuring businesses meet their legal obligations. When non-compliance occurs, we take decisive action — through engagement, enforcement, or supporting multi-agency investigations with bodies such as the police, trading standards, and insolvency services. This is a high-profile function at the heart of consumer protection, shaping enforcement approaches that drive a fair, competitive, and compliant travel market.

As Manager – ATOL Compliance & Enforcement, you’ll lead a specialist team dedicated to protecting consumers and strengthening compliance across the travel industry. In the role you will:

• Shape Strategy & Policy: Drive proposals that embed a strong compliance culture across the travel industry.
• Lead Compliance Oversight: Oversee complex audits, inspections, and casework, ensuring robust evidence for confident enforcement decisions.
• Be the Expert: Provide authoritative guidance on technical and regulatory issues and deliver training on consumer protection and ATOL regulations.
• Manage Risk & Insight: Implement risk assessments, monitor compliance trends, and escalate systemic risks to senior leadership.
• Make Key Decisions: Approve high-risk regulatory referrals and enforcement actions within delegated authority.
• Influence & Collaborate: Build strong relationships with industry partners, enforcement agencies, and senior stakeholders to secure compliance outcomes.
• Lead People: Develop and mentor a team of specialists, driving capability and succession planning.
• Deliver Projects & Governance: Manage regulatory-impact projects and produce reports that shape policy and enforcement decisions.

We’re looking for a confident leader with strong regulatory expertise and a passion for driving compliance excellence. You’ll bring:

• Leadership: Proven ability to lead and develop teams, mentor talent, and manage up to 10 colleagues.
• Enforcement Action: A proven track record in leading and/or taking formal enforcement actions, as well as civil or criminal proceedings, and the ability to manage complex enforcement processes in line with legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Regulatory Expertise: Extensive experience in audit, and compliance in a regulatory environment.
• Analytical Skills: Sharp judgment, experience of risk management, and project leadership under pressure.
• Relevant Legislation: An in-depth knowledge of ATOL, ATT Regulations, consumer protection law, and CAA enforcement policies.
• Professional Credentials: Qualified auditor or accredited counter-fraud specialist, with investigative skills and hands-on experience.
• Industry Insight: Solid understanding of the travel sector and its current challenges.
• Communication & Influence: Exceptional negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills, ability to handle sensitive information and build strong industry relationships.

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact on consumer protection and compliance standards across the travel industry. You’ll lead a high-profile team tackling complex regulatory challenges and shaping enforcement strategies that influence industry-wide practices. You’ll work at the heart of the CAA’s mission, collaborating with senior stakeholders, enforcement agencies, and major travel businesses, giving you exposure to strategic decision-making and multi-agency operations. The role offers scope to develop your leadership skills, drive policy innovation, and manage projects with significant regulatory impact. You’ll have the chance to grow your career while contributing to safeguarding consumers and strengthening trust in the travel sector.

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

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 passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. 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 use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

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.

We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us. We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance. We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!

Closing Date: 27th January 2026

Interview Date: w/c 9th February 2026

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.