Senior Operations Controller

The Senior Operations Controller holds fleet-wide oversight of live operations, acting as the supervisory layer between the Operations Controller team and senior management. An expert practitioner across all Operations Controller competencies, the role is responsible for the quality and consistency of operational outputs, leading and mentoring the team, and making confident, well-reasoned decisions across the full scope of the operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform all Operations Controller duties to an expert standard, acting as the primary reference point for the team on all operational matters.
• Maintain fleet-wide situational awareness across all live operations, overseeing all aircraft movements rather than managing individual aircraft.
• Act as the primary focal point in the operations room – the first point of escalation when operational problems arise.
• Quality-check operational decisions and outputs across the team, identifying and correcting issues before they escalate (e.g., flight plan routing, airport selection, cost efficiency).
• Oversight of pre and post-flight documentation checks, ensuring compliance standards are maintained consistently across the team.
• Ensure Operations Controllers understand and remain compliant with all current procedures and any changes as they are issued.
• Receive and action project handoffs from HOGO / Deputy Head, translating these into operational plans for the Operations Controller team.
• Manage aircraft sensor configuration – maintaining accurate records of sensor fixes and uploading updated aircraft profiles to flight planning software following any configuration change.
• Present the daily company-wide operational briefing (Monday to Friday), providing a situational overview of the day’s operations and coordinating handovers to other departments.
• Support the training and mentoring of Operations Controllers, aiding their development and ensuring the team performs to the required standard.
• Lead, motivate and maintain a positive team culture within the Operations Controller team.
• Provide on-call support to Operations Controllers during shift lead periods.
• Escalate operational issues to the Operations leadership team where situations require management-level intervention.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Private Pilot Licence (PPL) preferred; candidates currently undertaking a PPL or holding an equivalent aviation qualification will be considered.
• Prior experience as an Operations Controller or in an equivalent operational aviation role is required.
• Some supervisory or leadership experience is advantageous but not essential; candidates who can demonstrate readiness to step into a leadership role will be considered.
• Strong computer literacy; the role is primarily office-based and requires confidence with digital tools and platforms.
• Expert-level knowledge across all Operations Controller competencies.
• Fleet-wide situational awareness and ability to manage multiple aircraft movements simultaneously.
• Operational quality assurance – identifying errors, inefficiencies and risks across team outputs.
• Clear and confident communication, including presenting to a company-wide audience.
• Team supervision, on-the-job training and mentoring.
• Aircraft configuration management and flight planning software proficiency.
• Sound operational decision-making with the ability to act independently and justify decisions clearly.

Behavioural and Leadership Competency

• Confident decision-maker – able to assess a situation, act decisively and stand by decisions with clear justification, without needing prior approval.
• Ready to take on supervisory responsibility and lead others, not just perform the role individually.
• Leads by example, setting the operational standard for the team through their own conduct.
• Motivates and actively maintains a positive team culture, even under pressure.
• A trusted source of knowledge – the person the team turns to for guidance, mentorship and answers.
• Safety-first mindset, with the confidence to challenge decisions that do not meet the required standard.
• Ambitious and looking to grow – sees this role as a deliberate step in their leadership journey.