Establishment Planning Manager in Luton

We are easyJet – a FTSE listed, £multi‑billion low‑cost airline that serves tens of millions of customers every year. We fly more than 1,207 routes, connecting 38 countries across Europe, and employ more than 18,000 colleagues. Our mission is to make low‑cost travel easy – connecting millions of people to what they love using Europe’s best airline network, great value fares, and friendly service.

Read On If You

• Have at least four years’ operational experience in crew planning, resource planning, crewing or a similar industry role.
• Enjoy leading teams, driving process improvements, and collaborating across functions.
• Are comfortable working in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment and can balance operational, strategic, and commercial needs.
• Can be in our Luton head office 3 × per week.

The Team

The Establishment function sits within the Crew Planning team as part of the Operations Strategy & Planning department. You’ll report to the Senior Establishment Planning Manager and lead a team of Senior Establishment Officers and Establishment Officers. This cross‑functional role works closely with Operations, Finance, HR, and Commercial teams to deliver the right crew numbers for our flying programme.

The Role

As Establishment Planning Manager, you will ensure we have the right number of crew to operate our commercial flying plan. You’ll coordinate planning activities, manage and develop your team, and oversee the delivery of the crew establishment plan. You’ll lead regular cross‑functional meetings, provide key reporting to stakeholders, and ensure our planning tools and processes are accurate and up to date. You’ll also drive continuous improvement, support annual budget production, and play a key role in developing recruitment and training plans.

• Manage, develop, and engage Senior Establishment Officers and Establishment Officers.
• Track the establishment plan and key KPIs, adapting to evolving assumptions and external factors.
• Lead cross‑functional review meetings and provide regular reporting to stakeholders including Recruitment, Training, Flight Ops, Cabin Services, HR, IR, and Finance.
• Review monthly establishment positions with Crew Planning teams to ensure accurate forecasts and timely optimisation.
• Highlight resource hotspots and develop plans to address them, including temporary basing or proactive crew tripping.
• Produce the annual crew establishment budget and develop recruitment and training plans.
• Ensure internal audits of headcount and base transfer data are completed and planning tools are accurate.
• Collaborate on the development of enhanced tools and reporting to support establishment planning.
• Keep establishment processes and documents up to date for team operations and training.
• Carry out ad hoc activities as required.

Requirements of the Role

• Educated to degree level or with equivalent business experience.
• Minimum four years’ operational experience in crew planning, resource planning, crewing or a similar industry.
• Strong business planning skills and ability to balance operational, strategic, and commercial needs.
• Proven experience in a numerical, analytical, and problem‑solving role.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex information clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Strong capability in MS Office, especially Excel.
• Experience of financial budgeting and forecasting in a multi‑faceted and changeable environment.
• Understanding of crew scheduling and establishment drivers, with an appreciation of flight time limitations.
• Resilience and ability to work under pressure.
• Flexible attitude and ability to respond to changing demands and timescales.
• Inspirational leadership and people management skills.

What You’ll Get in Return

• Up to 20% maximum bonus.
• PMI.
• 7% pension contributions.
• Excellent staff travel benefits.
• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Annual credit towards an easyJet holiday.
• Various flexible benefits and extras.

Practicalities

This full‑time role will be based in Luton and will be 40 hours per week. We support hybrid working and spend 60% of our time per month in the office.

Reasonable Adjustments

At easyJet, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace that reflects the diverse customers we serve across Europe. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds. If you require specific adjustments or support during the application or recruitment process, such as extra time for assessments or accessible interview locations, please contact us at ma.recruitment@easyjet.com. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to ensure accessibility and accommodation.