Airfield Operations Delivery Manager in London

There’s nothing quite like the buzz you’ll feel when you’re playing a crucial role at the heart of one of the busiest airports in the world. With more than 1,000 arriving and departing flights on a normal day, the Airside and Airspace Operations team works with customers and suppliers to ensure the safe, efficient and effective operation of the airfield and aircraft. Every day you’ll discover a world of fresh possibilities, when every decision taken has a real impact on the way our whole airport operates. You’ll join a high-performing team with a wide range of skills and a shared passion to make every journey better.

You will lead operational improvement projects from concept through to delivery, working closely with colleagues across Heathrow and with external partners to enhance processes and outcomes. You’ll also act as the departmental client for wider Heathrow initiatives that impact Airfield Operations. You will take tactical ownership of our Winter Operations plan, collaborating with third-party resource providers, fleet teams and internal stakeholders to ensure our Snow Plan continually evolves and delivers readiness for every winter season. In addition, you will lead on the operational procedures, facilities and assurance of remote de-icing, partnering with airlines and service providers to maintain high standards of performance and safety.

Your role will involve:

• Lead the tactical development of the Heathrow Snow Plan airside, ensuring continuous improvement of Heathrow’s winter response.
• Own the operational relationship for remote de-icing, ensuring procedures, facilities and safety standards are maintained in collaboration with operators and control authorities.
• Act as custodian for Airfield Operations’ IT systems, identifying, scoping and delivering improvements, and representing operational needs in Heathrow-wide system implementations.
• Work with central teams and SMEs to develop and enhance digital tools supporting the frontline operation (including ALFRED, Kestrel, Read & Sign and digital logging), driving continuous improvement.
• Oversee Airfield Operations facilities, ensuring buildings and fixed equipment meet regulatory, compliance and quality standards, setting the benchmark for operational departments.
• Own the operational delivery of the Infringements Management policy, ensuring fair and efficient administration, while influencing and engaging colleagues to support wellbeing, inclusion and departmental engagement – also deputising for the Airfield Operations Manager when required.

These Skills Are Essential:

• Experience in Airfield Operations or another complex operational environment.
• Be focussed on delivery; experienced in driving projects or initiatives from inception through to completion.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams in parallel; constantly seeking to identify opportunities to improve and develop new initiatives.
• Be highly computer literate; ideally with some understanding of data or AI.
• Bring strong safety and operational competence, including a solid understanding of Safety Management Systems, experience conducting risk assessments in complex environments, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple workstreams while driving continuous improvement.
• Demonstrate excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with high-level written and verbal communication, strong stakeholder management, confidence influencing up to Director level, and proven experience leading and developing people.

Ideally, you’ll also have:

• Strong regulatory and safety competence, including a solid understanding of CAA regulations for aviation and Airfield Operations, plus a minimum IOSH Health & Safety qualification.
• Experience in quality and continuous improvement, with a background in applying continuous improvement methodologies and working with Quality Management Systems.
• Skilled in structured assessment and operating in complex environments, holding a recognised assessor qualification and experience working within a Trade Union framework.

About Us:

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities. Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore. It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability. Join us on that journey and we’ll help you achieve your ambitions too.

Our rewards:

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location:

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work:

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities:

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.