At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead capacity planning to optimise airport operations and enhance passenger experience.
- Company: Heathrow, the world's most iconic airport with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, generous leave, and private health insurance.
- Other info: Hybrid working options and a commitment to sustainability and inclusivity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on millions of passengers while shaping the future of aviation.
- Qualifications: Experience in capacity planning and strong leadership skills required.
Heathrow is a city within a city, through which millions of passengers travel every year. In Operational Planning, our goal is to give passengers the best airport service in the world, in an environment where change is constant. Join us and you’ll become part of an exciting and fast-paced team that keeps the airport running smoothly. Whether it's using data and strategy to predict and plan for events, responding to unexpected disruptions, or working closely with Airport Operations Control and airlines to optimise flight schedules and reduce delays, you’ll make a real difference to the experience of countless passengers.
Together, we’re responsible for creating the right planning proposition, from defining roles to building rosters, and delivering an effective plan every day. It’s about understanding our capacity and making best use of it. And about evaluating our performance every day, so we can continuously improve. Every day will test your skills and give you the opportunity to make your mark at one of the busiest airports in the world. Join us and discover a one-of-a-kind career.
At Heathrow, we’re on a mission to make every journey better, and capacity planning is at the heart of that ambition. You’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring our airport operates efficiently today while preparing for the demands of tomorrow. This is a senior leadership position where your decisions will directly influence how millions of passengers experience Heathrow every year.
You’ll lead a team dedicated to optimising how we use our existing infrastructure and identifying opportunities to unlock additional capacity. Success in this role means balancing operational resilience with growth, working closely with airline partners, project teams, and internal stakeholders to deliver solutions that keep Heathrow moving smoothly and sustainably.
Your role will involve:
- Develop and implement strategies to maximise the use of existing airport capacity across terminals, airfield, and security operations.
- Lead engagement with airlines to understand their operational needs and align capacity planning with commercial and passenger experience goals.
- Oversee analysis of bottlenecks and design solutions, including business cases for infrastructure changes such as security lane adjustments or airfield layout improvements.
- Collaborate with project teams on major initiatives like baggage system upgrades and terminal optimisation to ensure capacity considerations are embedded from the start.
- Monitor performance against capacity plans, reporting on key metrics and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
These Skills Are Essential:
- Demonstrable experience in capacity planning, operational strategy, or infrastructure optimisation within a complex organisation.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and drive collaboration across multiple teams.
- Knowledge of how data, analytics, modelling, automation, and AI can be leveraged to improve business performance and decision-making.
- Proven track record of leading large-scale change initiatives, transformation programmes, or complex cross-functional projects.
- Experience developing, evaluating, and presenting compelling business cases to support operational and infrastructure investment decisions.
- Expertise in capacity planning, scheduling, resource optimisation, and balancing demand against organisational capability and priorities.
Ideal Skills:
- Background in aviation, transport, or large-scale infrastructure projects.
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements and industry best practices related to airport operations.
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. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.
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.
Head of Capacity in London employer: Heathrow
Heathrow Airport is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where innovation meets operational excellence. As a Data Governance Lead, you will play a pivotal role in transforming the airport into a digitally advanced hub, supported by competitive salaries, generous benefits, and a commitment to employee growth through varied learning opportunities. With a hybrid working model and a strong focus on inclusivity, Heathrow fosters a culture that values diverse talent and promotes sustainable practices, making it an attractive place for meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Capacity in London
✨Connect with Local Logistic Groups
Dive into local transportation and logistics groups on platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn. Show up to their meetups if you can – it's a great way to network with industry pros who can share insights, job openings, or even refer you to their own company.
✨Get Behind the Wheel of Job Boards
Look for job boards specific to transportation and logistics, like Logistics Job Site or TransportJobs. These platforms often have listings that you won’t find on general job boards, so they’re worth checking out regularly!
✨Leverage Internships & Graduate Schemes
Many companies in transportation and logistics offer graduate schemes and internships that can pave the way to full-time positions. Don't shy away from applying; even a short stint can make a solid impact on your CV and get your foot in the door at companies like Heathrow.
✨Apply Directly with Us!
When you find openings at great companies, make sure to apply directly through our website. It not only shows your initiative but also helps us to help you get noticed by Heathrow. Every application gets us one step closer to landing that full-time gig!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Capacity in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Experience:When you're applying for a role in the transportation and logistics sector at Heathrow, make sure to highlight any relevant experience. Whether it's moving goods, coordinating schedules, or using transportation management software, give us the lowdown on your past gigs. It'll paint a clearer picture of what you're capable of!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in logistics! If you've optimised routes, reduced delivery times, or improved customer satisfaction, mention those incredible stats in your CV. This gives us concrete evidence of your impact and showcases your problem-solving skills.
Tailor That Cover Letter:Your cover letter should be more than just a formality—let it breathe your personality and passion for logistics! Explain why you're excited about the role at Heathrow and how you can contribute to our team. Don't forget to tie in specific skills or experiences that relate to the job description.
Research and Reflect:Before you hit 'submit,' spend some time digging into Heathrow. Understand our mission, values, and the specific challenges in the logistics industry. This will help you craft a targeted application that shows you truly want to be part of our crew, setting you apart from the rest!
How to prepare for a job interview at Heathrow
✨Know Your Logistics Basics
Get familiar with the key principles of transportation and logistics, like supply chain management, inventory control, and route optimisation. You might get asked practical questions about how to improve efficiency, so brush up on your problem-solving skills and be prepared to discuss any relevant software tools you've used.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
In logistics, employers love to gauge how you'd handle real-life situations. Expect scenario-based questions where you’ll need to demonstrate your decision-making skills, like how to manage delays or coordinate shipments during a crisis. Practise outlining your thought process clearly and logically.
✨Highlight Your Teamwork Experience
Full-time roles in logistics often require collaboration with various teams, so don't forget to showcase your teamwork experience. Think of examples where you've used communication and collaboration to ensure smooth operations, and get ready to elaborate on how you can facilitate teamwork in a busy environment like at Heathrow.
✨Show Off Your Attention to Detail
In our world of logistics, missing a small detail can lead to big problems. Be prepared to discuss instances where your attention to detail saved the day, whether it was engaging with clients, managing documentation, or tracking shipments accurately. This will help demonstrate how you can be a reliable asset to Heathrow.
