Head of Flight Operations in Reading

Malloy Aeronautics Limited specializes in the development of heavy lift unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) for both civilian and military uses. Located in Berkshire, our operations are notable for their focus on in-house design and manufacturing. This vertical integration means we control the production of most aircraft components on-site, enhancing our ability to innovate and maintain high standards across all stages of development.

The Head of Flight Test Operations leads all flying activities at Malloy, overseeing a team delivering both deployed and domestic UAV operations across production, training, test and customer trials domains. Ensures operational safety, efficient operations and regulatory compliance across all flying activities. The Head of Flight Test Operations is the owner of all regulatory and governance documentation for UK flying operations—including civil and military contexts—covering OSC, OA, SORA, CFAOS and OFCOM, acting as the primary regulatory liaison with authorities such as the CAA, MAA, AAIB, and NATS.

Ability to hold Security Clearance – 5 years residence in the UK.

What you’ll be doing (but not limited to):

• Lead Flight Ops (FLOPS) strategy and aviation governance across all flight operations, including production, test, demonstration, and development activities.
• Own the company’s flight operations governance documentation (e.g. OSC, OA, CFAOS, SORA), contributing towards its generation as required.
• Submit operational & technical variations, and site-specific flying permissions to the company’s OSC & OA.
• Ensure compliance with internal procedures and external regulations governing UAV flight safety, airworthiness, airspace use, and crew qualifications.
• Ensure training (both internal and external/customer) can be delivered safely, legally and efficiently.
• Oversee the readiness, provision and safety of aircraft, ground equipment, personnel, and facilities used in flight operations.
• Act as the primary liaison with regulatory bodies (e.g. UK CAA) for aviation approvals, exemptions, and operational authorisations.
• Provide line management for Chief Pilot cadre, including personal development and performance reviews.
• Coordinate with engineering and test teams to plan and approve flight trials, ensuring safe and controlled execution.
• Conduct or supervise aviation risk assessments, pre-flight briefings, pre-trials briefs, post-flight reviews, and airworthiness inspections.
• Lead or participate in incident response, crash investigation, and post-incident reporting as required.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation of aircraft status, flight logs, maintenance records, and operational approvals.
• Support pilot training, authorisation management, and crew certification processes.
• Drive continuous improvement in aviation safety culture, operational efficiency, and compliance processes.
• Chair or contribute to safety and airfield meetings, representing the aviation discipline internally and externally.
• Ensure adherence to SHE (Safety, Health & Environment) policy across all aviation activities.
• Provide technical guidance to teams on matters such as NOTAMs, airspace restrictions, and safe UAV operations.
• Coordinate crew, aircraft, support equipment and T&S activities in collaboration with the Chief Operations Pilot.
• Develop daily/weekly/monthly flight test schedules in coordination with engineering, operations and programme management.

Additional Accountabilities:

• Taking reasonable care of their own health and safety ensuring high standards for safety, health and environment (SHE) in our organisation are maintained.
• Communicate and contextualise flow down of business strategy for your business area and to lead the delivery of that strategy whilst managing organisational change.
• Engage and collaborate with stakeholders across the wider business.

Budget Responsibilities:

• Financial DOA for ad-hoc unapproved spend, expenses/T&S and IT in accordance with the latest issue of the Financial Delegation of Authority document.

Essential Skills and Experiences:

• Strong Leadership & Departmental Management.
• Strong communication skills in safety-critical and operational environments.
• Skilled in coordinating cross-functional teams (engineering, flight ops, safety, QA).
• Able to work well as part of a team, building strong relationships quickly.
• Operational Documentation - Proficient in risk assessment, incident investigation, air operations execution and regulatory compliance workflows.
• Capable of maintaining high-quality documentation and audit trails for aircraft and personnel.
• Regulatory Liaison, Compliance, Audit Preparation & Permissions Management - Confident in engaging with regulatory bodies, stakeholders, and customers on aviation matters.
• Risk & Safety Management - Highly organised with a proactive, safety-first mindset.
• Formal training in aviation safety, risk management, or quality assurance.

Desired Skills and Experiences:

• 10 years in aviation flight operations, ideally in the unmanned sector.
• Deep understanding of (UK & international) Aviation & UAS Regulatory Frameworks.
• Deep understanding of UK and international regulatory bodies.
• Knowledge of UAV systems, flight operations, and risk-based operating models.
• Familiarity with aircraft systems, maintenance requirements, and airworthiness documentation.
• Strong understanding of flying, Mission Planning, and Air Operations Execution.
• Understanding of flight test planning, data capture, and test team roles/responsibilities.
• Knowledge of aviation safety management systems and incident reporting frameworks.
• Knowledge of SHE frameworks and safety-critical operations.
• Flight Operations Governance & Documentation.
• Strategic & Operational Planning.
• Safety Risk Management & SMS Implementation.
• Military Aviation, Maritime Air Operations & Flight Operations / Safety Culture.
• Knowledge of flight training requirements.

Qualifications:

• RPC Level 1.
• A2 CofC – A2 Certificate of Competency.
• MAA PCMIO – Post Crash Management & Incident Officer.
• MAA CFASC – Contractor Flying Air Safety Course.
• MAA RPAS AM – Remotely Piloted Air System Accountable Manager.
• Desirable: PPL – Private Pilot Licence.

Behaviours:

At Malloy Aeronautics (as a subsidiary of BAE Systems) both what you do and how you do it are of equal significance. Our eight company behaviours are applicable to all roles across the business, but the context of your role will determine how each behaviour is demonstrated.

• Strategic Vision - Anticipates and plans for future business landscape.
• Creativity - Balances imagination and information to identify solutions.
• Adaptability - Responds to change with positive action.
• Collaboration - Drives high standards of performance through cooperation and teamwork.
• Develops People - Creates an inclusive workplace in which all individuals thrive and give their best.
• Integrity - Demonstrates commitment to the BAE Systems Values.
• Courage - Takes appropriate risks and leads with humility.
• Inspiration - Inspires others to be their best.

Benefits you may be eligible for:

• Working Environment: 9-day fortnight.
• Company Pension Scheme.
• Discretionary Employee Incentive Bonus Scheme.
• Employee Share Incentive Plan (BAE Systems).
• Company Sick Pay.
• Maternity and Paternity Enhanced Leave.
• Healthcare Cash Plan including Virtual GP, Dental Cover, Vision Cover, Discounted Gym Membership, and much more!
• Free coverage for children under 2 years old.
• Employee Assistance Programme (24hr Helpline).
• Mental Health First Aiders.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Casual Dress.

Why Malloy Aeronautics?

Our company benefits from a streamlined process where engineering teams are involved in the entire lifecycle of our UAVs - from initial design through to production. This setup not only speeds up the development process but also improves the efficiency and effectiveness of our product launches. We value professionals who have a background in both research and development (R&D) and design for manufacture, as their expertise is crucial to our rapid and precise product development cycle.

Malloy Aeronautics employees will be subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors including your nationality, any previous nationalities you have held, and your place of birth may limit those roles you can perform for the organisation.

Malloy Aeronautics is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We also want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessments or interviewing, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.