Head of Operations

Overview of Role

This role forms part of Loganair's operational leadership structure and requires strong people leadership, proven operational expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to execute in a high pressure, time critical environment. The Head of Operations will embed Loganair's culture and values across the OCC team and ensure performance standards are upheld at all times.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Operations Control Centre and Ops Planning Team ensuring effective crew establishment, rostering, flight planning, scheduling support, real time operational oversight, and schedule delivery.
• Oversee daily flight schedules, ensuring proactive management of risks to punctuality and regularity.
• Provide leadership and clear decision making during irregular operations (IROPs) to protect network integrity and customer outcomes.
• Ensure effective communication flows between OCC, Flight Operations, Engineering, and Customer Services.
• Oversee and maintain OCC readiness for emergency response, ensuring procedures, training, and escalation processes are current and well rehearsed.

Regulatory Compliance & Safety

• Ensure full compliance with all IOSA, CAA and internal safety and regulatory requirements related to OCC and Ops Planning/Rostering operations.
• Act as a subject-matter specialist for Safety Management System (SMS) investigations related to OCC and Ops Planning decisions or processes.
• Promote a safety first culture across OCC and Ops Planning teams and ensure hazards, incidents, and non compliances are promptly reported and addressed.

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead, mentor, and develop staff, fostering a high performance and values aligned team culture.
• Work with HR partners on recruitment, performance management, and development planning for departmental roles.
• Ensure adequate departmental staffing, succession planning, and capability development to meet operational needs.

Schedule & Resource Planning

• Collaborate with Operations Resource Planning Group to ensure adequate crew resources to deliver the flying programme.
• Support the Head of Training and rostering teams in the development of efficient training plans that minimise operational impact.
• Ensure crew rosters are published on time, optimised for efficiency, and delivered with minimal disruption to employee experience.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering to support maintenance planning and minimise operational disruption arising from aircraft flow through maintenance.
• Liaise with Commercial Planning to identify scheduling risks and opportunities to enhance operational performance.
• Build strong working relationships across all operational and support departments to ensure integrated decision making.

Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and deliver continuous improvement initiatives across operational efficiency, punctuality, resilience, and technology utilisation.
• Support the Director of Operations in identifying operational bottlenecks and developing improvement strategies.
• Review operational data to identify trends, root causes, and opportunities for enhanced performance and cost control.

Financial & Budget Management

• Manage operational budgets efficiently, ensuring cost control, accurate forecasting, and value based decision making.
• Contribute input into the annual budget process, including staffing and resource planning.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support the Director of Operations with preparation for IOSA audits and ongoing regulatory oversight.
• Lead or participate in projects relating to operational transformation, fleet or schedule changes, or system enhancements.
• Perform any other reasonable tasks required by the Director of Operations or wider Executive Team.

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong understanding of an airline operations, including real time control, scheduling, and operational risk management.
• Deep knowledge of EASA/CAA/IOSA regulations.
• Knowledge of Scheduling and Rostering Software.
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills, particularly under time pressure.
• Strong leadership capability with experience managing multi disciplinary operational teams.
• Effective communicator, able to influence and collaborate across multiple departments.
• Financial literacy and experience managing operational budgets.

Attitude

• Calm, confident, and decisive under pressure.
• Demonstrates Loganair's values in all interactions.
• Strong people leader with a commitment to team development and wellbeing.
• Customer focused mindset with a drive for operational excellence.
• Resilient, adaptable, and solution oriented.

Training and Experience

• Demonstrable airline operations experience, ideally within a regional or commercial airline environment.
• Experience leading teams in an OCC or similar live operational setting.
• Proven track record in disruption management and schedule recovery.
• Experience with emergency response and crisis coordination desirable.