Chief Aviation Safety Regulatory Oversight Officer at ATNS

Job description

Strategic Alignment -

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive safety management strategy to enable safe operations across divisions in alignment with the strategic business objectives and requirements of ATNS; Lead and guide improvement in the organisation’s safety performance through the effective management and monitoring of the safety management system in order to facilitate the identification and mitigation of safety risks within day-to-day operations and to increase the safety and resilience of business operations;
• Provide the required regulatory oversight for ensuring compliance of aviation safety to national and international aviation standards and regulations, namely ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) and SACAA (South African Civil Aviation Authority); Provide assurance on the overall compliance of ATNS business operations and departments to SHE (safety, health and environment) regulations and legislation; Contribute safety management and regulatory oversight inputs into the conceptualisation and development of the organisation’s overall business strategy;
• Ensure a robust governance and compliance environment within ATNS to enable effective safety and regulatory oversight; Ensure that the CEO is kept informed and up to date with all changes and  communications with direct and indirect impact on ATNS and the aviation industry; Act as a trusted strategic advisor to ATNS on all relevant safety and regulatory oversight matters; Lead the promotion of a safety culture within the organization.

Management of Aviation Safety -

• Oversee the safety of all organisational activities, aviation activities, including air travel, ground operations, and maintenance; Formulate and execute safety objectives based on identified priorities, and monitor and evaluate performance to increase efficiency and ensure smooth and safer aviation operations; Provide safety leadership through the establishment of an environment that enables and promotes effective safety management by embedding effective governance, communication, monitoring, evaluation and reporting;
• Lead and guide the development, management and implementation of a safety management system (SMS) to increase operational resilience and enable the identification and mitigation of safety risks within day-to-day aviation operations to ultimately improve safety performance; Develop, implement and monitor safety policy, processes and procedures for aviation operations;
• Monitor the safety performance of the entire Air Traffic Management CNS (Communication, Navigation and Surveillance) system and  formally report the status of aviation safety compliance and safety performance within ATNS which includes safety incidents, safety investigations conducted, and safety audit results, to the Safety Review Committee, EXCO and MANCOM and Board Commmitees on a monthly and quarterly basis;
• Provide oversight over audit processes conducted by the SACAA, review incoming audit reports and ensure findings are addressed and corrective plans developed and implemented; Ensure that safety assurance audits and safety investigations are conducted in case of the unavailability of required systems or infrastructure; Analyse aviation safety data to identify potential hazards and risks; Investigate and analyse data from safety accidents and incidents to determine root causes, recommend safety improvements and ensure corrective action to prevent reoccurrence; Oversee regular safety audits and inspections on aviation facilities and equipment;
• Report on progress with the resolution of any audit findings to ensure timely closure; Manage emergency response plans and procedures in the event of an aviation accident or incident; Manage aviation safety issues and implement measures to avoid and/or minimize risks in compliance with relevant regulations, legislation and company standards; Prepare and present safety reports and recommendations to aviation management and stakeholders; Investigate and provide feedback to all ATNS stakeholders such as the SACAA, airline operators, and airport authorities on safety issues and related matters;
• Ensure that aviation safety documentation accurately reflects the current environment and complies with SACAA regulations and legislation; Embed safety management best practice within ATNS; Monitor the overall performance of the Aviation Safety function against set performance targets and objectives and report as required; Act as primary point of contact on all aviation safety and regulatory issues and  in all engagements with SACAA; Ensure effective safety monitoring and mitigation through the appropriate safety fora (Safety Review Board  and Safety Action Groups);
• Provide specialist advice and support on all matters pertaining to safety and regulatory oversight to stakeholders as required; Drive safety management awareness throughout the organization; Provide employee training and education on aviation safety processes and procedures.

SHE Compliance Management -

• Monitor and ensure compliance of business operations and departments with SHE regulations, legislation and company standards; Manage SHE safety issues and implement measures to avoid and/or minimize risks in compliance with relevant regulation and legislation; Monitor and ensure that SHE organisational risks are identified and avoided or minimised through the development and implementation of effective mitigation plans and actions;
• Provide oversight on the conducting of SHE audits in compliance with the rules for auditing management systems against ISO 45001, by ISO 19011, and ISO/IEC 17021 and the OHS Act 85 of 1993, report audit results as required, and identify opportunities for improvement. Ensure appropriate corrective action where required; Review and include audit results in the Safety Assurance Report provided to the Safety Review Committee, EXCO and MANCOM and Board Committees;
• Develop an informed environment that enables the prediction and prevention of future incidents and accidents through risk assessment, risk management, hazard analysis, and control to create a safe and healthy work environment; Monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions in case of audit findings and/or non-compliance; Promote safety awareness and understanding throughout the organisation through ongoing communication and engagements, and provide basic SHE training to ATNS employees.  Compile appropriate safety communication periodically or as required.

Safety and Regulatory Assurance -

• Implement relevant policies and processes to ensure a robust governance and compliance environment within ATNS for ensuring effective safety and regulatory oversight; Maintain, promote and continuously improve efficiency of oversight and related processes; Provide leadership in the management of strategic safety and regulatory meetings on behalf of ATNS in line with the Year Planner or as required; Manage and serve as the key contact and coordination point for safety and regulatory oversight within ATNS;
• Prepare submissions to CARCOM to support amendments to, or develop new, regulations and/or technical standards to accommodate ATNS’ technological developments and advancements in aviation operations; Submit requests for exemptions to CAA regulations and safety assessments when required; Investigate and provide feedback to all ATNS stakeholders such as the SACAA, airline operators, and airport authorities on safety issues and related matters; Participate in the development of the ATNS Safety Roadmap in order to achieve safety excellence, with due cognisance of the ICAO SARPS and other applicable statutory requirements;
• Review the SACAA regulation Part 140 periodically to ensure continued compliance of ATNS safety policies and processes thereto; Coordinate and manage Safety and Regulatory Oversight’s strategic platforms; Drive improvements to ensure availability of the most effective systems and tools within the Regulatory Oversight function; Identify and undertake  safety and regulatory oversight related projects to support the achievement of strategic ATNS business objectives and related initiatives; Provide safety oversight to ensure that all licensed ATNS employees and certified business units comply with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements; Ensure compliance with the relevant requirements of Parts of the Civil Aviation Regulations or any other Parts that are relevant to the operations of ATNS;
• Provide safety oversight on training related activities (OJTI, DE, ATA, Simulators) to ensure regulatory compliance; Represent ATNS interests at CARCOM and associated sub-committees, and lead and co-ordinate internal CARCOM related activities; Liaise with  relevant internal and external stakeholders on matters pertaining to safety and regulatory oversight on behalf of the organization; Provide safety management and regulatory oversight leadership and expertise to the organisation when required; Conduct research and prepare submissions to CARCOM when required; Identify opportunities to develop new Regulations and Technical Standards to ensure continuous improvement of products and service.

Research and Development -

• Conduct regular research into SHE and aviation safety, and identify, and recommend projects to enhance the management of safety within ATNS; Research, develop and implement effective safety management programs and practices to improve operational efficiencies;
• Conduct research and statistical analysis to improve functional efficiency; Keep abreast of efficiency evolutions in safety and regulatory oversight practices  procedures through benchmarking and by attending seminars, conferences, workshops, etc; 
•  Liaise and engage with other ANSP’s for benchmarling purposes to enable enhancement of the safety management system and processes; Review plans, processes, procedures and safety cases as appropriate in conjunction with relevant stakeholders to enable implementation of new  technologies and procedures into the operational environment.

Governance, Compliance, Risk Management and Reporting -

• Provide the required oversight to ensure compliance of the safety management system to national and international aviation standards and regulations, namely ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) and SACAA  (South African Civil Aviation Authority); Maintain a risk register to enable effective mitigation and management of the identified and logged risks; Implement the relevant policies and processes to ensure a robust governance and compliance environment for ensuring effective safety and regulatory oversight;
• Continuously monitor and measure compliance of safety and regulatory oversight to all ATNS policies, procedures and relevant legislation; Manage emergency response plans and procedures in the event of an aviation accident or incident; Prepare and submit reports to executive management, the Board and the Safety Regulator; Make submissions for approval to the appropriate authorising authority when required; Prepare ad hoc reports as required by management  and clients; Review reports for submission to Executive Management and the Board; Support and ensure compliance with the ATNS Quality Management System.

 Stakeholder Relations Management -

• Engage and collaborate with aviation regulators, industry organizations, and other relevant stakeholders in regard to aviation safety and the advancement thereof; Ensure effective management of all communications with stakeholders on safety and regulatory oversight; Manage and monitor correspondence and responses to and from key stakeholders; Facilitate collaboration and interaction as well as communication between ATNS and all critical stakeholders; Build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with all relevant internal and external stakeholders.

Financial Management -

• Ensure effective management of expenditure in line with business priorities and objectives, and within approved financial parameters; Lead the development and management of the department’s budget; Report on expenditure on a monthly basis including possible deviations to the budget; Ensure compliance to financial policies and procedures in utilisation of the approved budget; Ensure accountability for, and reporting on all costs incurred against the approved budget.

People Management -

• Manage employees in accordance with HC policies and processes; Ensure availability of skilled and competent staff in the Safety and Regulatory Oversight function to meet the current and future need; Promote high levels of discipline and performance standards to achieve the function’s performance targets and strategies;     Manage performance outputs of the Safety and Regulatory Oversight function’s team through implementation of the organisation’s performance management system; Drive employee engagement and retention within the Safety and Regulatory Oversight function; Coach and mentor staff as required

Minimum requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Masters Degree in Business Management or related field
• Formal business management and leadership training will be an advantage.

Minimum Years of Experience

• Seasoned professional is required with minimum 10 years relevant technical and operations experience in aviation safety management of which at least 5 years at a management and/or specialist level 
• Experience in regulatory compliance, incident investigation, and risk management is required