Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Airside Operations Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Airside Operations Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient and compliant operation of all airside activities at the airport, including apron management, ground handling coordination, marshaling and vehicle movements, emergency response, and regulatory liaison. This role leads cross-functional teams, enforces airside safety management systems (SMS), manages contractors and airline relationships, delivers operational resilience through robust processes (NOTAMs, NOTOCs, stand allocation, de-icing coordination), and drives continuous improvement of turnaround performance, on-time performance (OTP) and passenger/airline satisfaction.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Airside Supervisor / Ramp Supervisor with 2–5 years of hands-on airside experience.
Ground Operations Officer or Airport Operations Officer managing day-to-day ramp tasks.
Duty Manager or Shift Manager in ground handling or airline operations.

Advancement To:

Head of Airport Operations / Airside Operations Director.
Director of Ground Operations or Airport Duty Manager.
Senior Operational Resilience Manager or Chief Operating Officer (airport).

Lateral Moves:

Safety & Compliance Manager (Aerodrome Safety / SMS).
Ground Handling or Cargo Operations Manager.
Airline Station Manager or Terminal Operations Manager.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage and oversee all airside operations across the airport 24/7, ensuring safe aircraft movements, efficient turnaround activities, and compliance with the aerodrome manual and national/ICAO/EASA/FAA regulations.
Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary airside team (ramp staff, marshallers, de-icing crews, apron control, vehicle operators), including recruitment, rostering, competency training, performance management and succession planning.
Maintain and continuously improve the airport Safety Management System (SMS) for airside operations through hazard identification, risk assessments, safety promotion, and timely closure of safety actions and corrective measures.
Coordinate NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) and operational NOTOC (Notification to Captain) issuance and management in partnership with operations control, ATC and airlines, ensuring timely communication of airside restrictions, closures and works.
Act as the primary liaison with Air Traffic Control (ATC), airlines, ground handlers and regulatory authorities to plan aircraft stand allocation, slot coordination, and complex turnarounds during peak periods and disruption scenarios.
Develop, implement and enforce airside access control policies, vehicle movement procedures and driver training programs to minimize incursions and ensure AOA vehicle compliance with permits, signage and radio discipline.
Plan and oversee aircraft de-icing/anti-icing operations, including resource deployment, chemical handling governance, environmental controls and contractor management to ensure safe and compliant winter operations.
Manage fuel farm interface and fuel truck operations by coordinating refuelling scheduling, permits, hazardous material procedures and emergency response plans in line with DGR and local regulatory requirements.
Lead incident and accident investigations for airside events, prepare root cause analysis, write formal reports to regulators, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Develop operational contingency and resilience plans for airside disruptions (snow, wildlife strikes, aircraft incidents, equipment failures), conduct exercises and coordinate multi-agency response and recovery.
Oversee apron and stand pavement inspections, marking and maintenance coordination with engineering teams to ensure safe load-bearing capacities and clear taxiway/stand delineation for different aircraft types.
Implement and monitor KPIs and service level agreements (SLAs) for apron turnaround times, on-blocks/off-blocks, baggage and ground services performance, driving continuous improvement and airline satisfaction.
Manage third-party contracts for ground handlers, marshalling providers, de-icing companies, cleaning, and maintenance services, including SLA monitoring, performance reviews and cost control.
Ensure compliance with aerodrome certification conditions and prepare documentation for regulatory audits, inspections and safety assurance activities, responding to findings and coordinating remediation.
Control and approve airside budgets, fleet and equipment procurement, allocation of fuel, GSE (ground support equipment) and vehicles, optimizing costs while maintaining operational capability.
Oversee implementation of wildlife hazard management measures and coordination with dedicated teams to reduce the risk of bird strikes and other wildlife-related airside hazards.
Provide strategic input to airport master planning and infrastructure projects that impact apron capacity, taxiway access, stand layouts, and future-proofing airside operations for larger aircraft and increased movements.
Coordinate day-to-day communication and situational awareness via ops briefings, shift handovers, digital dashboards, and operational control rooms to ensure smooth interdepartmental collaboration and timely decision-making.
Manage customer service escalations related to airside operations, working with airlines and ground handlers to resolve delays, baggage connections, and passenger transfer issues with an emphasis on recovery and reputation management.
Maintain oversight of safety-critical documentation (Aerodrome Manual, Aerodrome Emergency Plan, Ops Manuals, Local Procedures) and ensure all airside staff and contractors have access to current versions and associated briefings.
Supervise runway and taxilane closures, excavation permits and works on the movement area, ensuring proper NOTAM publication, risk mitigation plans and regulator notification.
Lead training programs and competency assessments for airside staff including aerodrome driver training, marshaller certification, fire and rescue interface awareness and dangerous goods handling awareness.
Monitor technology systems that support airside operations (A-SMGCS, apron management systems, stand allocation tools, NOTAM platforms), provide feedback for enhancements and support digital transformation initiatives.
Ensure environmental compliance for airside activities, including fuel spill prevention, de-icing fluid management, waste handling and reporting to environmental authorities as required.

Secondary Functions

Provide operational input to cross-functional projects (terminal expansions, cargo apron upgrades, GSE electrification) to ensure airside requirements are embedded in design and delivery.
Support airport-wide emergency planning exercises and multi-agency coordination for declared emergencies and incident management debriefs.
Develop and deliver regular safety briefings, toolbox talks and operational updates to increase frontline awareness and drive a positive safety culture across the airside workforce.
Contribute to budget forecasting, CAPEX proposals and business cases for airside capital investments such as new stands, pavements or ground handling resources.
Maintain relationships with airlines and commercial stakeholders to support route development, seasonal scheduling and ad-hoc peak capacity planning.
Coach and mentor junior operations staff, creating structured development plans to build bench strength and ensure continuity of airside leadership.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Airside Safety Management System (SMS) implementation and oversight, with experience in hazard identification and risk mitigation.
In-depth knowledge of aerodrome operations, ICAO/EASA/FAA regulatory frameworks, aerodrome certification and compliance processes.
NOTAM/NOTOC management and coordinated communication procedures with ATC and operations control.
Ramp and apron management, aircraft marshalling and turnaround process optimization for widebody and narrowbody aircraft.
De-icing operations oversight, chemical handling, environmental controls and winter operations planning.
Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) awareness and coordination of fuel/fuel farm and refueling operations.
Incident investigation, root-cause analysis and regulatory reporting (occurrence reports, safety action plans).
Contract and SLA management for third-party ground handlers, de-icing and GSE providers, including performance KPI tracking.
Experience with A-SMGCS/apron management systems, stand allocation tools, OPS dashboards and operational resilience platforms.
Competency with rostering systems, shift pattern planning, resource forecasting and workforce optimization.
Proficiency in operational reporting, KPI analysis, Excel/data tools and preparation of submissions for regulators and airport executive teams.
Knowledge of wildlife hazard management practices and environmental compliance related to airside activities.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management skills with a proven ability to coach, motivate and discipline multi-shift teams.
Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills; adept at building relationships with airlines, ATC, ground handlers and regulators.
Clear, calm decision-making under pressure with a track record of managing operational disruptions and crisis response.
High level of written and verbal communication skills for producing operational reports, safety documentation and briefing stakeholders.
Problem solving and continuous improvement mindset with a focus on root-cause solutions and process standardization.
Customer-focused orientation with the ability to manage airline and passenger service recovery expectations.
Conflict resolution and diplomacy to manage contractor performance, internal disputes and stakeholder escalations.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for maintaining airside compliance documentation and audit readiness.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced, changing operational environment (seasonal peaks, weather, traffic growth).
Training and presentation skills to deliver safety briefings, competency assessments and development workshops.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Aviation Management, Aeronautical Science, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field; or equivalent professional airside experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree with additional certifications (Aerodrome Management, Aviation Safety, Project Management, or equivalent).
Postgraduate qualifications in Aviation Management or Safety Management (advantageous).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Aviation/Aeronautical Management
Airport Operations or Transportation Engineering
Safety Management Systems / Occupational Health & Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10+ years in airport operations or ground handling with at least 3 years in a supervisory/management role overseeing airside activities.

Preferred:

7+ years’ progressive experience managing complex airside operations at a medium or large commercial airport, demonstrated experience with regulatory audits, SMS delivery and multi-stakeholder coordination.
Certifications or training in aerodrome driver instruction, incident investigation, de-icing management, Dangerous Goods awareness and emergency planning are highly desirable.