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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Operations Manager

💰 $ - $

OperationsAviationManagement

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Operations Manager oversees day-to-day corporate jet operations, ensuring safe, compliant, efficient, and customer-focused flight activity. This role manages flight crew scheduling, dispatch, maintenance coordination, vendor and FBO relationships, flight planning and weight-and-balance verification, budget tracking, and emergency response. The Jet Operations Manager serves as the primary operational liaison between flight crews, maintenance, safety, regulatory authorities, and senior leadership to deliver on-time, cost-effective, and safe flight services.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Flight Operations Coordinator / Dispatcher with corporate or charter experience
  • First Officer / Senior First Officer transitioning from line flying to operational management
  • Senior Crew Scheduler or Duty Officer at an FBO/charter operator

Advancement To:

  • Director of Flight Operations
  • Vice President of Aviation / Head of Flight Operations
  • Chief Pilot or Aviation Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Maintenance Operations Manager / Director of Maintenance
  • Safety Manager / SMS Program Manager
  • FBO General Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage and direct all aspects of day-to-day jet operations including crew scheduling, flight following, dispatch, flight planning approvals, weight-and-balance verification, and mission risk assessment to ensure regulatory compliance and operational safety.
  • Oversee crew recruitment, training schedules, qualification tracking, recurrent training planning, and proficiency checks, ensuring all flight crew meet company policies and regulatory currency requirements (FARs, EASA, or applicable authority).
  • Implement and maintain the Safety Management System (SMS), lead safety risk assessments, manage safety events and investigations, develop corrective actions, and report SMS metrics to senior leadership.
  • Coordinate aircraft maintenance and AOG response by working closely with the maintenance department, MRO vendors, and OEM support to minimize downtime and ensure timely return to service.
  • Approve and manage flight release decisions, ensuring that all flights have valid operational documentation, MEL/CDL management where applicable, and that operational risk is within company tolerance.
  • Serve as primary operations point-of-contact for regulatory audits and compliance inspections (FAA, EASA, ICAO or national authorities), prepare audit responses, and implement corrective action plans when necessary.
  • Negotiate, manage, and maintain vendor and FBO contracts and service-level agreements, ensuring high-quality ground handling, fuel services, catering, and passenger/crew support across domestic and international operations.
  • Oversee dispatch systems, flight planning tools, and related IT platforms (AODB, flight-following software, NOTAM/briefing services), and drive continuous improvement and automation initiatives to increase operational efficiency.
  • Develop and manage the operations budget, monitor cost centers, perform financial forecasting, control operational spend (fuel, handling, crew per diems), and report budget variances to finance and senior management.
  • Create, maintain, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs), operations manuals, and emergency response plans tailored to corporate jet operations and business aviation best practices.
  • Lead cross-functional operational coordination for complex or multi-leg missions, including international clearances, customs/immigration pre-clearance, overflight permits, and diplomatic or specialized handling needs.
  • Conduct operational risk assessments and pre-flight mission analyses for non-routine, special, or high-value missions (VIP, medical evacuation, special cargo) and implement mitigations.
  • Monitor regulatory and industry changes affecting flight operations (FARs, EASA, ICAO, TSA, customs) and update company policies, training, and manuals to remain compliant and audit-ready.
  • Foster a high-performance operations culture through leadership, mentorship, performance reviews, and by setting KPIs for on-time performance, safety events, fuel efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
  • Manage international operations and trip planning for overseas deployments, including in-country requirements, local handling partners, permits, and safety/security briefings for crews.
  • Lead incident and accident response coordination, working with legal, safety, insurance, and PR as necessary, and ensure timely documentation, reporting, and follow-up actions.
  • Maintain and analyze operational metrics and dashboards (on-time performance, dispatch reliability, safety reports, maintenance-driven delays), using data to drive process improvements and reduce operational costs.
  • Supervise ground operations workflows, including ramp safety, towing coordination, de/anti-icing procedures, and coordination with airport authorities and ground handling teams to minimize operational disruptions.
  • Ensure customer and stakeholder communications are timely, professional, and accurate — serving as a senior escalation point for client operational issues or mission changes.
  • Manage crew fatigue risk, duty/time limitations, and rest scheduling in accordance with regulations and company policy to maintain safety and regulatory compliance.
  • Lead and coordinate special projects such as fleet introduction, phase-in of new aircraft types, hangar/ops center expansions, and implementation of new ops technologies or manuals.

Secondary Functions

  • Support development of business continuity and contingency plans for disruptions such as weather, geopolitical events, or vendor failures.
  • Collaborate with HR to develop role descriptions, compensation frameworks, and career development plans for the operations team.
  • Participate in cross-functional budget reviews, audits, and capital planning for avionics, cabin modifications, and operational equipment.
  • Provide subject matter expertise during aircraft acquisitions, assisting with operational feasibility, transition planning, and crew training requirements.
  • Contribute to marketing and sales efforts by providing operational feasibility input for prospective client charters, proposals, and SLAs.
  • Lead periodic tabletop exercises and emergency drills to validate incident response plans and ensure ops-team readiness.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Flight operations management: flight dispatch, flight following, flight releases and operational control.
  • Regulatory compliance: working knowledge of FAA, EASA, ICAO rules, domestic and international regulatory frameworks, and experience preparing for regulatory audits.
  • Safety Management System (SMS): SMS implementation, safety investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action tracking.
  • Crew scheduling & fatigue management: crew rostering, duty time limitations, and fatigue risk mitigation strategies.
  • Maintenance coordination: AOG management, MRO/vendor relations, troubleshooting escalations, and familiarity with maintenance tracking systems.
  • Flight planning and performance: weight-and-balance calculation, flight planning tools, fuel planning, and understanding of aircraft performance charts.
  • Operational systems proficiency: dispatch/ops software, NOTAM/briefing services, AODB, and flight-following platforms (e.g., RocketRoute, FlightAware, Lido/FlightPlan, Jeppesen).
  • Contract & vendor management: negotiating and managing FBO, handling, fuel, and ground services contracts.
  • Financial acumen: operations budgeting, cost control, forecasting, and KPI-based performance management.
  • Emergency response & crisis management: leading incident response, insurance coordination, and post-event analysis.
  • International trip planning: handling permits, customs/immigration requirements, overflight and landing permits.
  • Aircraft types & systems familiarity: corporate jets (Gulfstream, Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault) and common avionics and cabin systems.
  • Data analysis & reporting: creating operational dashboards, interpreting reliability metrics, and driving continuous improvement.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership: proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, mentor crew and operations staff, and create a positive safety culture.
  • Communication: clear, concise escalation and stakeholder communication with senior leadership, clients, and external partners.
  • Decision-making: decisive under pressure with strong judgment for go/no-go and risk mitigation choices.
  • Problem-solving: rapid root-cause analysis and pragmatic solutions during irregular operations and AOG situations.
  • Customer service orientation: client-focused approach to VIP and charter mission requirements.
  • Negotiation: skillful contract and vendor negotiations that balance cost, quality, and operational reliability.
  • Attention to detail: meticulous documentation and compliance mindset for manuals, logs, and regulatory records.
  • Adaptability: flexible response to changing mission profiles, international regulations, and emergent operational issues.
  • Time management: ability to prioritize competing requests across crews, maintenance, and customer needs.
  • Collaboration: strong stakeholder management and the ability to work cross-departmentally (Safety, Maintenance, Finance, Legal).

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management, Aeronautical Science, Business Administration, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Aviation Management, MBA, or advanced certificate in Aviation Safety/SMS.
  • Professional certifications such as ATP (for pilots), A&P (for maintenance-focused candidates), CAM (Continuing Airworthiness Management), or SMS Lead Auditor certification are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Aviation Management
  • Aeronautical Science / Professional Pilot Programs
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Business Administration / Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5–10+ years in flight operations, charter or corporate aviation roles; typically 3+ years in supervisory or managerial positions.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years of progressive experience managing corporate jet operations, with demonstrable experience in SMS implementation, regulatory audit readiness, international trip planning, and vendor/FBO relationship management.
  • Experience with multiple aircraft types (Gulfstream, Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault) and with major ops/dispatch platforms and maintenance tracking software.
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