Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Safety Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Safety Officer is a dedicated aviation safety professional responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining a proactive Safety Management System (SMS) across jet flight and ground operations. This role ensures compliance with FAA, ICAO and local aviation authority regulations, conducts risk assessments and investigations, leads safety audits and training, and drives continuous improvement in operational safety performance. The Jet Safety Officer acts as the primary point of contact for safety reporting, regulatory liaison, and cross-functional safety initiatives to protect passengers, crew, aircraft, contractors and assets.

Key SEO phrases: Jet Safety Officer, aircraft safety, aviation safety officer, Safety Management System (SMS), FAA compliance, ICAO standards, flight operations safety, incident investigation, aviation risk assessment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Safety Coordinator / Safety Specialist (Aviation)
Aircraft Maintenance Technician or Licensed Aircraft Engineer
Flight Operations Officer / Dispatch Coordinator

Advancement To:

Safety Manager / Senior Safety Manager (Aviation)
Director of Safety / Head of Safety & Compliance
Chief Safety Officer / VP of Operational Safety

Lateral Moves:

Quality and Compliance Manager (Aviation)
Regulatory Affairs / Compliance Officer
Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager within aviation

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the design, implementation and continuous improvement of the Safety Management System (SMS) for jet operations, including safety policy, risk management, safety assurance and promotion components aligned with FAA and ICAO principles.
Conduct comprehensive safety risk assessments (quantitative and qualitative) for flight operations, ground handling, fueling, maintenance activities, and airport/airfield operations; recommend mitigation strategies and track risk reduction actions.
Manage and investigate aircraft occurrences, incidents and near-misses; perform root cause analysis using methodologies such as ICAO ADREP, SHELL or Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), prepare formal investigation reports and oversee corrective action plans.
Develop, maintain and audit standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety directives and technical bulletins to ensure operational compliance and best practices for pilots, maintenance personnel and ground staff.
Serve as the primary liaison with aviation regulatory authorities (FAA, EASA regional authorities, ICAO, and local CAA), coordinate regulatory inspections and ensure timely corrective actions and reporting.
Plan and execute internal and external safety audits and safety performance reviews across flight operations, maintenance, ground operations and contracted service providers; prepare audit reports and follow up on findings until closure.
Establish, monitor and report safety performance indicators (SPIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) such as incident rates, risk exposure metrics, trend analyses and safety culture metrics to senior leadership with actionable insights.
Develop and deliver classroom and simulator-based safety training programs, recurrent training, emergency response drills, pilot and cabin crew CRM (Crew Resource Management) sessions, and ground personnel safety briefings.
Coordinate emergency response preparedness: update and test emergency response plans, run tabletop exercises, coordinate with airports, ARFF, medical services and local authorities, and ensure readiness for hull loss or serious incidents.
Oversee contractor safety management for fuel suppliers, ground handlers, de-icing providers and maintenance subcontractors, including contract safety clauses, onboarding audits and ongoing performance reviews.
Support flight operations by providing safety risk input for new routes, operational changes, introduction of new aircraft types, weight & balance/dispatch procedures and special operations (VIP, charter, ferry flights).
Maintain and manage safety reporting systems (confidential and mandatory reporting), ensure data integrity, analyze trends, and encourage a just culture that promotes voluntary reporting and open communication.
Coordinate human factors programs and fatigue risk management (FRM) initiatives; assess scheduling practices, crew duty time, rest provisions and mitigations for human performance-related hazards.
Lead change management for safety-critical projects (fleet changes, maintenance programs, ground equipment introduction), performing pre-implementation safety risk assessments and post-implementation safety assurance.
Review, approve and monitor airworthiness related findings reported by maintenance and engineering; ensure appropriate corrective action, documentation and compliance with continuing airworthiness requirements.
Prepare and present comprehensive safety briefings, board-level safety reports and regulator submissions; translate technical safety data into concise executive-level recommendations and business-impact assessments.
Manage occurrence reporting timelines and regulatory notifications, ensuring compliance with mandatory reporting obligations, incident classification and preservation of evidence for investigations.
Implement and manage safety promotion campaigns and communications, safety newsletters, toolbox talks and targeted outreach to improve frontline safety behaviors and awareness.
Conduct runway and ramp safety inspections, foreign object debris (FOD) programs, hot brakes monitoring, fuel quality checks and oversight of ground vehicle operations to reduce ground risk exposure.
Monitor emerging industry safety trends, regulatory advisories, airworthiness directives, safety alerts and accident investigation outcomes to incorporate lessons learned into company policy and training.
Develop and manage safety-related budgets and capital requests (safety equipment, simulators, training, maintenance tooling) and collaborate with procurement to ensure compliance with safety specifications.
Support the integration of safety-focused digital tools (safety databases, flight data monitoring [FDM]/FOQA analytics, SMS software) and work with IT/analytics teams to ensure data-driven safety decisions.
Chair or participate in safety committees, flight safety boards and cross-functional safety working groups to ensure alignment of safety initiatives across operations, maintenance and commercial teams.
Provide expert safety advice and operational go/no-go decision support to flight operations during abnormal conditions, severe weather events, NOTAMs and airport disruptions.
Mentor and coach frontline staff and safety champions to build a sustainable safety culture; design competency matrices for safety-critical roles and participate in hiring and performance reviews of safety personnel.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc safety data requests, produce tailored safety analytics and collaborate with data teams to refine safety dashboards and FDM outputs.
Contribute to corporate risk registers by integrating operational safety risk assessments and participating in enterprise risk management reviews.
Assist procurement and contract teams in developing safety-specific requirements for vendors and aircraft/leasing agreements.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and lean/six sigma projects that have safety implications or process risk reductions.
Represent the organization at industry safety forums, working groups and conferences to benchmark practices and share lessons learned.
Provide input into technical manuals, maintenance programs and operations manuals to ensure alignment with SMS and regulatory expectations.
Advise on HAZMAT handling, dangerous goods acceptance and crew training requirements for special cargo and hazardous materials shipments.
Coordinate medico-legal and occupational health responses following an incident, including crew support programs and post-event counseling logistics.
Maintain up-to-date training records, SMS documentation, safety manuals and ensure document control and versioning for regulatory compliance.
Support business continuity planning by contributing aviation safety perspectives during contingency planning and crisis management exercises.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Deep knowledge of aviation regulations and standards (FAA FARs, ICAO Annexes, EASA requirements and local CAA rules).
Proven experience implementing and maintaining Safety Management Systems (SMS) including hazard identification, risk assessment and safety assurance processes.
Incident investigation and root cause analysis expertise (ICAO ADREP, HFACS, 5 Whys, fault tree analysis).
Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) / Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) interpretation and use for safety trend analysis.
Audit and inspection skills, including ISO/Safety audit methodologies and experience conducting operational and maintenance audits.
Strong competency with safety reporting systems and SMS software platforms (e.g., Safety Management System tools, SHEX, OASES, or comparable tools).
Knowledge of human factors, fatigue risk management (FRM) and Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles and training development.
Ability to develop and deliver training content, emergency response plans, tabletop exercises and safety promotion campaigns.
Familiarity with aircraft systems, maintenance processes and continuing airworthiness requirements for business and commercial jets.
Competence in data analysis tools and visualization (Excel advanced, SQL, Power BI or Tableau) to extract safety insights and KPIs.
Experience preparing regulatory submissions, safety reports and interacting with aviation authorities.
Understanding of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) regulations and dangerous goods acceptance procedures.
Technical writing skills for SOPs, safety manuals, policy documents and executive-level safety briefings.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication with the ability to present complex safety information to pilots, technicians and executives.
Strong leadership and stakeholder management to influence operations, maintenance and contractors without direct authority.
Critical thinking and structured problem-solving with attention to detail and an evidence-based approach.
High emotional intelligence and the ability to support crews and staff after safety events with compassion and professionalism.
Project management and organizational skills to manage multiple safety programs, audits and initiatives concurrently.
Ability to foster a just culture and encourage open reporting while balancing regulatory compliance and confidentiality.
Resilience and calm decision-making under pressure, especially when advising on urgent operational safety decisions.
Collaborative team player with experience working across multicultural and multidisciplinary aviation teams.
Continuous learning mindset to keep pace with evolving regulations, technologies and industry best practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Aviation Management, Aeronautical Engineering, Aerospace, Safety Science, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Aviation Safety, Safety Management, Human Factors, Aerospace Engineering or MBA with aviation emphasis.
Advanced safety certifications such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP), NEBOSH Aviation, Diploma in Aviation Safety, or accredited SMS training.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Aviation Management / Aerospace Engineering
Safety Science / Human Factors Engineering
Industrial Engineering / Risk Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–12 years of progressive aviation safety, flight operations or maintenance experience with at least 3 years in a dedicated safety/ SMS role.

Preferred:

7+ years in aviation safety roles within commercial airlines, corporate flight departments, MROs or large aviation service providers.
Demonstrated experience leading incident investigations, regulatory audits, SMS implementation and interfacing with FAA/ICAO/CAA.
Previous operational experience as a pilot, aircraft maintenance engineer or operations supervisor is highly valued.
Experience managing contractor safety programs, FDM/FOQA programs and emergency response planning.