AOC & ATO Compliance Manager

A Career Without Limits

At British Airways, we take great pride in connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain. We’ve been doing this for over 100 years, since we launched the world’s first international scheduled air service between London and Paris. This originality has shaped us from the start—inspiring those who fly with us, partner with us, and work with us.

A job at British Airways is yours to make. Whether you’re guiding passengers with reassurance, greeting them at the door, ensuring engines run smoothly, or landing us safely anywhere in the world, this role embodies ambition and innovation. Think big—because here, the sky isn’t the limit.

The Role

This position is within the Flight Operations directorate, specifically in the Safety, Risk and Compliance (SRC) function. The team’s purpose is to ensure British Airways operates safely, legally, and aligns with UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), EASA, and international regulatory requirements. Key responsibilities include managing the safety management system (SMS), compliance monitoring, and regulatory approvals—critical for maintaining our Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and Approved Training Organisation (ATO) certificates.

The SRC department safeguards British Airways’ authority to operate, ensuring full compliance across all flight operations and training activities. By driving proactive risk management, conducting high-quality audits, and governing safety and compliance processes, the team enables safe, efficient, and resilient operations across our global network. Customers—and our licence to fly—relish these efforts.

What You’ll Do

• Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive compliance monitoring programme across Flight Operations and the ATO, supporting continuous improvement for regulatory alignment.
• Translate safety and compliance policies into operational plans, developing processes for ** regulatory compliance management** stability and effectiveness.
• Lead and coordinate internal and external audits, including those conducted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAEA), IATA, and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), representing the Head of Flight Training and SM Safety, Risk and Compliance (AOC, Audit & Compliance).
• Support strategic policy decision-making in Flight Operations, ensuring adherence to UK and EASA regulations, while upholding Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and approval standards.
• Act as the focal point for foreign National Aviation Authorities (NAA)—coordinating submissions for Foreign AOCs, Operational Specifications (Ops Specs), and Operations Permits, ensuring smooth compliance across our global network.
• Proactively identify hazards, conduct risk assessments, and ensure robust Health & Safety (H&S) risk management are in place for both Flight Operations and the ATO.
• Edit and maintain critical compliance and governance manuals for Flight Operations—securing CAA approval where necessary.
• Analyse compliance and safety data, preparing detailed reports for governance groups and Safety Boards, aiding informed regulatory and operational choices.
• Drive measurable results in AOC/ATO safety and compliance—acting as a key decision-maker pushing operational excellence forward.
• Oversee Health & Safety compliance for Flight Operations ground teams, upholding Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standards and resolving non-compliance efficiently.
• Deputise for the Senior Manager (SM) Safety, Risk and Compliance (H&S) and SM Safety, Risk and Compliance (AvSec, AOC, Audit & Compliance) as required.
• Actively support broader Directorate goals, projects, and initiatives.