Special Assistance Team Manager

Role Overview

Special Assistance Team Manager at Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi (AUH Hub) with regional outstation responsibilities.

Company Overview

Etihad Airways is the UAE's national airline, connecting people across continents and cultures from its hub in Abu Dhabi. The organization is executing its "Journey 2030" ambition to double its fleet, expand its network and grow its people for a new era of excellence.

Role Purpose

This position develops, maintains and operationally manages Etihad Airways' Special Assistance and humanitarian response capability to support passengers, families and employees affected by mass disruption, major incident or crisis. The role ensures readiness through strategy development, operational planning, training delivery and regulatory compliance, and assumes direct operational leadership during activation events.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Programme Development

• Develop, manage and maintain the Emergency Response Programme (ERP) Special Assistance Team (SAT), Family Assistance and Critical Incident/Peer Support programmes, including associated policies, procedures, protocols and operational guidance.
• Ensure alignment with applicable regulatory requirements and recognised international family assistance practices.
• Develop, implement and continuously improve SAT operational processes, systems and tools.
• Incorporate lessons identified from incidents, exercises, audits and industry developments into continuous improvement activities.

Recruitment, Selection & Engagement

• Lead the system-wide recruitment and selection of employee volunteers for the Special Assistance Team.
• Maintain sufficient trained resources to meet organisational response requirements.
• Manage ongoing engagement of SAT volunteers.

Training & Competency

• Develop and maintain initial and recurrent SAT training programmes, including training standards, syllabus and competency requirements.
• Manage training delivery, candidate assessment and evaluation of programme effectiveness.
• Develop relevant station management training at the AUH Hub and outstations.

Readiness & Capability Assessment

• Assess Special Assistance and humanitarian response readiness across the AUH Hub and outstations.
• Identify capability gaps and implement improvements.
• Evaluate external emergency response providers and mutual assistance arrangements with partner airlines.

Exercises & Validation

• Design, coordinate and evaluate emergency exercises and drills to validate SAT, Family Assistance and Critical Incident response arrangements.
• Ensure lessons identified are incorporated into continuous improvement activities.

Governance & Oversight

• Maintain governance and oversight of SAT operational readiness.
• Manage volunteer records, training and competency records, rosters, equipment and resources.
• Maintain documentation and administrative requirements necessary to support effective activation and deployment.

Compliance & Audit

• Conduct and support internal and external audits, compliance reviews and assessments.
• Ensure findings and corrective actions are appropriately addressed and closed.

Operational Crisis Response

• Assume the operational role of SAT Manager during mass disruption, major incidents or crises.
• Deploy either within the HQ Emergency Response Centre (ERC) or on international deployment.
• Lead the activation, mobilisation, rostering and management of SAT personnel and contracted emergency response resources.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or diploma preferred, ideally in Psychology, Aviation Management, Human Factors, Safety Management, Business Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum eight years' aviation industry experience, preferably within an operational environment.
• Demonstrated experience in the development and delivery of training programmes is required.
• Customer care, emergency planning and/or crisis management experience is desirable.
• Experience in leading teams in high-pressure, sensitive or crisis-related operational environments is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of aviation emergency response, family assistance and applicable regulatory requirements and international standards is desirable.
• Experience in digital or online learning development is desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Fluent written and spoken English is required.
• Arabic language is an advantage.