Job description
Role Overview
Manager, Aviation Security Compliance & Assurance at Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Company Overview
Etihad Airways is the UAE's national airline, operating from its hub in Abu Dhabi. The organization connects people across continents and cultures while pursuing its "Journey 2030" ambition to double its fleet, expand its network and grow its people for a new era of excellence.
Role Purpose
Establish, safeguard and continuously mature Etihad's aviation compliance and assurance framework across aviation security and airport operations. Provide independent, risk-informed assurance to Executive leadership that security controls, investigations, standardisation and corrective action programmes are effective, defensible and aligned with GCAA CAR Part VII, ICAO Annex 17 SARPs, GASeP, IATA standards, IOSA/ISAGO requirements and the Etihad Security Management System (SeMS).
Key Responsibilities
Compliance Framework & Strategy
- Design and maintain Etihad's Aviation Security Compliance & Assurance Framework, ensuring alignment with GCAA CAR Part VII, ICAO, IATA, IOSA/ISAGO requirements and the Etihad Aviation Security Programme (EASP).
- Own the Compliance & Assurance strategic roadmap, advancing assurance capability, technology, analytics and industry benchmarking across the airline.
- Drive standardisation of AVSEC policies, procedures, manuals and station SOPs, ensuring operational compliance and effective closure of identified gaps.
Audits, Inspections & Testing
- Lead the annual compliance and assurance programme, overseeing audits, inspections, tests and exercises across Etihad stations, start-up operations and third-party service providers.
Investigations & Governance
- Govern AVSEC investigations, ensuring consistent methodologies, evidence standards, independence and regulatory compliance for security incidents, control failures and policy breaches.
- Review and approve investigation reports, audit findings and root cause analyses prior to escalation to Executive Management, GCAA, ADAA and applicable regulatory authorities.
- Monitor the effectiveness of AVSEC investigation processes and governance, ensuring strong coordination between the Threat Assessment Centre (TAC), Corporate Security, Ground & Airport Operations, and Ethics & Compliance.
Corrective & Preventive Action
- Oversee enterprise-wide corrective and preventive action (CAPA) programmes, ensuring timely and effective closure of audit, regulatory and investigation findings.
Risk Management & Reporting
- Maintain the Compliance Risk Register and assurance reporting framework, leveraging data and trend analysis to identify emerging risks and systemic weaknesses.
- Provide independent compliance assurance and risk reporting to ASAG, the SeMS Steering Committee, Head of AVSEC and VP Safety, Security & Quality.
Regulatory & Stakeholder Management
- Represent Etihad on compliance and assurance matters with GCAA, foreign regulators, ICAO, IOSA and ISAGO audit teams, managing responses to external findings and regulatory correspondence.
Leadership & Development
- Lead, develop and calibrate Compliance Managers, auditors and investigators, embedding industry best practice, capability development and quality standards.
- Partner with Centres of Excellence, Ground & Airport Operations, Corporate Security, Ethics & Compliance and TAC to strengthen compliance culture, risk awareness and continuous improvement.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred) in Aviation Security, Regulatory Affairs, Law, Audit, Risk Management or related discipline.
- 10+ years in aviation security, compliance monitoring or regulatory oversight, including 3+ years managing a compliance/assurance function and leading investigations.
- Knowledge of GCAA CAR Part VII, ICAO Annex 17 and GASeP, IOSA/ISAGO.
Skills & Competencies
- ICAO National AVSEC Inspector/Auditor certification (desirable).
- IATA Certified Auditor (desirable).
- Lead Auditor (ISO 9001/19011) (desirable).