Product Manager – Flight Ops & Crew Management Systems

Role Overview

Product Manager – Flight Ops & Crew Management Systems at Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi. You will manage and continuously enhance technology products within the Flight Operations and Crew Management domain, maintaining a prioritized product backlog and ensuring successful delivery of initiatives.

Company Overview

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

Role Purpose

Act as the bridge between complex airline operational requirements and technical IT execution. You will navigate governance frameworks, manage diverse stakeholders, and drive software releases through the Route to LIVE (RTL) deployment process to deliver technology solutions that sustain flight and crew operations.

Key Responsibilities

Flight & Crew Operations Management

• Own the planning, execution, monitoring, and delivery of technology projects across Flight Operations including flight planning, weight & balance, and fuel optimization.
• Own the planning, execution, monitoring, and delivery of technology projects across Crew Operations including crew pairing, rostering, tracking, and fatigue management.
• Translate operational business requirements into technical solutions, working closely with enterprise architects, developers, and third-party vendors.

Project & Risk Management

• Manage project scope, technical dependencies, operational risks, and delivery roadblocks to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget while maintaining operational continuity.
• Monitor and report on project progress, budget status, and risk assessments to leadership and steering committees.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure all technology changes comply with corporate governance, cybersecurity policies, and aviation regulatory requirements including FAA, EASA, and GCAA standards.
• Support change, incident, and release management activities using IT Service Management (ITSM) and ITIL best practices.

Stakeholder & Liaison Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between technical teams including DevOps, Data Engineering, and Network Security and operational stakeholders across Flight Operations, Crew Scheduling, and Fleet Management.
• Prepare and present change records, release plans, and deployment readiness assessments at Change Advisory Board (CAB) meetings.

Deployment & Release Management

• Manage deployments through the Route to LIVE (RTL) process and associated environment management frameworks.
• Provide regular project updates, budget reports, and executive-level status reporting to leadership.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in the airline or aviation industry.
• Knowledge of Flight Operations and Crew Management systems, including Flight Planning, Crew Pairing, Rostering, and Tracking.
• Experience working within IT governance, change management, and regulatory environments.
• Understanding of cloud technologies, APIs, and modern enterprise architectures.
• SAFe, PMP, PRINCE2, or similar certifications are preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Proficiency with JIRA, Confluence, Power BI, and Smartsheet.
• Proficiency with related delivery tools.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Fluent in English; Arabic is an advantage.