Senior Manager - Emergency Planning

Role Overview

Senior Manager – Emergency Planning at Dubai Airports, based in Dubai. You will lead the development and continual enhancement of DXB's emergency preparedness arrangements, ensuring plans, exercises and stakeholder coordination activities are effective, compliant and ready to support the airport during any major incident or crisis.

Company Overview

Dubai Airports is a fast-moving, fast-growing business operating 24 hours a day, dedicated to delivering great airport experiences. The organization encourages staff to work better and smarter, be the best they can be, and deliver an advanced, innovative future.

Role Purpose

Preparedness is more than a regulatory requirement; it is essential to maintaining safe and resilient airport operations. You will establish priorities, deliverables and milestones for the DXB Emergency Planning programme, provide clear visibility of progress, and ensure the airport is ready to respond effectively to any major incident or crisis.

Key Responsibilities

Emergency Planning Programme Leadership

• Lead and manage the DXB Emergency Planning programme, establishing priorities, deliverables and milestones and providing clear visibility of progress.
• Oversee the development, review and maintenance of aerodrome emergency plans, procedures and supporting documentation.

Regulatory & Operational Alignment

• Ensure alignment with regulatory requirements, operational risks and Dubai Airports' Response & Recovery Planning frameworks.
• Translate regulatory, operational and safety requirements into clear plans, reports, briefings and practical preparedness arrangements.

Exercise & Training Management

• Lead the planning and delivery of the annual emergency exercise programme, including scenario development, stakeholder coordination, facilitation and post-exercise reporting.
• Lead the coordination of emergency planning training and awareness activities, working with relevant teams to strengthen organisational readiness.

Audit, Assurance & Compliance

• Manage emergency planning audit, assurance and regulatory compliance activities, including the preparation and validation of evidence, responses and corrective actions.
• Ensure lessons identified through exercises, incidents, audits and assurance activities are recorded, tracked and incorporated into plans and capability improvements.

Stakeholder Engagement & Coordination

• Drive engagement and coordination with internal teams, airport partners, government authorities, emergency responders and regulatory bodies to support effective multi-agency preparedness.
• Demonstrate strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively across internal teams, airport partners, government authorities and emergency services.

Reporting & Governance

• Prepare and communicate programme updates, assurance reports and management information to the Head of Response & Recovery Planning and relevant governance groups.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Emergency Planning, Crisis Management, Business Continuity Management, Incident Response or a closely related discipline.
• 7–10 years of overall experience.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience in emergency planning, crisis management, incident response or a related aviation environment.
• Recognised professional certification in Emergency Planning, Crisis Management, Business Continuity or Incident Response, such as CBCI or an equivalent qualification, preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of airport operations, aerodrome emergency planning frameworks, regulatory compliance and emergency exercise management.
• Experience coordinating complex exercises, audits and assurance activities and managing actions through to evidenced closure.
• Sound judgement and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex, operationally sensitive environment.