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Operations Manager - Airports - HND
full-time

Summary

Type

full-time

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About this role

Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation.

The Operations Manager – Airports – Haneda (HND) is accountable for the safe, secure, compliant, and customer-focused delivery of Air Canada’s airport operation at a complex, highly regulated, 24-hour gateway. Operating within a government-controlled environment with strict regulatory oversight, the role provides strong on-site leadership to deliver results aligned to Air Canada’s FlightPath priorities (Safety, Operational Performance, Customer Experience/NPS, and Financial Discipline), while fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace that supports employee engagement, well-being, and positive employee sentiment — enabling teams to perform at their best With Care and Class.

Responsibilities:

Safety, Security & Compliance (Safety First, Always)

  • Lead the station with Safety First, Always, ensuring all above- and below-the-wing activities are executed in accordance with Air Canada standards, SMS principles, and all applicable regulatory requirements.
  • Ensure timely reporting, escalation, and follow-up of hazards, incidents, injuries, and safety events; partner closely with the Branch Safety team and HQ to implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
  • Maintain station readiness for government/authority oversight, inspections, and audits; ensure manuals, procedures, and training remain current and compliant.
  • Coordinate local Emergency Response and contingency preparedness with HQ, airport authorities, government agencies, ground handlers, and alliance partners; participate in drills and required training.

Operational Leadership within a 24-hour Airport Environment (Resilient & Sustainable Coverage)

  • Provide end-to-end operational leadership through clear delegation, rostered leadership coverage, and defined escalation pathways to ensure safe and consistent operations across all shifts in a 24-hour airport environment.
  • Act as the accountable station leader during IRROPS (delays, cancellations, misconnections, denied boarding, baggage disruption), ensuring calm leadership, timely decision-making, and consistent execution.
  • Maintain strong station governance and day-of-ops discipline, ensuring SOP adherence and consistent operational standards across teams and service partners.

Performance Management (KPI Delivery / Operational Excellence)

  • Own and drive station performance against agreed KPIs (e.g., OTP/D0, PAWOB, Ground Operations performance, baggage performance, quality and compliance measures), identifying trends and leading corrective actions.
  • Establish a strong operating rhythm with key stakeholders (GHA, airport partners, internal teams) to deliver measurable performance improvements and sustain results.
  • Provide structured reporting and early escalation to Regional leadership and HQ, ensuring operational risks are actively managed and mitigations are implemented.

Customer Experience & NPS (Elevate Our Customers / With Care and Class)

  • Lead a customer-centric culture aligned to Air Canada service standards and With Care and Class, ensuring customers are informed, supported, and treated with empathy, especially during disruption.
  • Drive actions that improve customer outcomes and NPS, focusing on controllable operational levers (queue management, gate discipline, boarding process, baggage delivery, and service recovery consistency).
  • Partner with HQ teams and Customer Relations as required for disruption handling, communications, and post-event follow-up.

People Leadership, Employee Engagement & Sentiment (Lift Each Other Up)

  • Lead, coach, and develop the station team and local leadership group by setting clear expectations, reinforcing accountability, and recognizing performance in ways that strengthen employee engagement and satisfaction.
  • Foster an inclusive, respectful, and psychologically safe workplace where staff feel heard and supported; actively address concerns early through regular check-ins, two-way communication, and constructive coaching.
  • Promote sustainable ways of working in a 24-hour environment by supporting fair scheduling practices, fatigue awareness, and appropriate resource planning to protect employee well-being.
  • Ensure consistent training, onboarding, competency tracking, and recurrent learning to build confidence, capability, and service consistency across teams.

Commercial & Financial Discipline (Fund Our Future)

  • Manage station cost controls and local budget stewardship, ensuring disciplined spending and accurate tracking/reporting.
  • Lead operational governance of service providers (ground handling, terminal services, transport/hotel where applicable) to ensure contract compliance, safety, quality, and value.
  • Support procurement and contract negotiations by providing operational requirements, performance inputs, and risk considerations to achieve cost-efficient outcomes without compromising safety or service quality.

Stakeholder Management & Representation

  • Represent Air Canada at Haneda with airport authorities, government agencies, and operational partners; protect Air Canada’s interests while ensuring alignment with local operating requirements.
  • Coordinate and maintain effective working relationships with alliance and codeshare partners, ensuring procedures and customer handling standards are correctly implemented.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point at station level for operational, safety, customer, and partner issues.

Regional Support & Special Assignments

  • Support APAC network initiatives, operational trials, station start-ups/restarts, and internal audits as assigned by Regional leadership.
  • Share best practices across stations and contribute to continuous improvement across the region.
     


  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field with at least 2 years of experience in a leadership role and/or experience in the airline industry
  • Minimum 5 years of significant experience in the management of ramp operations and safety; Knowledge of AC operations is a plus
  • Strong understanding of airport operations and passenger movements
  • Ability to manage multiple tactical and strategic projects
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to converse with Senior
  • Management and high-ranked external figures
  • Demonstrate passion for travel

Conditions of Employment:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the country of interest at the time any offer of employment is made and are responsible for obtaining any required work permits, visas, or other authorizations necessary for employment. Prior to their start date, candidates will also need to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the country of interest.

Linguistic Requirements

Bilingual (English and Japanese)

Diversity and Inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees’ unique contributions to our company’s success.

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all to help us build a diverse workforce which reflects the diversity of our customers, and communities, in which we live and serve.

Air Canada thanks all candidates for their interest; however only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted

Other facts

Tech stack
Safety Management,Operational Leadership,Performance Management,Customer Experience,People Leadership,Employee Engagement,Financial Discipline,Stakeholder Management,Emergency Response,Compliance,Communication Skills,Problem Solving,Team Development,Budget Management,Regulatory Knowledge,Crisis Management

About Air Canada

Canada's largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network celebrating its 25thanniversary in 2022, Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 51 airports in Canada, 51 in the United States and 86 internationally. It is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax, which in 2021 gave Air Canada awards for the Best Airline Staff in North America, Best Airline Staff in Canada, Best Business Class Lounge in North America, and an excellence award for its management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Air Canada est la plus importante société aérienne du Canada, le transporteur national du pays et un membre cofondateur du réseau Star Alliance — le plus vaste regroupement mondial de sociétés aériennes, qui célèbre son 25e anniversaire en 2022. Les lignes passagers régulières d’Air Canada relient sans escale 51 aéroports au Canada, 51 aux États-Unis et 86 sur le reste du globe. En Amérique du Nord, Air Canada constitue le seul transporteur aérien d’envergure internationale offrant une gamme complète de services à détenir la cote quatre étoiles de Skytrax qui, en 2021, lui a décerné les prix Meilleur personnel au sol et à bord en Amérique du Nord, Meilleur personnel au sol et à bord au Canada, Meilleur salon de classe affaires en Amérique du Nord ainsi qu’un Prix d’excellence pour sa gestion de la pandémie de la COVID-19.

Team size: 10,001+ employees
LinkedIn: Visit
Industry: Airlines and Aviation
Founding Year: 1937

What you'll do

  • The Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring safe and compliant airport operations while leading a customer-focused team. They will manage performance against KPIs and foster a respectful workplace culture.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Operations Manager - Airports - HND do at Air Canada?

As a Operations Manager - Airports - HND at Air Canada, you will: the Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring safe and compliant airport operations while leading a customer-focused team. They will manage performance against KPIs and foster a respectful workplace culture..

Why join Air Canada as a Operations Manager - Airports - HND?

Air Canada is a leading Airlines and Aviation company.

How do I apply for the Operations Manager - Airports - HND position at Air Canada?

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