Manager of Safety, dnata UAE Airport Operations

dnata is more than a global air and travel services provider. We connect people with possibilities and opportunities across 130+ airports in 34 countries through ground handling, cargo, travel, and catering & retail services. Our purpose is clear: to deliver on the promises our customers make. We are powered by a bold vision to be the world’s most admired air and travel services provider, which guides our strategy, culture, and every role across our teams. Our core values fuel everything we do: we are safe, we play to win, we respect everyone and work together as a team, and we are future thinking. At dnata, we foster diversity, nurture ambition, and celebrate achievement. If you're inspired by purpose and motivated to be part of a global team shaping the future of aviation and travel, we’d love to have you onboard.

As a Manager of Safety, dnata UAE Airport Operations you will develop and drive a continuous improvement strategy aligned with dnata's values, corporate safety objectives, ensuring risks are reduced to ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) levels through the effective implementation and deployment of the dnata Safety Management System (dSMS). You will provide safety leadership, direction, and guidance across departments and business units by establishing proactive risk management measures that minimize employee, contractor, and customer exposure to operational hazards while promoting a strong culture of safety, assurance and compliance. The role will also be expected to develop ideas, suggestions and initiatives to further the maturity and continuous improvement of the SMS.

You will establish robust mechanisms to monitor compliance with safety standards, regulatory obligations, and stakeholder requirements, enabling business leaders to identify gaps and implement effective corrective actions. Adopting a robust, data-driven approach, you will also work collaboratively with leaders, you will support the investigation of significant occurrences, identify conditional, cultural, and behavioural contributing factors, and implement sustainable solutions that strengthen safety performance, operational resilience, and continuous organizational learning across dnata businesses.

In this role, you will

• Develop Safety Improvement Plans (SIP) in conjunction with the business to support the continuous improvement and deployment of the dnata Safety Management System (dSMS) in the UAE.
• Provide subject matter expertise and independent, objective safety guidance to leaders through Safety Action Groups (SAGs), governance meetings, operational reviews and other SMS governance framework related forums andworking groups.
• Establish and monitor safety risk mitigation, hazard identification, and incident management programs to support operational risk reduction and continuous improvement.
• Maintain and oversee risk registers and corrective action plans arising from incidents, audits, inspections, observations, and near misses.
• Analyse and present safety data, trends, mitigation plans, and performance reports to support Safety Boards and governance requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable aviation, occupational health and safety, regulatory, and customer requirements.
• Communicate and promote dnata's HSE policies, standards, procedures, and best practices across the business.
• Support the development and implementation of Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) monitoring programs.
• Monitor regional and local security risks through intelligence and surveillance reports to support business continuity and operational resilience.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, acting as a key interface between dnata, it’s customers, suppliers and internal business units.
• Coach, mentor, and support leadership teams to strengthen safety culture, engagement, accountability, and achievement of divisional objectives.

This is a Safety Sensitive Role

To be considered for the role, you must meet the below requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years’ experience in Medical/Safety/Ground Safety in Aviation or heavy industry
• 5+ years of experience in executing, monitoring, and supporting health and safety operational activities.
• Professional safety qualification from a recognized institution or accreditation body such as IOSH, NEBOSH, CSP, CRSP, or IATA Advanced Safety Certificate.
• Proven experience in accident and incident investigation with a focus on root cause analysis and exposure elimination.
• Strong relationship-building, communication, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.
• Advanced knowledge of Safety and Integrated Management Systems, including auditing and compliance processes.
• Strong understanding of continuous improvement methodologies and risk management practices.
• Advanced data analysis, reporting, and trend evaluation capabilities.
• Effective leadership and managerial skills with the ability to coach and influence stakeholders.
• Flexibility to travel as required to support operational and business needs.