Head of Airspace

Position: Head of Airspace (Permanent)
Location: Heathrow

Job Specification

Head of Airspace

Location:

Major International Airport / Aviation Organisation
Reporting to: COO (or equivalent)
Level: Senior Leadership / Executive

Role Purpose

The Head of Airspace is accountable for the strategic leadership, design, governance, and performance of controlled airspace supporting airport operations. The role ensures the safe, efficient, and sustainable use of complex and constrained airspace, enabling operational resilience, future growth, and environmental objectives.

Key Accountabilities

Airspace Strategy & Modernisation

• Own and deliver the long-term airspace strategy aligned with national and international modernisation programmes.

• Lead airspace design, change, and future capacity initiatives to support current and long-term operations.

Safety, Regulation & Assurance

• Act as accountable owner for airspace safety and regulatory compliance, including ICAO and national frameworks.

• Sponsor airspace change proposals, safety cases, and approvals, supported by robust governance and risk management.

Operational Performance & Resilience

• Optimise airspace performance to improve capacity, punctuality, and disruption recovery.

• Work with ATC and airport operations, using data and modelling to drive continuous improvement.

Stakeholder & Partner Leadership

• Represent the organisation with ANSPs, regulators, government, airlines, and international bodies.

• Lead complex partnerships and negotiations to align national, regional, and local airspace priorities.

Community, Noise & Sustainability

• Lead noise, environmental, and community engagement activity related to airspace change.

• Ensure airspace strategy supports sustainability, noise reduction, and net-zero objectives.

Leadership & Governance

• Lead specialist airspace teams and manage budgets, consultancy, and multi-year programmes.

• Provide authoritative advice and recommendations to Executive Committees and Boards.

Key Deliverables

• Approved airspace change programmes and regulatory approvals

• Improved airspace efficiency, resilience, and operational performance

• Reduced environmental and noise impacts where practicable

• Strong, trusted relationships across industry, government, and communities

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Senior leadership experience in airspace, ATM, aviation operations, or regulation

• Strong knowledge of airspace regulation and safety-critical change

• Proven executive-level stakeholder management experience

Desirable

• Experience with in an ANSP, major airport, airline, or aviation regulator

• Experience of public consultation or community-sensitive programmes

• Knowledge of environmental and noise management frameworks

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience

• Postgraduate qualification, chartered status, or relevant aviation certifications desirable

If this sounds like something of interest and if you want to be apart of the next biggest infrastructure project of the decade, please get in touch for some more information.

Ardour Associates values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business

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