About the Role
The Airport Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Planning Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing emergency response business continuity plans, crisis management plans, and communicable disease management plans in accordance with GCAA and federal and local regulations to ensure airport preparedness and resilience. This role involves coordinating emergency response planning, business continuity planning, crisis management planning, enterprise risk management, conducting risk assessments, organizing training and drills, and ensuring compliance with GCAA regulations. The position requires close collaboration with stakeholders to ensure effective response strategies and operational resilience to protect passengers, staff, and airport assets.
Ready to apply for roles like this?
Unlock the company name and direct application link. Subscribers get instant access to fresh jobs across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, many with visa support.
Unlock employer & apply directly
Functional Accountabilities
Emergency Preparedness and Planning
- Develop, maintain, and update the Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) for various scenarios, including aircraft incidents, natural disasters, and communicable disease outbreaks.
- Ensure the AEP is aligned with national and international aviation standards and local regulatory requirements.
- Collaborate with internal departments and external agencies (fire, medical, police, health authorities) to ensure seamless coordination in emergencies.
Business Continuity Management
- Design and implement a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) for critical airport functions, ensuring systems and resources are in place to maintain operations during disruptions.
- Identify critical business activities, assess potential risks, and implement mitigation measures to support rapid recovery.
- Ensure alignment of BCP with industry standards, integrating lessons learned from incidents and exercises into plan updates.
Crisis Management
- Develop, implement, and maintain the Airport Crisis Management Plan in compliance with GCAA CAR AGA Part ACM requirements.
- Coordinate activation and management of the Airport Crisis Management Team (CMT) during aviation emergencies and major incidents.
- Ensure effective communication and coordination between internal stakeholders, regulators, and external agencies during crises.
- Plan, conduct, and evaluate crisis management exercises (tabletop, partial, and full-scale) in line with regulatory requirements.
- Lead post-crisis reviews, document lessons learned, and implement corrective actions to strengthen crisis preparedness and response.
Training and Drills
- Conduct regular training, tabletop exercises, and full-scale drills with airport staff and emergency responders to test response plans and improve preparedness.
- Ensure all personnel understand their roles within the AEP and BCP and are trained on protocols for various incidents.
- Conduct post-exercise evaluations and use feedback to refine plans and improve readiness.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation
- Conduct thorough risk assessments to identify potential hazards impacting airport operations.
- Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to reduce the likelihood and impact of emergencies.
- Monitor changing risk factors (e.g., emerging diseases, extreme weather) and adjust plans accordingly.
Regulatory Compliance and Documentation
- Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate documentation and records for audits and inspections.
- Report to relevant authorities on compliance, plan updates, and incident management outcomes.
- Prepare and submit incident reports, plan revisions, and after-action reports to regulatory bodies as required.
Incident Management and Response
- Ensure emergency facilities (AEOC, SRC, etc.) and equipment are maintained per standards.
- Ensure MIMMS are in place including supporting equipment and strategies.
- Oversee response actions during incidents, managing and activating the Airport Emergency Operations Center (AEOC) as needed.
- Coordinate real-time communication with response teams, ensure resource allocation, and support the incident command structure.
- Review incident outcomes, manage post-incident analysis, and implement corrective actions for continuous improvement.
Financial
- Budget projection for the department.
Communication & Working Relationships
Internal
- All Departments
- Discussing and coordinating AEP & BCP activities.
- Communicating with all departments regarding training & exercise planning.
- Establish communication protocols for quick and effective information sharing during incidents, ensuring coordination across all departments and partners.
External
- General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)
- Department of Civil Aviation (DCA)
- Airport Stakeholders
- Civil Defence
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Interior (Police)
- NCEMA
- National Ambulance
- Ensure regulatory compliance and response on AEP & BCP.
- Facilitate GCAA's audits for the department.
- Communicate and share information with GCAA & the DCA regarding AEP & BCP requirements.
- Serve as the primary liaison between the airport and external agencies, including airlines, emergency services, and health departments for effective emergency response.
- Facilitate regular stakeholder meetings to review emergency and continuity plans.
Qualifications, Experience, & Skills
Qualifications
Educational Qualifications
- Graduation in Business Management.
Professional Qualifications
- Related to Emergency Planning & Business Continuity Planning.
Experience
- Required Experience
- 8+ years of experience in airport emergency management, business continuity planning, or crisis management.
- Experience in leading multi-agency coordination and managing incident command structures during emergency situations.
- Track record in planning and executing training exercises, drills, or simulations for emergency response and business continuity.
- Experience with applied knowledge in industrial ISO standards, emergency response and business continuity or related disciplines.
- Experience operating at a senior management level within Emergency Planning and/or Business Continuity.
- Experienced in interfacing with regulatory bodies.
Other Requirements - Safety Accountability and Responsibilities
- All staff has the following safety responsibilities and is accountable to their supervisor(s) and Head of Department:
- To comply with the relevant safety requirements and procedures as outlined in the Aerodrome Operations Manual and Safety Management System, and any other instructions or notices issued by the company.
- To comply with the safety requirements detailed within their training.
- To advise their Head of Department and the Airport Duty Officer team of any safety occurrence or system failure and to identify and report any situation of potential risk or concern affecting safety via one of the following means:
- Report directly to the Safety Department or an immediate supervisor.
- Submit an Accident/Incident Report.
- Support safety audits and investigations as they occur.
Competencies
Behavioral Competencies
- Strategic thinking and foresight - High
- Analytical skills & Problem solving - High
- Communication skills - High
- Ability to understand business objectives and align BCP accordingly - High
- Self-Motivated - High
- Working under pressure - High
- Decision Making - High
Technical Competencies
- Familiarity with incident management systems - High
- Understanding of Standards and Regulations - High
- Knowledge of Safety Management System - Medium
- Familiarity with airport operational technology - Medium
