SMS Manager

About the Role

Tibah Airports Operation is seeking an SMS Manager to lead, govern, and continuously improve the Safety Management System (SMS) at its airport operations in Medina, Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia. This full-time role involves ensuring compliance with GACA regulations, ICAO requirements, and company policies, while also implementing the four SMS pillars and overseeing safety assurance and performance.

Job Purpose

The SMS Manager is responsible for providing reliable safety information to management to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement. The role involves managing the SMS team and associated resources, ensuring the effective integration of safety requirements across various departments, and acting as a key focal point for SMS-related regulatory and oversight matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the organization's Safety Management System.
• Establish and maintain SMS policies, procedures, manuals, standards, and governance frameworks in alignment with GACA regulations, ICAO requirements, and company policies.
• Translate organizational safety objectives into departmental plans, priorities, initiatives, and measurable performance targets.
• Ensure effective implementation and integration of the four SMS pillars: Safety Policy & Objectives, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion.
• Lead the organization's hazard identification and safety risk management processes, ensuring appropriate methodologies are applied for risk identification, assessment, mitigation, acceptance, and escalation.
• Oversee the organizational safety risk register and ensure identified risks, mitigations, responsible parties, and target dates are appropriately maintained.
• Establish, monitor, and continuously enhance Safety Performance Indicators, Safety Performance Targets, and other safety performance measures.
• Govern the organization's safety reporting and occurrence reporting processes, ensuring significant incidents are investigated, documented, classified, and communicated.
• Act as a key organizational focal point for SMS-related regulatory and oversight matters, coordinating and supporting GACA, regulatory, certification, and external SMS audits and inspections.
• Work closely with Operations, Facility Management, Security, ARFF, Commercial, and other relevant departments to ensure safety requirements are integrated into organizational activities.
• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop employees within the SMS function, setting objectives and monitoring performance.
• Prepare and present periodic SMS reports, dashboards, risk profiles, trends, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Maintain accurate and auditable records of SMS activities, decisions, risk assessments, investigations, and management reviews, ensuring confidentiality and integrity.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 5 to 10 years of relevant experience in safety management, preferably within the aviation industry.
• Demonstrated knowledge of GACA regulations, ICAO requirements, and recognized aviation safety practices.
• Proven ability to lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Safety Management Systems.
• Experience in leading safety investigations and root-cause analyses.
• Strong analytical skills for assessing safety risks and performance data.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent leadership and team management abilities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to coordinate with various departments and external stakeholders.
• Ability to prepare and present comprehensive safety reports and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Proficiency in maintaining accurate and auditable records.
• Commitment to maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of safety information.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Medina, Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia, within the airport operations sector. The role requires close collaboration with various internal departments and external regulatory bodies to ensure a robust safety culture and operational compliance.