ORAT Manager (Airports)📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Parsons Corporation is seeking an experienced ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) Manager for a full-time position in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This role is critical to leading and managing airfield ORAT activities for a major Airport/Airfield project, ensuring that airfield assets are fully operational, safe, compliant, and ready for seamless transition from construction to live operations.

Role Overview

The ORAT Manager will play a pivotal role in ensuring the successful operational readiness and opening of critical parts of the aerodrome. This position requires extensive airport experience, strong leadership, and the ability to coordinate complex interfaces between construction, systems, operations, and regulatory stakeholders. The manager will ensure concerned airfield assets transition smoothly into full operational status, meeting safety, compliance, and performance expectations from day one.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the overall airfield ORAT strategy, roadmap, and execution plan aligned with project milestones and operational requirements.
• Define ORAT scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and success criteria for airside and landside operations.
• Ensure alignment between construction completion, systems readiness, regulatory approvals, and operational handover.
• Lead the planning and execution of operational readiness activities, ensuring all relevant aerodrome systems, facilities, and processes are ready for live operations.
• Manage transition from construction to operations, including phased openings, soft launches, and final commissioning.
• Coordinate asset handover, operational manuals, SOPs, and maintenance documentation.
• Plan and oversee integrated testing, operational trials, simulations, and shadow operations for airside and terminal facilities.
• Ensure readiness and integration of critical systems such as BHS, AODB, FIDS, security systems, ATC interfaces, airfield ground lighting, and safety systems.
• Identify issues during trials and drive corrective actions to ensure operational stability.

Stakeholder Coordination and Compliance

• Act as the primary airfield ORAT interface between project teams, airport operator, airlines, regulators, ground handlers, concessionaires, and service providers.
• Coordinate with aviation authorities, state agencies, and emergency services to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Facilitate workshops, readiness reviews, and stakeholder engagement sessions.
• Ensure ORAT activities comply with national and international aviation regulations (ICAO, QCAA).
• Support certification, licensing, and operational approvals required for airport opening.
• Ensure Safety Management Systems (SMS) and emergency response procedures are fully tested and implemented.

Risk Management and Reporting

• Identify operational, technical, and schedule-related risks impacting readiness and opening.
• Develop mitigation plans and proactively manage risks and dependencies across multiple stakeholders.
• Lead issue resolution to minimize operational disruption during transition and opening phases.
• Prepare and present ORAT progress reports, readiness dashboards, and risk updates to senior management and project leadership.
• Provide clear recommendations and decision support related to operational readiness and opening strategies.
• Ensure transparent communication across all stakeholders throughout the ORAT lifecycle.

Required Experience and Leadership

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in airport operations, stakeholder coordination, systems integration, testing, trials, and transition planning, with a proven track record of delivering complex airport and especially aviation-related ORAT programs successfully. A minimum of 5-10 years of relevant experience is required. This role also involves leading and managing the Parsons ORAT team, consultants, and contractors, ensuring clear roles, accountability, and performance, and providing mentorship and guidance to junior ORAT and operational readiness staff.