Head of Flight Safety

About You and The Role

Were searching for a dynamic Head of Flight Safety to join our US Operations Team who can play both a strategic and tactical roleembedding safety into the design and execution of operational activities. You will lead the evolution and management of our Safety Management System (SMS) risk mitigation strategies incident response and operations specific safety leadership. As the Head of Flight Safety you will report to the Director of Flight Operations and be responsible for ensuring a safety assurance mindset is proactively built into all operational processes and procedures helping the company scale efficiently while maintaining compliance across Part 91 Part 107 and Part 135 operations.

This is a highvisibility highownership role that plays a critical part in ensuring a safe scalable and compliant operation across all commercial delivery and flight test operations. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in aviation safety manned or unmanned systems and the integration of automated technologies within a regulatory framework. This position will work with operations engineering product development and regulatory teams to integrate safety principles at the test stage of new operational processes as well as react to risks and incidents in realtime as needed.

The ideal candidate is a qualified manned pilot with formal part 121 or part 135 or military experience and has a deep understanding of safety management systems safety assurance principles and is passionate about all things airspace. The right candidate has a strong attention to detail and the initiative to solve problems in a complex environment!

What Youll Do

Strategic Safety Leadership

• Partner with operations engineering and product teams to integrate safetydriven design principles into new processes procedures and automation strategies.
• Guide strategic decisionmaking on how new markets operational models and technologies should be structured from a risk and compliance perspective.
• Advise leadership on scaling test and commercial operations safely ensuring our approach to Part 91 Part 107 and Part 135 operations aligns with longterm business goals.
• Champion safety as a business enabler ensuring risk mitigation strategies supportnot hindergrowth and innovation.

Safety Management System (SMS) & Risk Management

• Lead the continuous improvement of the companys SMS in accordance with FAA and Part 135 UASspecific standards to ensure a proactive approach to risk identification mitigation and continuous improvement.
• Establish datadriven safety performance indicators using analytics to track trends and drive safety enhancements across multiple operating sites.
• Lead internal safety audits risk assessments and hazard identification processes ensuring operational risks are mitigated before incidents occur.
• Continuously refine Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to align with evolving safety best practices and regulatory requirements.

FacilitySpecific Safety Leadership

• Provide direct oversight of Facility Safety Leads at each operational site ensuring local safety programs are aligned with companywide safety standards.
• Work closely with facility leadership to implement localized risk management strategies tailored to sitespecific challenges.
• Ensure all sites maintain regulatory compliance with OSHA hazmat handling and sitespecific risk mitigation protocols.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for facilitylevel safety concerns training and compliance efforts fostering a standardized safety culture across all locations.

Incident Response & AfterAction Reporting

• Serve as the primary investigator and point of contact for all safetyrelated incidents including nearmisses and operational anomalies.
• Lead the companys incident response framework ensuring all events are properly documented investigated and followed by corrective actions.
• Conduct root cause analyses (RCAs) and implement preventive measures to avoid repeat safety incidents.
• Oversee postincident reviews afteraction reports and safety drills to ensure learnings are institutionalized across the company.
• Ensure teams are trained in emergency response protocols equipping frontline operators with the tools needed to handle safetycritical events.

Regulatory & Compliance Leadership

• Ensure the company is fully compliant with all FAA ICAO and other regulatory safety standards for Part 91 Part 107 and Part 135 operations.
• Act as a key liaison with FAA NTSB ICAO and other regulatory bodies shaping internal compliance strategies while also influencing external policy developments.
• Stay ahead of regulatory changes and proactively adjust safety policies to ensure ongoing compliance with evolving UAS laws and best practices.
• Lead the company in compliance with Part 135 Drug and Alcohol Program requirements.
• Lead the company in Dangerous Goods (hazmat) management under Part 107 and Part 135 operations.

Culture & Training

• Foster a strong organizationwide safety culture ensuring all employeesfrom frontline operators to executive leadershipunderstand and prioritize safety assurance mindset.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive safety training programs for flight crews maintenance teams and operations personnel.
• Implement continuous safety awareness initiatives encouraging proactive reporting and engagement across the workforce.
• Act as a mentor and internal safety advocate ensuring that safety remains an embedded mindset rather than a compliance checkbox.

What Youll Bring

Required:

• Over years of experience in the aviation safety environment UAS operations or related fields (manned or unmanned) with expertise in SMS implementation operational site safety leadership and regulatory compliance.
• Experience in multisite operations under Part 91 Part 107 and Part 135 or military equivalent.
• Must have a Remote Pilots Certificate (RPIC)
• Strong working knowledge of FAA regulations ICAO safety management principles and aviation risk mitigation strategies.
• Proven ability to lead incident investigations root cause analyses and corrective action planning.
• Experience developing safety governance frameworks and performance metrics.
• Exceptional crossfunctional leadership skills with a track record of working with operations engineering and executive teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use datadriven insights to improve safety processes.

Preferred:

• Advanced education in aviation engineering UAS operations or safety related fields.
• An FAA private commercial or military equivalent pilot certificate.
• Experience working in UAS safety and automation particularly in scaling autonomous aviation operations UTM systems and detectandavoid technologies.
• Technical knowledge of UAS platforms flight systems and autonomous safety technologies.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Part 135 Safety Manager experience or equivalent credentials.
• Background in human factors system safety and emerging aviation risk management methodologies and OSHA standards.

What Else You Need to Know