Senior Operations Planning Manager

A career without limits

As the nation’s flag carrier, we take great pride in connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain.

It’s something we’ve been doing for over 100 years, ever since we launched the world’s first international scheduled air service between London and Paris.

This originality has been in our blood since day one. It’s the spirit we share with the people that fly with us, our partners, and our colleagues.

So, whether you are a reassuring voice on the end of a phone, a smile at the door, under a wing keeping the turbines spinning or landing us gently in far-flung places, a job at British Airways is yours to make.

We know great things can happen when you’re inspired to think big and bring your ambition to work every day, which is why, at British Airways the sky is never the limit.

The role:Senior Operations Resource Planning Manager

Every flight we operate starts with a plan: the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Operations Planning is where that plan gets built.

From our Head Office, you’ll have a front row seat to the operation. The aircraft your plans put crews on take-off and land right past your window. You’ll lead a team of 10-20 people within a ~130-strong department based at Head Office, further extended by a team of offshore colleagues, that plans the workforce behind our operation, from cabin crew and flight crew through to airport teams. Initially you’ll focus on crew areas with the potential to move to planning roles for our airport areas in the future.

The work runs on two speeds. One is long-term, analytical planning that shapes how we resource the airline months ahead. The other is fast-moving operational planning that keeps us on track when sickness, leave and the unexpected hit.

It’s a role with real visibility and real influence. You’ll partner with senior leaders across the operation, sit in the room with Trade Union representatives, and help lead a shift from manual spreadsheets and legacy systems towards new in-house data tools and modern analytics.

What you’ll do:

• Own the plan - Produce robust, operationally viable resource plans, from forecast all the way through to delivery

• See what’s coming - Lead monthly manpower forecasts, flagging risks and opportunities before they land

• Get the rosters right - Lead roster production, making sure it’s accurate, compliant with collective agreements and built around what the operation needs

• Lead two teams as one - Develop our Resource Planning and Resource Delivery teams, and hold the standard on quality, including work produced by offshore and vendor partners

• Be the go-to partner - Act as Resource Business Partner to line areas, and work with Trade Union colleagues to deliver efficiencies through open, constructive engagement 

• Keep the numbers honest - Work with Finance to track budgets, cost drivers and variances

• Make it simpler - Drive continuous improvement, cut manual effort, and help shape and test new planning tools. You’ll also deputise for the Head of Resource Planning & Delivery when needed

What you’ll bring to British Airways:

• Operational grounding - An operational background, or a genuine interest in how a large, complex operation runs

• Resource planning, forecasting and budgeting - Proven experience, with strong numeracy and the commercial instinct to understand the financial impact of your decisions, and stand by the calls you make

• A passion for data - Advanced Excel and data analysis, plus the curiosity to build your own queries and turn complex numbers into a clear message that influences decisions. Experience with Power BI or Tableau is a bonus

• Leadership people want to follow - Experience managing and developing a team of onshore and offshore people, and creating an open, honest and collaborative environment

• Gravitas - You’re confident and direct, and calm in difficult conversations, whether you’re influencing senior business leaders, challenging line area stakeholders or working in a unionised environment with Trade Union representatives

• Drive and organisation - You’re a proactive, flexible problem-solver who’s happy to go the extra mile, with the planning and time management to prioritise well

How we’ll get to know you: A video interview to kick things off, followed by a short cognitive assessment, finished up with an onsite final interview consisting of a challenge and scenario-based questions.

What we offer:

We believe that all the people who work with us should feel valued for the part they play. It’s one of the reasons our rewards go far beyond a competitive salary.

From the day you join us, you’ll get access to brilliant staff travel benefits including unlimited basic and premium standby tickets on British Airways flights. You’ll also receive up to 30 discounted ‘Hotline’ airfares per year for yourself, friends, and family.

At British Airways you’ll have the chance to take on new challenges and move forward in a way that feels right for you. We encourage all those who work for us to consider opportunities right across our business to help you develop and progress.

We never stand still, and we don’t expect our people to either.

Inclusion & Diversity

At British Airways we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive place to work. Diverse representation among our people is really important to us and we recognise that all our colleagues are uniquely different and bring their own originality, creativity and identity to work.

Inclusion and diversity is a key driver of innovation and we’re committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they can be themselves. We’re looking for people from all backgrounds and cultures to join us and be a part of our journey to become a Better BA as we continue to connect Britain with the world and the world with Britain.