Senior Manager Crew Planning

About the role

Etihad is seeking a Senior Manager Crew Planning to provide strategic leadership for pilot and cabin crew roster and leave planning. You will ensure safe, compliant, fatigue‑aware and cost‑effective operations while enhancing crew experience.

Key responsibilities

• Define and drive the strategic direction of crew roster and leave planning across the airline.
• Govern and continuously improve crew planning standards, optimisation frameworks and policies.
• Oversee the Jeppesen Roster Optimizer, managing system configuration, change control and enhancements.
• Ensure full compliance with GCAA regulations and embed Fatigue Risk Management principles.
• Lead, develop and build capability within the Crew Planning management team.
• Collaborate with Flight Operations, Safety, Crew Resources and other functions to translate strategic and regulatory requirements into effective planning frameworks.
• Act as the senior subject‑matter expert for crew planning, advising senior stakeholders on optimisation and best practices.
• Drive innovation through benchmarking, emerging technologies and data‑driven analysis.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in airline crew planning or related operational leadership.
• Proven ability to lead large, cross‑functional teams and manage complex change initiatives.
• Deep understanding of aviation regulatory requirements, especially GCAA, and fatigue management.
• Strong analytical mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.

Required skills

• Hands‑on experience with Jeppesen Roster Optimizer or similar crew scheduling systems.
• Knowledge of Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to communicate complex planning concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.