Sr Manager, Flight Operations Safety

Spirit Airlines•Dania Beach, FL

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Flight Operations Safety is a management pilot that serves as the primary leader responsible for Flight Operations safety programs and oversight of 14 CFR Part 5 compliance. Reporting to the Senior Director of Flight Operations / Director of Operations, this role leads divisional SMS execution, monitors safety performance, and ensures hazards are identified, assessed, and mitigated through structured Safety Risk Management (SRM) processes. The role serves as the key liaison between Flight Operations leadership, Corporate Safety, ALPA safety committees, and cross‑functional teams, advancing a unified just‑culture approach through safety communication, training, audit readiness, and data‑driven decision‑making. In a secondary capacity, the Senior Manager supports Technical Flight Operations, including flight test activities, non‑revenue operations, and engineering collaboration, ensuring all technical flying is conducted safely, compliantly, and in alignment with company policy and OEM guidance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Aviation Flight Operations, Aeronautical Science, Aviation Management, or a related field
Minimum two (2) years managing or supporting safety programs within a Part 121 airline preferred, including SMS/SRM processes and safety data systems
Minimum one (1) year of supervisory or managerial experience.
Demonstrated proficiency on the A320, including recent Captain experience and a minimum of 100 flight hours in type within the preceding 12 months, sufficient to support technical and non‑standard flight operations.
Operational flying duties may be limited to Part 91 and other non‑revenue operations, in accordance with FAA age limitations; Part 121 line operations are not required
FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with A-320 Type Rating.
First Class Medical Certificate
Strong working knowledge of 14 CFR Part 5 and practical application of SMS principles within Flight Operations.
Ability to uphold the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance while ensuring operational decisions are practical, effective, and sustainable.
Proven ability to facilitate cross‑functional safety reviews, SREs, and action planning.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate safety and operational data into effective risk controls.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver clear, engaging safety messaging.
Demonstrated people‑leadership capability focused on team development, engagement, and achieving divisional safety objective
Ability to support operational needs outside of standard business hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Valid, unrestricted passport with flexibility for frequent domestic and international travel

Nice To Haves

Previous experience as a line check airman and/or simulator check airman.
Prior experience conducting functional check flights, engineering test flights, or technical non‑revenue operations.

Responsibilities

Lead divisional SMS execution and Part 5 compliance, providing guidance on regulatory applicability and ensuring alignment with Corporate Safety policy and Flight Ops processes.
Serve as one of the Company representatives on the ASAP Event Review Committee (ERC) and maintain collaborative relationships with the ALPA Safety, FOQA, and ERC committees to support just culture, effective safety reporting, and proactive risk mitigation.
Ensure divisional and Corporate Safety leadership are informed of significant safety issues, risks, and trends, and facilitate safety review meetings to align stakeholders on risk priorities.
Own Safety Risk Management (SRM) governance and documentation, ensuring all risk assessments, decisions, and mitigation plans are properly documented and tracked to closure within the Corporate Safety system.
Drive proactive hazard identification and performance improvement through analysis of QA, operational, FOQA, ASAP, and training data to identify negative trends and systemic risk.
Facilitate Safety Risk Evaluations (SREs) and deliver Initial/Recurrent SRE training for designated department and process owners.
Ensure quality and effectiveness of SREs, including appropriate hazard identification, mitigation selection, implementation tracking, and continuous monitoring of controls.
Lead divisional Safety Action Meetings and oversee action tracking to ensure mitigations remain effective and sustainable.
Serve as the Flight Ops point of contact for Corporate Safety reporting, including Safety Reports, Injury Reports, and Compliance Reports.
Lead divisional IOSA conformance activities in coordination with Corporate Safety and partner with Flight Ops Regulatory Compliance/QA to ensure audit readiness and closure of findings.
Promote a strong safety culture through regular safety communications, coordinated messaging, and visible leadership that reinforces professionalism, compliance, and just‑culture principles.
Identify and address unsafe norms, hazardous behaviors, and non‑compliance, driving corrective action at both the individual and systemic level.
Conduct A320 Family post‑maintenance Functional Check Flights, engineering test profiles, and troubleshooting flights in accordance with Company procedures and Airbus/OEM guidance.
Partner with Maintenance Control, Engineering and MOC, teams to investigate chronic aircraft issues and support resolution of complex system faults.
Review and refine flight check policies, procedures, and acceptance criteria for Airbus narrow‑body aircraft.
Ensure all technical and non‑revenue flight operations comply with 14 CFR Part 121, OEM guidance, Company policy, and applicable risk‑management requirements.
Participate in Safety Risk Assessments (SRAs) for engineering test flights, deferred maintenance validation flights, and non‑standard configurations.
Maintain qualification and proficiency on the A320/A321 (CEO & NEO) fleet, including operating in high‑workload technical flight profiles.
Advise Flight Operations leadership on technical matters impacting fleet operations, including procedural recommendations, operational limitations, and lessons learned from test events.
Serve as a technical mentor and subject matter resource for flight crews regarding A320 systems knowledge, check flight execution, and non-revenue flight best practices.