Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Job Description
Lead Etihad Airways’ aviation security risk management function, delivering an intelligence-led, risk-based posture that safeguards passengers, crew, aircraft and assets across the global network. Integrate geopolitical intelligence, terrorism monitoring and enterprise threat assessment into a single decision-support capability, ensuring the Security Management System (SeMS) remains dynamic, defensible and aligned with GCAA, ICAO Annex 17, IOSA (ISM/17) and IATA standards.
Accountable owner of the Global Security Risk Register and mitigation framework, translating intelligence into actionable measures for the Executive, Network Operations Centre and station leadership.
Accountabilities:
- Lead the security risk management function end-to-end, owning the full risk lifecycle of identification, analysis, evaluation, treatment and monitoring across passenger, cargo, catering, aircraft handling and airspace operations.
- Direct the airline’s geopolitical intelligence capability through the collection, fusion and analysis of open source intel an closed-source intelligence, producing strategic outlooks, station risk profiles and airspace/overflight assessments for existing and prospective destinations.
- Maintain 24/7 situational awareness of terrorism and emerging threats, tracking insurgency, insider threat, cyber-physical and unlawful interference indicators, and issuing timely advisories to the Executive and Network Operations Centre.
- Own and continuously refresh the Global Security Risk Register, station registers and route/high-profile flight assessments, applying structured risk methodologies to keep the enterprise view current and defensible.
- Design proportionate, risk-based mitigations and contingency measures, validating implementation with stations, GHAs and regulators, and tracking residual risk through to closure.
- Drive the risk pillar of Etihad’s Security Management System (SeMS), embedding KPIs, performance monitoring, corrective action and continuous improvement across the network.
- Strengthen regulatory and stakeholder relationships with GCAA, foreign CAAs, ICAO, IATA, embassies and industry peers to enhance shared intelligence and coordinated response.
- Provide crisis and on-call capability in support of the 24/7 TAC model during security incidents, contingency activations and elevated threat states.
- Lead, develop and calibrate the Risk team, embedding a culture of accountability, analytical rigour and security-first behaviour across the function.
Qualifications
- Preferred 5 to 7 yrs Aviation security experience, with exposure to Threat /Risk Assessment activity.
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university, preferably in the field of security or management.
- Preferred Aviation Security Management diploma, preferably from ICAO, IATA, or any other industry-recognized learning institution.