Trainee Ops Controller

A. Job Purpose
• The Trainee Operations Controllers the lead decision-maker on shift for complex and multi-aircraft disruption scenarios. The role holds independent authority for IROPS responses within defined limits and provides direct oversight, guidance, and escalation support to Operations Controllers. As the airline scales its hub-based operations model, the Senior Controller also serves as the primary OCC point of contact for assigned hub bases — monitoring hub-level disruptions, providing decision support to hub teams, and escalating to the Manager Operations Control where events require senior authority. This role is the critical bridge between execution and management in the Operations Control career pathway.
B. Key Accountabilities
Shift Leadership & Independent Decision Authority:
• Lead the shift response to disruption events, making independent decisions on delays, aircraft swaps, crew redeployment, and cancellations within defined authority limits.
• Apply cost-consequence logic to disruption decisions: assess the financial exposure of delay vs. cancellation, pax reaccommodation options, and EC261/regulatory liability before committing to a course of action.
• Act as the escalation point for Operations Controllers on shift — taking authority for decisions that exceed controller-level limits and escalating to the MOC where events require senior or out-of-authority intervention.
• Monitor the health of the day’s operation across all active routes — flight progress, crew legality, aircraft positioning, slot compliance — intervening proactively when deviations are identified.
• Oversee routing and delay planning for flights affected by NOTAMs, restricted airspace, and curfew constraints in coordination with Flight Dispatch and Crew Control, ensuring all plans are operationally legal and commercially sound.

Multi-Aircraft IROPS Management:
• Manage complex disruption scenarios involving multiple aircraft, crew streams, and passenger groups simultaneously — developing and executing recovery plans in coordination with Dispatch, Crew Control, MCC, and Ground Services.
• Own the initial passenger reaccommodation decision for disrupted flights, including interline and codeshare uplift options; escalate to MOC where decisions fall outside standard parameters or require higher authority.
• Conduct shift-level post-IROPS reviews: assess decision quality, recovery speed, and compliance; feed findings into team debriefs and SOP updates in coordination with the MOC.
Hub Operations Point of Contact:
• Serve as the OCC point of contact for assigned hub bases during the day-of-operations window — providing guidance, decision support, and escalation handling for hub-level disruption events.
• Monitor hub-base operations for emerging disruptions and coordinate proactive OCC intervention before events require MOC escalation; relay all material hub decisions and outcomes to the MOC.

Commercial Awareness, Regulatory Compliance & Team Mentoring:
• Maintain in-depth working knowledge of EU261/2004 and applicable domestic passenger rights regulations, crew FTL limits, slot coordination obligations, and DGCA/relevant authority directives for all areas of operation. Ensure all shift decisions and recovery plans are demonstrably compliant and defensible under the applicable regulatory framework.
• Coach and mentor Operations Controllers through deliberate feedback on decision quality, regulatory compliance, and communication discipline; develop the shift team's capability towards greater independence.
• Conduct precise shift handovers: ensure the incoming Senior Controller or MOC inherits a complete, accurate picture of network state, in-progress actions, hub status, and outstanding decisions.
Any other additional responsibility could be assigned to the role holder from time to time as a standalone project or regular work. The same would be suitably represented in the Primary responsibilities and agreed between the incumbent, reporting officer and HR.

C. Core Competencies
Multi-Variable Decision-Making — Manages simultaneous disruptions across multiple flights with commercial, crew, pax, and slot dimensions; commits to a clear, defensible recovery plan under time pressure. Stakeholder Communication — Communicates with authority and precision to Dispatch, Crew Control, MCC, Ground Services, and hub teams; knows when to direct, when to collaborate, and when to escalate to MOC.
IROPS Leadership — Sustains quality decision-making and team direction during complex, multi-aircraft events; provides composure and clarity that stabilises the shift when pressure peaks. Regulatory & Dispatch Domain Fluency — Holds in-depth knowledge of EU261/2004 and applicable passenger rights regimes across all areas of operation, crew FTL rules, and slot obligations. Additionally possesses strong awareness of the flight dispatch domain — including flight release authority, operational flight plan (OFP) considerations, fuel policy implications, and MEL/CDL constraints — enabling more informed and legally sound disruption decisions.
Commercial Acumen — Applies cost-consequence logic to disruption decisions; understands delay costs, cancellation exposure, EC261 liability, and reaccommodation spend, and balances these against passenger and brand outcomes. Hub Situational Awareness — Monitors assigned hub bases proactively; provides guidance and decision support to hub controllers before problems require MOC escalation.
Network & Systems Mastery — Deep knowledge of aircraft rotations, crew legality, slot rules, NOTAM constraints, and hub handling dependencies; reads the network's health and anticipates knock-on effects. Coaching & Mentoring — Develops Operations Controllers through deliberate feedback and decision debrief; explains the rationale behind decisions, not just the outcome.

D. Key Interfaces
Leadership Interfaces
Manager, Operations Control (MOC) • The MOC is the Senior Controller's reporting and escalation line. The Senior Controller operates within authority limits set by the MOC, escalates all material or out-of-authority decisions upward, and keeps the MOC informed of network state throughout the shift. Operations Controllers report to the Senior Controller for shift-level guidance and authority escalation.
Internal Interfaces
OCC Functional Teams & Hub Operations • Coordinates with Flight Dispatch, Crew Control, MCC, Ground Services, and Airport Operations on disruption management and recovery planning. Serves as the OCC point of contact for assigned hub bases — providing decision support, escalation handling, and standards oversight for hub-level operations during the day-of-operations window.
E. Educational and Experience Requirements
Minimum Education Requirement • Bachelor’s degree or its Equivalent
• Master’s degree is considered advantageous.
Minimum Requirement Desired
Experience • 0-2 years in airline operations, with at least 2 years in a direct operations control, flight dispatch, or equivalent decision-making role. Demonstrated experience managing disruption events with regulatory and commercial consequences. Working knowledge of EU261/2004 and applicable passenger rights frameworks for the airline's areas of operation. • 2-3 years including shift leadership or team supervision in OCC or equivalent. Formal qualification or certification in flight dispatch (e.g. DGCA Dispatch Licence, FAA A&P Dispatcher Certificate, or equivalent ICAO-compliant qualification) is a strong differentiator and actively preferred. Experience with multi-base or hub-and-spoke network operations. Documented IROPS recovery track record. Aspiration and demonstrated capability to progress to Manager Operations Control.
• Proficiency in OCC systems: OFP tools, crew management systems, ACARS, and operational reporting platforms.