Aviation Operations Manager - Johannesburg, South Africa - Puma Energy

Description

Main Purpose:

The role entails leading and managing all technical, operational, commercial, and product quality aspects of Puma Energy's aviation operations business, which spans across 85+ airports in 25 countries, including Joint venture airport operations. Oversight of product quality at inland and ocean terminals handling aviation fuels is also within the scope. Implementation of the Group HSSEQ framework, culture, and reporting is crucial to ensure full compliance with group and legislative requirements. Additionally, ensuring the rollout of EI/JIG 1530 product quality to midstream terminals where aviation fuels are handled and distributed is a key responsibility. Collaboration with the commercial team to maximize commercial value derived from Aviation operations while delivering HSSE and operational excellence for customers at airport locations is emphasized. Leading, inspiring, and developing operations staff to meet future operational requirements and managing a technical knowledge bank to provide technical support to the global business are paramount. Driving initiatives to improve the efficient use of assets and human resources rounds out the responsibilities of the role.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities, Key Responsibilities:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Product Quality:

• Has ownership of the PUMA Global Aviation Product Quality regime ensuring compliance to the relevant fuel specifications. Compliance to these standards is incorporated in our commercial Aviation Fuel Supply Agreements (AFSA's) with airline customers and is a contractual obligation.

• To ensure that the product quality requirements are rolled out to all drum filling locations, airport depots and Joint venture operations.

• Has decision rights on aviation fuel quality throughout the supply chain.

Airport Operations:

• Overall responsibility for Puma license to operate

• Has ownership of the Puma Aviation Operations Manuals ensuring compliance to the JIG and IATA 103 standards.

• To provide a support service to ensure that the necessary training and guidance is provided to each country so that product receipt, storage and into – plane deliveries are performed in accordance with Puma aviation standards.

• Ensure that JV ( Joint Venture) core principles are implemented at JV locations

• Management of the operations through the establishment of guidelines on effective reporting on Opex, Capex , incidents , Inventory control and KPI's.

• Ensure world class contractor management

• Forecasting manning requirements for each location and planning work schedules to ensure workable solutions. Ensure tight overtime management.

• Management of the Puma aviation bulletin program.

People management:

• Convene and lead the regional and country aviation management team to prioritise work plans as part performance management plans and establish the pace and timing of implementation.

• To lead, inspire and develop Operations staff to meet future operational requirements and to manage technical knowledge bank to provide technical support to the global business. Drive initiatives to improve efficient use of assets and human resources.

• Ensure regular staff engagement and communication on progress, ensure robust feedback loop.

• To ensure that aviation staff is trained in accordance with Puma Aviation standards, JIG and IATA standard into plane refueling requirements in accordance with Puma airline customer contractual obligations.
• Ensure that a succession plan is in place to provide business continuity

Aviation Equipment- Standards and Engineering Assurance:

• Has ownership of the Puma Equipment specification manuals to ensure that equipment placed into aviation service complies with international standards and is compatible with aviation fuels and is safe to operate.

• To ensure that the necessary preventative maintenance programs are introduced to prevent fueling disruptions through equipment failure.

• Has sign off responsibilities for all design of new aviation installations and acceptance / hand over sign off on completion of new projects .

• Working with Procurement, ensure robust contractor management and that global framework agreements are negotiated and in place for key supply chain categories.

Inspections and operational Assurance:

• To ensure that all airport depots be audited on an annual basis in accordance with the Puma aviation inspection checklist.

• Upstream Ocean and inland terminals that store, handle and distribute aviation fuels aviation fuels to be audited against EI 1530 compliance.

• To ensure that 3rd party laboratories employed in the testing of aviation fuels are audited against EI 1530 compliance.

• To ensure that recommendations arising from previous, Aviation JIG audits, IFQP audits and Puma internal audits ( Geneva ) are closed within a reasonable time frame.

Inventory Management:

• To ensure that inventory levels at all locations is maintained at a satisfactory level to accommodate customer requirements and to ensure that loss gain performance is managed within acceptable limits with traffic light reporting system at airports.

• Ensure monthly reporting of stock gains and losses at depots and in transit with proactive investigation and follow up as required.

HSSE

• To ensure that all Puma operated airport depots conform and apply the Puma SAPS management system in addition to the aviation specific operating and quality control requirements.

• Drive a safely culture campaign at operator and contractor level to ensure a "chronic unease" culture.

• Ensure incident reporting is recorded in RIVO.

• To ensure that the necessary HAZOP and risk analyses are carried out and mitigating of risk is implemented or appraised to senior management.

Cost Management:

• Manage in all operational and capital budgets planning and expenditure.

• To monitor operating costs with a view to improving operational efficiency and cost reduction at all airport depots and into-plane operations.

• Drive business efficiencies for the eAviation platform.

• Business Development:

• Play a leading role in the support of new airport and country entries by ensure fit for purpose and innovative approaches to growing the airport network.

• Support with new business leads and customer opportunities.

• Ensure proper Management of Change to deliver safe and Puma compliant operations at new airport operations.

• External Stakeholders:

• Managing relationships with IATA, JIG, EI and other technical service and operational partners to ensure that Puma Energy remains abreast of latest develops and changes in codes of practice with a view to implementing best practice across the business.

REQUIREMENTS:

Experience:

• Minimum of 15 years' experience in downstream oil operations in a leadership role

• Leading and inspiring teams

• HSSE systems and leading positive cultural change

• Oil terminal operations

• Contractor management

• Oil logistics – road, rail, sea and pipeline

• Airport fuel depot, in-to-plane and hydrant systems

• Product quality control on aviation fuels (jet and avgas)

• Joint venture management

• Construction and engineering project management

Skills & Competencies:

• A recognized degree / diploma in engineering with post graduate business qualification

• Problem solving skills

• Proven track record of financial analysis

• Excellent Microsoft Office and ERP skills required, Excel in particular

• Exceptional stakeholder management skills and ability to engage management on strategy & implementation

• Strong communication skills: verbal, written and presentation

• Innovative and autonomous

• Cross-functional orientation and ability to work successfully in a matrix organization

• Ability to work under pressure

• Strongly organized and structured

• Crisis management

• Virtual working

Key Relationships and Department Overview:

Internal – Global Head of Aviation, Country GM's, Country and Airport Aviation Operations managers, Construction, Puma HSSEQ, Procurement, IT, Legal, Finance and Transport.
External – Airport authorities, airline customers, EI (energy Institute), JIG (Joint Inspection group), IATA, Governmental civil aviation authorities, Vendors and global standards authorities and environmental agencies.