Senior Manager, Safety

Company Description

MAKE IT COLLABORATIVE

At Sydney Airport, the future of air travel is shaped by you.

As a team, we connect the world. More than just a hub of activity and boundless energy, we’re creating a destination of amazing experiences. Like seeing wonderful moments unfold in front of you, knowing “I made that possible!”.

Dynamic. Fast-paced. We thrive in a place where fresh challenges land daily. Backed by positive and supportive team players and inspiring leaders, we adapt to change. Driven to grow. Owning every action. To do things better.

As smart, problem-solvers, we are always learning and growing. And that’s easier to do alongside passionate experts, as we collaborate across teams readily sharing our knowledge.

Each day is a new journey, as we bring an exciting vision to life. With significant capital investment in new, improved infrastructure, there’s never been a better time to expand your potential at Sydney Airport. The range of responsibilities and diverse pathways you can take on with us, are surprising.

We are SYD. United in the pride that comes with welcoming the world at Australia’s premier gateway.

Job Description

About the role

This is a pivotal leadership opportunity to shape the safety culture at one of Australia’s most iconic infrastructure assets. As Senior Manager, Safety, you’ll drive the implementation of Sydney Airport’s Safety & Wellbeing Strategy and Safety Management System, influencing safety outcomes across both operational and corporate environments.

Leading a team of Safety Business Partners, you’ll play a key role in lifting safety standards, embedding a culture of learning and accountability, and ensuring our systems and frameworks meet or exceed regulatory requirements. This is a high-impact role that partners closely with senior leaders and external stakeholders to deliver strategic safety initiatives that protect our people and passengers.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to

• Lead the delivery of safety strategy initiatives and programs across the organisation and airport precinct
• Establish and continuously improve safety systems, frameworks and governance aligned to WHS and aviation safety standards
• Champion a positive safety culture based on learning, reporting and just culture principles
• Oversee incident response and investigation frameworks, including managing the 24/7 Safety Oncall phone
• Develop and implement critical risk and control programs, and lead safety performance reporting to senior executives and the Board
• Coach and mentor a team of Safety Business Partners, building capability and visibility across the business

About you

You’re a strategic safety leader with deep expertise in WHS and aviation safety, and a passion for driving cultural change. You bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Safety (e.g. WHS, Human Factors), and certifications in ICAM investigation, auditing, and training
• Proven experience leading safety teams and delivering enterprise-wide safety strategies
• Strong knowledge of CASA, ICAO SMS, and ISO45001 standards
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and external partners
• A collaborative leadership style, with a track record of coaching and mentoring safety professionals
• Experience in developing and maintaining Safety Management Systems in complex operational environments

What we offer

To find out more about the amazing work environment here at SYD, be sure to check out the Join us section of Sydney Airport’s website, where you can also see more about our flexible culture and work practices, alongside our other Employee benefits, or take a look at our LinkedIn Sydney Airport: Life page.

Make it Amazing

SYD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages all suitably qualified applicants to apply, including First Nations Australians, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.