Safety & Assurance Director (Aviation)

Safety & Assurance Director (Aviation)

Altitude Angel

Reading, United Kingdom

About the Role

We're seeking a visionary Safety & Assurance Director to lead our safety initiatives at the intersection of traditional aviation and cutting-edge flight automation technologies. This role is pivotal in ensuring the highest safety standards across our operations and for our clients, as we continue to develop and implement Unified Traffic Management (UTM) solutions globally.

What You'll Do

• Lead safety strategy: Design, implement and continuously improve Altitude Angel’s Safety Management System, ensuring alignment with ICAO Annex 19, CAP 760 and UK Regulation (EU) 2017/373;
• Own assurance frameworks: Define and govern the software and hardware assurance strategy, incorporating relevant standards including CAP 670 SW01 for software, CAP 670 HW01 for hardware, ED-109A/DO-278A, DO-178C, DO-254, ED-153, and the EUROCONTROL SWAL/HWAL methodology;
• Govern product assurance: Provide strategic oversight for the assurance of the ARROW® platform and supporting systems, ensuring readiness for deployment into operational airspace;
• Establish assurance structures: Define safety objectives, risk classifications, traceability practices, and assurance artefacts to support internal governance and external regulatory engagement;
• Engage with regulators: Act as the company’s lead interface with the UK CAA, EUROCONTROL, ICAO, and other relevant authorities and industry bodies;
• Investigate and improve: Lead investigations into safety incidents, hazards and near-misses; analyse root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence;
• Promote safety culture: Champion a proactive safety culture through structured training, communications, and leadership across all departments;
• Monitor performance: Develop and track key safety and assurance metrics, providing regular updates to executive leadership and supporting transparent decision-making;
• Advise executives: Serve as the principal advisor to senior leadership on safety, risk and compliance matters;
• Innovate in assurance: Drive continuous improvement in how safety and assurance are delivered, leveraging automation and agile-compatible methods.

What You'll Bring

• A degree in safety engineering, systems engineering, aviation, or a related field;
• A minimum of eight years in aviation safety or assurance, with at least three years in a senior leadership role;
• Deep understanding of UK Regulation (EU) 2017/373 and its application to ATS and CNS service providers;
• Familiarity with key assurance standards including CAP 670 SW01 and HW01, CAP 760, ED-109A/DO-278A, DO-178C, DO-254, ED-153, and the EUROCONTROL SWAL/HWAL methodology;
• Proven experience implementing or managing an effective Safety Management System in a regulated environment;
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities, with confidence in engaging regulators, auditors, engineers and executive stakeholders;
• High-level investigative and root cause analysis capability, applied to safety events or complex systems;
• Credentials in safety investigation or audit such as IS-BAO, IOSA, or ICAO Safety Investigation are a plus.

Desirable Attributes

• A cross-functional mindset, with the ability to build alignment across product, engineering, legal, and operations;
• Ability to operate in complex environments with software, hardware, and organisational dependencies;
• Openness to modernising safety and compliance through agile-aligned practices and automation;
• A passion for aviation and a deep belief in the role of engineering rigour in shaping the future of safe, digital airspace.

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