Operational Integrity and Assurance Manager - Investigations

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Air New Zealand seeks an experienced Operational Integrity and Assurance Manager Investigations to lead the safety investigations function within the Operational Safety Centre of Excellence, shaping just culture and delivering improvements across a complex regulated airline. The role requires senior stakeholder influence, regulatory engagement, and the ability to connect operations, unions and regulators to shared risk ownership. Prerequisites include aviation safety investigation qualifications, advanced Safety Management System knowledge, leadership in a large aviation setting, Human Factors integration, and ideally CAA Senior Person acceptance or eligibility for Part 119 requirements. To apply, tailor your CV to show measurable outcomes, demonstrate continuous improvement, and highlight fit with Manaaki and NZ travel flexibility.

Job Description

Kia ora!

Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Air New Zealand. This senior leadership role gives you the opportunity to shape how safety investigations are delivered across our airline, strengthening our safety culture and helping protect our people, customers and communities every day.

As Operational Integrity and Assurance Manager – Investigations, you will play a critical role within our Operational Safety Centre of Excellence. You will lead the airline’s approach to operational safety investigations, ensuring robust, just and forward-thinking practices that identify meaningful safety improvements and reduce future risk. This is a role with real influence, visibility and impact across a complex, regulated environment.

You will join the wider Operational Integrity and Safety team, which promotes and supports the safety, health and security of our people and operations. At Air New Zealand, we connect friends and whānau across Aotearoa and the world, and our promise of Manaaki guides how we care for one another and our customers.

Your key responsibilities

• Lead and oversee operational safety investigations using progressive methodologies and Just Culture principles to drive measurable safety improvements
• Provide people and thought leadership to a team of Safety Specialists, supporting capability development, wellbeing and consistent, high-quality investigation outcomes
• Set and champion best practice investigation standards across the airline, enabling coordinated and consistent application
• Act as Senior Person Occurrence Investigations under Air New Zealand’s Part 119 AOC and other regulatory certificates as required
• Influence senior leaders, front-line teams, unions and regulators to embed strong safety outcomes and shared ownership of risk
• Contribute to the ongoing maturity of the Safety Management System and enterprise-wide risk management.

What we’re looking for

• Aviation safety investigation qualifications or equivalent industry training
• Advanced knowledge of Safety Management Systems and their practical application
• Hold, or have held, an Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence or equivalent aviation technical qualification
• Demonstrated capability to lead the integration of Human Factors thinking within safety investigation and assurance processes
• Proven experience leading aviation safety investigations within an airline or large, complex organisation
• Five or more years’ leadership experience in complex operational environments
• Extensive aviation experience, ideally within airline flight operations involving large aircraft
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders, including regulators and senior leaders
• Systems thinking mindset with a strong track record in continuous improvement
• Previous CAA Senior Person acceptance, or experience and qualifications suitable to meet CAA requirements for Senior Person Occurrence Investigations.
• If you bring most of this experience, along with transferable skills and the drive to grow, we’d love to hear from you.

What we can offer you

• We want our people to live their best lives and access great benefits that support their lives outside work
• Generous Staff Travel benefits for you and your whānau, with access to travel on many other global airlines
• FlexiLeave, giving you the option to purchase up to four additional weeks of leave each year
• Life insurance cover for permanent New Zealand based employees, plus access to additional insurance at discounted rates
• Access to Koruhealth and Southern Cross medical insurance at group rates to support your wellbeing
• A learning culture that supports your growth with extensive development and on the job learning opportunities.

Take flight and apply now
If you are motivated to lead meaningful safety outcomes and contribute to our promise of Manaaki, we would love to hear from you. This Auckland-based role is also open to suitably qualified candidates elsewhere in New Zealand, subject to regular travel feasibility.

Applications close Monday 9th February 2026

Additional Information

At Air New Zealand, we are proudly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and believe in creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. Our people are our greatest asset – because while everything else we do in our operation can be replicated by our competitors, it is our people that truly set us apart. We are firm believers in celebrating the differences and diversity of thought our people bring to their roles.

Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Ko te pae tata whakamaua, kia tina.

"Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality."