Key Responsibilities
● Maintain fleet-wide situational awareness across all live operations, overseeing all aircraft movements rather than managing individual aircraft
● Act as the primary focal point in the operations room - the first point of escalation when operational problems arise
● Quality-check operational decisions and outputs across the team, identifying and correcting issues before they escalate (e.g. flight plan routing, airport selection, cost efficiency)
● Oversight of pre and post-flight documentation checks, ensuring compliance standards are maintained consistently across the team
● Ensure Operations Controllers understand and remain compliant with all current procedures and any changes as they are issued
● Receive and action project handoffs from HOGO / Deputy Head, translating these into operational plans for the Operations Controller team
● Manage aircraft sensor configuration - maintaining accurate records of sensor fi ts and uploading updated aircraft profiles to flight planning software following any configuration change
● Present the daily company-wide operational briefing (Monday to Friday), providing a situational overview of the day’s operations and coordinating handovers to other departments
● Support the training and mentoring of Operations Controllers, aiding their development and ensuring the team performs to the required standard
● Lead, motivate and maintain a positive team culture within the Operations Controller team
● Provide on-call support to Operations Controllers during shift lead periods
● Escalate operational issues to the Operations leadership team where situations require management-level intervention
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
● Prior experience as an Operations Controller or in an equivalent operational aviation role is required
● Some supervisory or leadership experience is advantageous but not essential; candidates who can demonstrate readiness to step into a leadership role will be considered
● Strong computer literacy; the role is primarily office-based and requires confidence with digital tools and platforms
● Expert-level knowledge across all Operations Controller competencies
● Fleet-wide situational awareness and ability to manage multiple aircraft movements simultaneously
● Operational quality assurance - identifying errors, ineffi ciencies and risks across team outputs
● Clear and confident communication, including presenting to a company-wide audience
● Team supervision, on-the-job training and mentoring
● Aircraft configuration management and flight planning software proficiency
● Sound operational decision-making with the ability to act independently and justify decisions clearly
Behavioural and Leadership Competency
● Ready to take on supervisory responsibility and lead others, not just perform the role individually
● Leads by example, setting the operational standard for the team through their own conduct
● Motivates and actively maintains a positive team culture, even under pressure
● A trusted source of knowledge - the person the team turns to for guidance, mentorship and answers
● Safety-first mindset, with the confidence to challenge decisions that do not meet the required standard
● Ambitious and looking to grow - sees this role as a deliberate step in their leadership journey
About
DEA and our sister company ESAO are a world leading specialist technology-led provider of complex aerial data acquisition services. A pioneer in airborne data gathering, DEA/ESAO use ground-breaking techniques and the most advanced and innovative technologies in the industry to help you answer complex questions and make informed decisions in real time.
Skills Required
- Prior experience as an Operations Controller or equivalent operational aviation role
- Private Pilot Licence (PPL) or equivalent aviation qualification (PPL preferred; candidates undertaking PPL considered)
- Some supervisory or leadership experience (advantageous)
- Strong computer literacy and confidence with digital tools and platforms
- Expert-level knowledge across Operations Controller competencies
- Fleet-wide situational awareness and ability to manage multiple aircraft movements
- Operational quality assurance skills to identify errors, inefficiencies, and risks
- Clear and confident communication, including presenting to company-wide audiences
- Team supervision, on-the-job training and mentoring capabilities
- Aircraft configuration management and proficiency with flight planning software
- Sound operational decision-making and ability to act independently with clear justification
What We Do
DEA is a world leading technology-led provider of specialised aerial data acquisition services. Specialised Operations DEA delivers bespoke airborne solutions using their proprietary technology, real time connectivity and operational expertise combining senior military and commercial aviation experience to provide a class- leading innovative and agile response to the most demanding requirement. This combination forms the basis of enduring partnerships with our customers. Leading Technology DEA’s technical systems team create the soft and hard ability quickly to merge differing complex sensor technologies and technical standards, to deliver industry-leading operational flexibility and capabilities within competitive time and cost constraints. DEA's Mission Management System consolidates all required data and functionality into one easy to use platform enabling better analysis and outcomes. Engineering services DEA provides reliable and robust aircraft management, maintenance, modification & technical integration and parts services that are designed to keep their own fleet and our customers’ aircraft airborne and safe. All services and approvals are compliant with regulators including the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). DEA's services include: • Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) • Aerial survey • Specialist commercial air transport • Flight calibration and flight path validation.
