Director, Airport & Cargo Operations
Iqaluit, Nunavut On-Site Permanent

Salary Range: $145,000 – $178,000+ (commensurate with experience)

About the Role
An established northern aviation organization is seeking a Director-level leader to oversee airport, ramp, and cargo operations at its busiest and most complex station in Iqaluit. This is a newly created leadership role that brings multiple operational functions under one mandate, with a strong focus on performance, stability, and service delivery.

This role is heavily operational, with accountability for day-to-day execution, safety, on-time performance, and team leadership across a large frontline workforce. In addition, there is a growing commercial component focused on stakeholder relationships, partnerships, and supporting revenue-generating initiatives.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on leader with strong operational credibility, capable of leading from the floor while driving continuous improvement and measurable performance outcomes.

Key Details
Location: Iqaluit, Nunavut (on-site; no rotation)
Reports To: Vice President, Airport & Cargo Operations
Direct Reports: Local management leads for Ramp/Cargo and Customer Service
Team Size: ~120 employees in ramp & cargo; ~35–40 in customer service
Travel: Occasional travel to support remote Nunavut stations (frequency varies by operational need)

Key Responsibilities
• Lead all airport, ramp, and cargo operations at a high-volume station (~12–13 flights daily)
• Drive operational excellence across safety, on-time performance (OTP), service levels, and regulatory compliance
• Build and sustain a strong, customer-focused culture across all frontline teams
• Stabilize and strengthen workforce performance, with a focus on retention and engagement in a challenging labour market
• Partner closely with the Operations Control Centre (OCC) to support system-wide operations across Nunavut
• Establish, track, and improve key performance metrics including cost, OTP, SLAs, and volume
• Lead multiple operational and infrastructure-related initiatives, ensuring strong project execution
• Support commercial objectives through stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and contract support
• Oversee workforce planning, coaching, and performance management across large, multi-functional teams
• Champion continuous improvement and change management initiatives across the station
• Support community-based hiring and Indigenous/Inuit workforce development where possible

Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Aviation, Business, Operations Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of senior operational leadership experience in high-volume, frontline environments
• Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional teams (100+ employees)
• Strong operational background in aviation, cargo, logistics, or similarly complex environments
• Experience managing remote, northern, or multi-site operations is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to define and drive KPIs (e.g., OTP, cost, service levels, productivity)
• Hands-on leadership style with the ability to lead from the floor and influence at all levels
• Strong project management capabilities, with experience leading multiple concurrent initiatives
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to support partnerships and revenue-related activities
• Demonstrated commitment to delivering high-quality customer service
• Experience with Indigenous/Inuit recruitment, community engagement, or workforce development is an asset

Key Considerations
• This role is based full-time in Iqaluit; relocation is required if not currently local
• The environment is fast-paced, operationally complex, and requires resilience and adaptability
• Strong preference for candidates with northern experience or ties to the region

Why This Role
This is a high-impact leadership opportunity to shape and stabilize operations at a critical northern hub. The role offers the chance to lead a large team, influence operational and commercial performance, and play a key role in delivering essential services to remote communities.