Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation.
The Manager, Operations Control Centre – Cargo is the single point of accountability for the real-time and near-term (1 day to 3 months) performance of cargo movement through our Canadian hubs. Unlike traditional airline operations roles, this is a cargo-first leadership position focused on the seamless flow of freight.
This candidate owns the operational oversight for inbound, outbound, and connection traffic, with direct responsibility for safety, productivity, financial performance, labor planning, and service delivery within Canada. The role leads a 24/7 Control Center team to pre-empt disruptions, resolve crises (e.g., cargo system outages, ramp congestion, customs holds), and optimize throughput while protecting revenue potential and shipment integrity.
Responsibilities:
Running the Control Center
- Lead the 24/7 Control Center team that is responsible to keep a real-time watch on freighters, ground handling, and all hub activities to prevent or quickly solve operational problems.
- Take charge when things go wrong such as bad weather, system crashes, or equipment breakdowns. Coordinate with network control, ground crews, and airline partners to protect time-sensitive shipments.
- Build and execute cargo production plans using past data, volume forecasts, and real-time input from the hub.
- Manage resources like labour, forklifts, ULDs, and warehouse space to get the best efficiency, control costs, and meet safety and service standards.
Performance & Improvement
- Set up and use real-time dashboards and alerts to track key metrics: on-time performance, how much cargo is moving through, and how efficiently equipment and space are being used.
- Produce regular reports, dig into what went wrong when targets are missed, and recommend fixes to stay on budget and hit KPIs.
- Create standard ways of handling incidents and escalating issues so any hub problem gets resolved quickly.
Working with Partners
- Collaborate with other cargo hubs, customs, and trucking companies to streamline processes, solve bottlenecks, and make sure we follow all rules. Think of this role as the central connector between the control center, local carriers, and government
agencies like CBSA. - Work with global hub counterparts to protect transfer connections for containers and transshipments.
- Advise the commercial team on available capacity, recovery options for premium shipments, and the feasibility of last-minute bookings.
Operational Excellence & Technology
- Use data from the control center to drive continuous process improvement. Identify ways to make hub operations more efficient, like reducing forklift travel time or balancing activity across shifts.
- Deploy tools like IoT sensors and predictive analytics to anticipate arrival surges and reposition labour/equipment intelligently.
- Partner with IT and Engineering to automate manual workflows, such as exception-based alerts for misrouted shipments, and improve centralized visibility of cargo from arrival to departure.
Leadership & Budget Responsibility
- Manage the operational budget for the control center and its related hub functions, covering safety, productivity, labour, and service levels.
- Define job requirements and develop training programs for control center staff, making sure they are proficient in crisis management, cargo systems, and clear communication with stakeholders.
- Own the planning for peak seasons (e.g., Q4 holiday surge). This includes staffing models, vendor capacity, and contingency playbooks for bad weather or labour disruptions.
Qualifications
Knowledge / Skill Requirements:
- Deep understanding of air freight handling: ULD builds, piece-level acceptance, screening, bond storage, transshipment documentation, and truck-to-freighter transfers.
- Proven ability to lead under pressure: handling diversions, cooler failures, or broad load plan errors. You'll need to direct cross-functional recovery efforts decisively.
- Strong data and systems proficiency: Advanced Excel, Power BI (dashboards), and cargo management systems. Predictive modelling for arrival volumes is a strong asset.
- Knowledge of regulations: IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM), Perishable Goods Regulations (PCR), Live Animals Regulations (LAR), and CBSA ACROSS/ACI eManifest protocols.
- Process improvement experience: Lean/Six Sigma Green or Black Belt (using tools like VSM, PDCA, 5S, and Kanban for ULD flow).
- Excellent communication skills: You'll need to engage easily with cargo pilots, ramp agents, freight forwarders, customs officers, and senior leadership.
- Demonstrate punctuality and dependability to support overall team success in a fast-paced environment
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Logistics, Aviation Management, or equivalent experience. An MBA or graduate certificate in Operations Management is an asset.
- 3+ years in air cargo operations, with at least 3 years in a hub, ramp control, or cargo network control center.
- 3+ years in a supervisory or management role, making real-time decisions about cargo flow: rebooking shipments, managing connections, and planning recovery from disruptions.
- Proven experience leading crisis response in a cargo environment: winter storms, equipment shortages, customs strikes, etc.
- Experience managing operational budgets and labour planning for a 24/7 cargo operation.
Conditions of Employment:
Candidates must be eligible to work in the country of interest at the time any offer of employment is made and are responsible for obtaining any required work permits, visas, or other authorizations necessary for employment. Prior to their start date, candidates will also need to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the country of interest.
Linguistic Requirements
Based on equal qualifications, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.
Diversity and Inclusion
Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees’ unique contributions to our company’s success.
As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all to help us build a diverse workforce which reflects the diversity of our customers, and communities, in which we live and serve.
Air Canada thanks all candidates for their interest; however only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted.
