Head of Safety

Company Description

We're Jetstar. You may know us for our famous low fares, but did you also know that we've flown more than 400 million customers since we launched in Australia in 2004? In fact, each week we operate around 3,000 flights to nearly 40 destinations across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific. We also operate a fleet of more than 80 aircraft, including state-of-the-art Airbus A320/21 NEO aircraft and the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 787-8s. Every day we enable more people to takeoff to more places, more often.

Impressive numbers? What's even more impressive is the team of extraordinary people taking off together day in day out, flight after flight.

Our people are the real jet stars

Job Description

• Step into a senior leadership role where you'll shape safety strategy and culture for a leading international airline.
• Lead a talented, multidisciplinary team and collaborate with global partners and regulators to set new benchmarks in aviation safety.
• Contribute to shaping best-in-class safety standards and fostering a culture of excellence within a complex, global aviation environment.

Love travel and passionate about all things aviation? You're in the right place. At Jetstar, you get to take-off at work and in life.

As a team, we're lucky we get to do both for a living – and we want you to be part of where we go next. Helping our teammates soar is what we're all about. And with new fleet of state-of-the-art aircraft, plus new routes being added, the sky's the limit.

Take-off with your next opportunity

Jetstar Airways is seeking an inspiring and forward-thinking Head of Safety to lead our Safety team and cultivate a strong culture of operational excellence across the organisation. In this executive role, you'll oversee all aspects of operational safety, employee wellbeing, organisational risk and change management, environmental risk and business continuity. As the CASA Approved Safety Manager, you'll ensure regulatory compliance, champion continuous improvement of our Safety Management System (SMS) and provide trusted, independent advice to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Jetstar Executive Team.

We're seeking a senior leader with extensive aviation experience, a strong track record in safety leadership and deep knowledge of regulatory compliance. You'll be skilled at building relationships with stakeholders at all levels - internally and externally - and have the strategic mindset to align safety initiatives with business goals. This role is for someone passionate about developing high-performing teams, fostering a proactive safety culture and keeping Jetstar at the forefront of industry best practice.

Key responsibilities of the role:

• Lead and manage the Jetstar Airways Safety department, overseeing all aspects of operational safety, employee health and wellbeing, organisational risk and change management, environmental risk and business continuity.
• Embed the Safety Management System (SMS), ensuring it meets regulatory requirements and industry best practice, while driving continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement.
• Provide independent, expert advice to the CEO, COO, Jetstar Executive Team, and external stakeholders on safety, quality, compliance and risk matters.
• Oversee the investigation and reporting of safety incidents and accidents, ensuring thorough documentation, analysis and implementation of corrective actions.
• Develop and implement safety strategies, policies, and programs aligned with business objectives and regulatory standards, considerate of technological innovation and change
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including civil aviation authorities and industry bodies within Australia and abroad.
• Lead, develop and motivate a high-performing safety team, ensuring effective talent management, succession planning and employee engagement.
• Monitor emerging risks, industry trends and regulatory changes to ensure Jetstar's ongoing compliance and proactive risk management.

To be considered for this role, you'll have:

• Advanced tertiary qualifications (technical undergraduate and business postgraduate preferred)
• Executive leadership experience in aviation, with a proven record managing large, high-performing, multidisciplinary teams
• Expertise in safety, compliance and regulatory frameworks – within a global aviation landscape preferred
• Demonstrated success in developing, implementing and elevating Safety Management Systems (SMS) at scale
• Strong operational acumen - experience in flight operations, engineering or ground operations highly valued
• Extensive hands-on experience with complex incident investigations, safety reporting and regulatory engagement
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, including with international regulators, boards and C-suite executives
• Proven ability to drive strategic innovation, continuous improvement and lead organisations through transformation and change
• Unquestionable integrity, courage and the ability to operated as a trusted business partner to provide independent, strategic counsel at the highest levels

Application close on Sunday, 16th November 2025.

Your life at Jetstar is unlike any other...

Live the travel dream: You and your nominated travel companions can take-off more with our famous Qantas Group Staff Travel discount.

Make work feel like a holiday: Join a fun, driven team where work feels like a holiday. Our people take every opportunity to take-off together and find ways to help their teammates soar.

There's a place for everyone at Jetstar: For us, travel and meeting new people go hand in hand. We invite our people to get involved in various Employee Network Groups that play an important role in creating our inclusive and supportive culture that we are fiercely proud of. We believe that teams with a diversity of ideas and experiences are more creative, innovative and solve problems quickly. We welcome applications from anyone who wants to take-off with us. If you have support or access requirements, just reach out and let us know what you need.

We're Jetstar. Let's take-off together