Director, QSS (Quality, Safety, Security)

Primary Purpose: Provide strategic leadership and accountable oversight for aviation safety, operational continuity, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, security, and anti-corruption/internal control across the airline.

Key Responsibilities:

Enhance aviation safety performance. Ensure uninterrupted operations support by organizing and coordinating staff engaged in the company’s operational activities.

Lead strategic stakeholder management by managing critical internal and external relationships and contributing to strategic planning.

Establish, maintain, and continually improve the company’s Safety Management System (SMS).

Oversee investigations of accidents, incidents, and safety events.

Lead safety communication, training, awareness, and just-culture initiatives.

Develop and monitor the annual/long-range program of quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

Coordinate on matters affecting the company’s production and operational activities.

Control execution of company activities and lead internal and external audit programs.

Implement and monitor anti-corruption policy and manage enterprise risk and internal control systems.

Represent and liaise with state authorities on aviation safety and security matters.

Minimum Qualifications:

Higher professional degree, preferably in a technical discipline or aviation.

At least 10 years of progressive experience in core functions of an airline Quality & Flight Safety organization, including senior leadership roles in aviation security (AVSEC), flight safety management, and compliance monitoring/quality assurance.

Minimum 5 years in an executive or head-of-function role within one of the key QSS verticals in a civil aviation organization of scale, complexity, and/or revenue at least comparable to the company.

English proficiency at ICAO Level 5 or higher (mandatory).

Required Knowledge & Competencies:

Aviation security principles. Civil Aviation Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan standards;

ICAO, IATA, IOSA, and other applicable aviation requirements.

Principles of commercial aircraft operations, flight safety, and aircraft maintenance.

Quality assurance principles and aviation Safety Management Systems.

Corporate governance and sustainability concepts.

Leading practices in Kazakhstan and international aviation markets.

Core provisions of the labor legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Risk management, internal control, and people management approaches.

Safety Management Expertise:

ICAO Safety Management Manual (SMM), Doc 9859.

ICAO Annex 19 Safety Management. ICAO Manual of Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, Doc 9756.

ICAO Annex 13 Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation.

ICAO Doc 10000 AN/501 Flight Data Analysis Programmes (FDAP) Guidance.

IOSA Standards & Recommended Practices (ISARPs) Guidance.

Quality / Compliance Expertise:

ICAO & IATA international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

EASA standards and regulations.

Certification standards for civil aviation maintenance organizations.

Certification requirements for air operators (commercial air transport).

Integrated principles of aviation quality assurance and SMS.

Risk management methodologies and internal control techniques.