Air Operations Officer

This position is located in Bogota, Colombia, in the Aviation Unit of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC).

**Responsibilities**:
Within delegated authority, the Air Operations Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Air Operations Centre (Unit) duties:

- Monitors that air operations are conducted in compliance with Air Tasking Orders (ATOs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), UN directives, Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)/Department of Field Support (DFS) Aviation Manual, UN Aviation Standards for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Air Transport Operations (UN AVSTADS), UN Aviation Safety Manual, ICAO standards and recommended practices and the host country's Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs).
- Reviews and approves Air Mission Requests and ensures that the most suitable air asset(s) is/are assigned to a task to achieve the maximum safety, cost efficiency and effectiveness in the mission support.
- Verifies the daily projected Air Tasking Orders (ATOs) for conformance and compliance with the requested tasks, resolves conflicting priorities and ensures that ATOs are published and communicated to all relevant elements in accordance with the established procedures and deadlines.
- Manages routine (regular passenger/cargo, logistics resupply) flights, special (casualty and medical evacuation, VIP) flights and military operational flights.
- Coordinates the integrated search and rescue operations for UN air assets and other aircraft upon request.
- Supervises timely coordination of diplomatic over flight/landing clearances, ground handling support and hotel accommodation/meal/transportation arrangements for aircrews.

Aviation Safety duties:

- Acts as an expert adviser to the Chief Mission Support on aviation safety matters.
- Participates in the development and implementation of the Mission Aviation Safety Program.
- Participates in the development of the Aviation Emergency Plan and communicates it to all officials concerned.
- Participates in the development of quarterly Risk Assessments indicators and analyzes the level of safety of aviation activities within a field mission.
- Conducts initial aircraft inspections and participates in the performance evaluations of civil air operators.
- Participates, as a UN representative, in the investigation of accidents and incidents involving UN air assets and equipment.
- Maintains the aviation safety database and ensures that information is recorded in accordance with the established procedures and deadlines.
- Organizes and conducts mission Aviation Safety Council meetings.

Airfields/Air Terminals Unit duties:

- Supervises the provision of reliable, cost effective and efficient ground handling support (including emergency crash and rescue support) to the air operations activities of the Mission.
- Supervises the Foreign Object Debris (FOD) activities at airfields and air terminals.
- Supervises the aviation security activities related to operations at airfields/air terminals used for UN air operations.
- Participates in the integrated search and rescue operations for the UN air assets and other aircraft upon request and coordinates the availability and operational readiness of the required personnel and equipment.
- Verifies that airfields/air terminals and landing sites are equipped for UN air operations in accordance with the requirements of the DPKO/DFS Aviation Manual and UN AVSTADS.
- Participates in the coordination of the aviation infrastructure rehabilitation projects with the civil and military aviation authorities of a host country.
- Participates in the development of technical specifications for goods and services, provides inputs to the responses to bids and technical evaluations to ensure that vendor's proposals meet technical requirements.
- Participates in the coordination of the requisition process with purchasing authorities.
- Monitors contracts for the provision of ground handling support and participates in the evaluation of vendor's performance in coordination with the Contracts Management Unit and/or the Procurement Unit.
- Conducts inventories and physical annual checks of relevant aviation equipment.
- Conducts the aviation risk management for UN aviation activities in accordance with the established procedures.
- Monitors utilization of UN air assets and analyzes the statistical data obtained.
- Monitors that electronic database are maintained in accordance with the established procedures and deadlines.
- Briefs aircrews on UN policies, aviation safety requirements and the latest applicable aviation standard operating procedures.
- Monitors that appropriate reference documents are current, readily available and accessible to all aircrew members and aviation personnel.
- Analyzes, in coordination with the Aviation Safety team, the aviation safety reports, identifies necessary corrective and preventive measures and informs the Officer on the required actions.
- Liaises with othe