Role Title: Compliance Manager
Department: Aviation Security
Reports to: Station Manager
Location: London Heathrow Airport
Job Overview
As Compliance Manager – Aviation (Heathrow), you will be responsible for the delivery and oversight of regulatory compliance across ICTS operations at Heathrow Airport, covering Aviation Security, Airport Security, Airline Security and Hold Baggage Screening (HBS).
You will ensure full operational compliance with UK CAA and DfT requirements, the Heathrow Airport Security Programme (ASP), relevant airline security programmes and associated contractual obligations. Working in close collaboration with Heathrow Airport Ltd, airline clients, regulators and internal operational leadership, you will translate regulatory direction and commercial commitments into robust local procedures, structured assurance activity and consistent operational practice.
You will act as the station compliance lead at Heathrow, managing a compliance team and embedding a proactive, risk-based culture that ensures all operations remain audit-ready, resilient and aligned to both regulatory standards and client expectations.
Principal Accountabilities
- Lead compliance oversight across Heathrow operations, covering Aviation, Airport, Airline and HBS functions.
- Ensure full compliance with the UK aviation security regulatory framework, Heathrow Airport Security Programme (ASP), airline security programmes and contractual security requirements.
- Act as the primary compliance point of contact at station level for regulators, Heathrow Airport Ltd, airline clients and internal stakeholders.
- Work collaboratively with clients to ensure security is delivered in line with regulatory direction, approved security programmes and contract specifications.
- Plan and deliver structured assurance programmes, including internal audits, quality reviews, covert testing and performance monitoring.
- Maintain regulatory readiness, coordinating and supporting CAA and DfT inspections and ensuring timely and effective responses to findings.
- Conduct compliance mapping and gap analysis against security programme requirements and contractual standards, driving corrective and preventative action.
- Lead investigations into compliance breaches, incidents and non-conformities, ensuring accurate reporting and sustainable resolution.
- Line manage and develop the ICTS compliance team, providing direction, coaching and performance oversight.
- Produce clear, data-led compliance and assurance reports for operational leadership and clients.
- Support operational change, contract mobilisation and programme amendments from a compliance and assurance perspective.
- Monitor regulatory updates and ensure local procedures, work instructions and assurance frameworks are aligned accordingly.
- Collaborate with the Training team to monitor training compliance, certification validity and recurrent competency standards, ensuring all personnel meet regulatory, programme and contractual requirements and that training assurance supports audit readiness.
- Provide oversight of existing compliance and contractual KPIs, validating performance and ensuring accurate, transparent reporting to clients, regulators and internal leadership.
- Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and professional integrity across all Heathrow operations.
- Role model emotional intelligence and a growth mindset, encouraging resilience, adaptability, and continuous personal and professional development across the team.
- Contribute to ICTS’s wider strategic planning, offering insights and operational feedback to shape long-term goals and business development priorities.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
- Demonstrable experience in aviation security compliance within a regulated airport environment.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence, challenge and provide clear regulatory guidance to operational teams, clients and senior stakeholders in a professional and constructive manner.
- Experience delivering audits, assurance programmes and performance monitoring activity.
- Experience responding to regulatory inspections and managing corrective action processes.
- Strong leadership skills, with the ability to coach, mentor, and develop a team.
- Strong analytical, investigative and report-writing capability.
- Proven ability to build effective working relationships with clients and operational stakeholders.
- Sound understanding of KPIs, SLAs and contractual compliance within aviation security operations.
- Ability to manage multiple compliance streams within a complex, high-volume airport environment.
Desired:
- Full UK driving license.
- Professional qualifications in security management, compliance, or operational leadership.
- ASM Accreditation
