The posting
Job Description
This role sits at the heart of our planning function, ensuring that data-driven insights and robust strategies enable smooth passenger journeys and optimal resource allocation. You’ll work closely with operational teams and senior stakeholders to anticipate challenges, resolve capacity issues, and deliver plans that keep Heathrow running seamlessly every day.
As a Planning and Intelligence Manager, you’ll lead initiatives that turn complex data into actionable plans, balancing operational needs with commercial priorities. Success in this role means creating solutions that improve performance, enhance passenger experience, and support Heathrow’s long-term growth ambitions.
Responsibilities
- Lead the development and delivery of operational plans that align with passenger demand forecasts and resource availability.
- Leading a team of direct reports (Ops Planners) to deliver operational plans and insights across Airport Operations Centre.
- Analyse complex data sets to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, translating insights into practical recommendations for operational teams.
- Collaborate with stakeholders across Airport Operations Centre, operational teams, ground handlers and airlines to generate daily plans, share operational insight enabling data driven decision making.
- Provide clear, evidence-based advice to senior leaders to support decision making during peak periods and operational disruptions.
- Continuously review and refine planning processes to improve efficiency, resilience, and passenger experience.
Qualifications
- Proven experience in operational planning, resource management, or data-driven decision-making in a complex environment.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret and present data clearly to diverse audiences.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including the ability to influence and challenge constructively.
- Ability to lead initiatives and work collaboratively across multiple teams and functions.
- Solution focused problem solver with a logical approach, able to manage complexity, anticipate risks, and identify practical solutions using sound judgement and initiative.
- Ability to conduct data analysis and present insights effectively using Excel or other analytical tools
Ideally you will have
- Experience in aviation or transport industry planning.
- Knowledge of capacity management and demand forecasting techniques.
- Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies.
- Familiarity with analytical tools such as Excel and PowerBi.
About Us
There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.
Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.
It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.
Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.
Our rewards
We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.
Working Location
Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.
Sustainable Travel to work
Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.
Equal Opportunities
As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.
Heathrow is a city within a city, through which millions of passengers travel every year. In Operational Planning, our goal is to give passengers the best airport service in the world, in an environment where change is constant.
Join us and you’ll become part of an exciting and fast-paced team that keeps the airport running smoothly. Whether it's using data and strategy to predict and plan for events, responding to unexpected disruptions, or working closely with Airport Operations Control and airlines to optimise flight schedules and reduce delays, you’ll make a real difference to the experience of countless passengers.
Together, we’re responsible for creating the right planning proposition, from defining roles to building rosters, and delivering an effective plan every day. It’s about understanding our capacity and making best use of it. And about evaluating our performance every day, so we can continuously improve. Every day will test your skills and give you the opportunity to make your mark at one of the busiest airports in the world. Join us and discover a one-of-a-kind career.
