**Overview**
This is a vacancy for a Chief Operations Technology Officer at Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). The role is a five-year performance-based fixed-term contract, graded at PEROMNES Level 3, and is located in Bruma, Johannesburg. The Chief Operations Technology Officer reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer.
ATNS is responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of air traffic services within South Africa’s airspace and surrounding oceanic areas, supporting operations at nine statutory airports, 11 regional airports, and the St Helena Airport. The company is seeking a visionary and principled leader for its Operations Technology Department, committed to ethical leadership, corporate citizenship, and integrated reporting.
The purpose of the role is to lead operations technology, communication, and navigation systems that directly interact with aircraft operations, airport infrastructure, air traffic control, maintenance systems, and other safety-critical systems and equipment. This ensures safe and efficient air traffic management and continuously monitors the availability of required systems and infrastructure to support safe and effective aviation operations. ATNS is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from designated groups in line with its Employment Equity Plan.
**What you will do**
* **Strategic Engineering Leadership:** Develop and implement the Operations Technology strategy aligned with ATNS strategic objectives, conceptualise and define ATNS operations engineering services, influence CNS concepts nationally and regionally over a 20-year timeframe, ensure effective interpretation of air navigation plans to meet international standards, and instill ATNS values within the engineering environment.
* **Operations Technology Management:** Develop the Operations Technology (OT) strategy and roadmap for ATM operations, align it with air navigation and safety goals, manage total engineering quality, deploy, integrate, and operationalise OT systems, and ensure OT security, safety, governance, and compliance. Monitor and optimise OT performance, ensure effective operation and maintenance of CNS/ATM OT systems, and provide effective support to OT users and operators. Lead OT planning, develop a plan considering technology obsolescence, design effective OT safety and security systems, monitor and optimise OT performance based on user requirements and service levels, provide strategic direction for OT infrastructure maintenance, security, disaster recovery, and ATM end-user support. Oversee integration and implementation of engineering service plans and direct business-driven engineering projects, ensuring project management disciplines, resource allocation, and deadline achievement.
* **High-tech Infrastructure/CAPEX and Implementation:** Lead and/or contribute to the mapping and implementation of short-, medium-, long-term, and high-value multi-million rand operations technology plans from conceptualisation to maintenance. Perform contract management of high-tech suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure the availability of required systems and infrastructure.
* **Development of Technical Standards:** Lead and direct the development of technical standards to meet engineering service requirements and project deliverables, anticipate and implement changes in engineering standards, and drive equipment, organisational, and other requirements to meet new technical standards.
* **Service Excellence:** Establish technical service delivery Service Level Agreements (SLAs), ensure technical service delivery aligns with identified engineering standards, analyse and develop engineering services and standards in line with emerging trends, and keep abreast of technical maintenance developments.
* **Commercial Revenue Streams:** Consult the organisational strategy to determine CNS-specific products and services requirements, manage the development of CNS-related and collaborative products and services to meet identified opportunities, and ensure they meet market demands to prevent losses.
* **Governance, Compliance, Risk Management & Reporting:** Lead the development, maintenance, monitoring, and review of Operations Technology policies, processes, procedures, and SLAs. Ensure full compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory standards, and ATNS frameworks. Prepare strategic level reports for EXCO, the Board, and other key stakeholders. Identify strategic and operational business risks, develop and implement appropriate mitigation, and ensure risks are measured, corrected, and managed in accordance with the ATNS Risk Management Framework.
* **Stakeholder Relations Management:** Develop, manage, and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders including regulatory bodies, airports, professional institutions, and service providers. Monitor service delivery levels to ensure excellence and user satisfaction.
* **Financial Management:** Manage expenditure in line with business objectives and priorities within approved financial parameters. Develop the divisional budget in conjunction with Finance, manage operations costs according to the mandate matrix delegation of authority, ensure accountability and reporting on all costs incurred, and manage the overall Operations Technology budget.
* **People Management:** Ensure optimal development, deployment, and management of human resources. Manage staff according to Human Capital policies and the disciplinary code, ensure proper onboarding of new employees, monitor time and attendance, promote high levels of safety, discipline, and output standards, manage performance through the system, and facilitate change through ATNS change management processes.
**Requirements (from the original advert)**
* **Qualifications Requirement:**
* A Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering / BEng in Electronic / Electrical Light Current or equivalent post graduate NQF 8 is required.
* Registration as Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa is required. Alternatively, be registrable within a period of 2 years.
* Master’s level qualification in engineering or technical or general business management or related field is advantageous.
* Formal Leadership and Business Management training as an added advantage.
* **Experience Requirement:**
* At least ten (10) years engineering experience in an aviation environment or similar of which 7 years must have been at senior management level.
* Air traffic navigation experience will be an added advantage.
**Who should apply**
Candidates who are visionary and principled leaders, deeply committed to the highest standards of ethical leadership, corporate citizenship, and integrated reporting. Individuals capable of guiding an Operations Technology Department. As ATNS is an equal opportunity employer with an Employment Equity Plan, candidates from designated groups as per the Employment Equity Act of 1998 are encouraged to apply.
**Deadline**
30 October 2026
**Reference**
Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/chief-operations-technology-officer-october-atns
Source: myjobmag
Summary drafted with AI assistance from the original advert. The advert itself is the authority — how we use AI.
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Job description
Introduction
VACANCY: CHIEF OPERATIONS TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FIVE-YEAR PERFORMANCE-BASED FIXED-TERM CONTRACT GRADE: PEROMNES LEVEL 3 LOCATION: BRUMA, JOHANNESBURG
* The Air Traffic and Navigation Services ATNS is responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of air traffic services within South Africa’s airspace, including the surrounding oceanic areas designated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO over the Africa-Indian Ocean region. The company supports operations at nine statutory airports managed by the Airports Company of South Africa, 11 regional airports, and the St Helena Airport in the South Atlantic Ocean.
* We are seeking a visionary and principled leader to guide our Operations Technology Department. We are deeply committed to the highest standards of ethical leadership, corporate citizenship, and integrated reporting as embodied in the applicable King Code on Corporate Governance for South Africa.
* Job title: Chief Operations Technology Officer Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer Ref: ATNS COTO/2026 Conditions of Service: ATNS is an equal opportunity employer that strives to achieve a diverse workforce broadly representative of our people. This position will be filled in line with the objectives of ATNS’ Employment Equity Plan, and therefore, candidates from designated groups as per the Employment Equity Act of 1998 are encouraged to apply.
* Purpose To lead operations technology, communication and navigation systems that directly interact with aircraft operations, airport infrastructure, air traffic control, maintenance systems, and other safety-critical systems and equipment to ensure safe and efficient air traffic management and to continuously monitor the availability of required systems and infrastructure to ensure safe and effective aviation operations
Job description
Key performance areas
Strategic Engineering Leadership -
* Develop and implement the Operations Technology strategy in alignment with ATNS strategic objectives and business requirements; Conceptualise and define the ATNS operations engineering services model considering end-user requirements, benchmarked global, regional, national ATM concept plans, and supporting ATNS strategic objectives;
* Influence the development of communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management system CNS concepts and plans nationally and regionally over a 20-year timeframe by articulating and promoting the ATNS agenda to ICAO, international and domestic associations and other stakeholders;
* Ensure effective interpretation of global, regional and national air navigation plans while taking due cognisance of user requirements ensuring that the national ATNS systems and infrastructure meet international standards; Instill the core vision, mission and values of ATNS within the engineering environment, and ensure that activities and outputs are congruent.
Operations Technology Management -
* Manage Operations Technology OT: Develop OT strategy and roadmap for ATM operations; Align OT strategy with air navigation and safety goals and objectives; Ensure management of total engineering quality, planning, design, specification and acquisition support; Deploy, integrate and operationalise OT systems; Ensure OT security, safety, governance and compliance in ATM;
* Monitor and optimise OT performance in ATM; Ensure the effective operation and maintenance of CNS/ATM OT systems; Ensure effective support of OT users and operators in ATM. Lead operations technology planning and adoption to ensure availability of the required systems and infrastructure to ensure safe and effective aviation operations;
* Develop an operations technology plan with relevant planning periods that take into account obsolescence of technology and equipment and the replacement thereof; Design and develop effective OT safety and security systems to ensure safe and secure operations systems and technology;
* Monitor and optimise OT performance to meet user requirements as measured by system availability, reliability, stability, security and other associated service levels in ATM; Provide strategic direction for operations technology and infrastructure maintenance, security, disaster recovery, and ATM end-user support;
* Ensure effective integration and implementation of engineering service plans that meet benchmarked capability in order to meet user requirements, measured by system availability and reliability and other associated service levels; Initiate and direct business-driven engineering projects; Ensure project management disciplines are implemented; Ensure projects are managed, that resources are appropriately allocated, and that deadlines are achieved
High-tech Infrastructure/CAPEX and Implementation -
* Lead and/or contribute to the mapping of the short-, medium-, long-term and high-value multi-million rand operations technology plans of ATNS and the implementation thereof from conceptualisation, feasibility, technical formulation, acquisition, operation, to maintenance; Perform contract management of high-tech suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers; Ensure the availability of the required systems and infrastructure that will enable safe and effective aviation operations.
Development of Technical Standards -
* Lead and direct the development of technical standards to meet engineering service requirements and project deliverables; Anticipate changes in engineering standards and requirements; Implement changes, and drive equipment, organisational and other requirements to meet new technical standards.
Service Excellence -
* Establish technical service delivery SLA’s;Ensure technical service delivery is achieved in line with identified engineering standards; Ensure the analysis and development of engineering services and standards in line with emerging trends and developments; Keep abreast of technical maintenance developments.
Commercial Revenue Streams -
* Consult the organisational strategy and deliverables to determine CNS-specific products and services requirements; Manage the development of CNS-related and collaborative products and services to meet identified opportunities;
* Ensure that the products and services meet market demands and take appropriate action where necessary to prevent possible losses.
Governance, Compliance, Risk Management & Reporting -
* Ensure a robust governance environment by leading the development, maintenance, monitoring and continuous review of Operations Technology policies, processes, procedures, and service level agreements;
* Ensure full compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory standards, and ATNS frameworks; Prepare strategic level reports to EXCO, the Board and other key stakeholders;
* Identify strategic and operation business risks and develop and implement appropriate mitigation; Ensure all identified risks are appropriately and timeously measured, corrected, and managed in accordance with the ATNS Risk Management Framework.
Stakeholder Relations Management -.
* Develop, manage and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders including regulatory bodies, airports, professional institutions, and service providers to ensure ongoing alignment and collaboration; Monitor service delivery levels to ensure the provision of service excellence and user satisfaction
Financial Management -.
* Manage expenditure in line with business objectives and priorities within approved financial parameters; Develop the divisional budget in conjunction with Finance to ensure financial sustainability;
* Manage operations costs in accordance with the mandate matrix delegation of authority; Ensure accountability and reporting on all costs incurred against the approved budget including monthly deviations; Manage the overall Operations Technology budget in accordance with financial policies and processes.
People Management -
* Ensure the optimal development, deployment, and management of human resources in order to meet the required targets and objectives; Manage staff in accordance with Human Capital policies, processes, practices and the disciplinary code;
* Ensure that new employees have been properly on-boarded prior to commencing work; Monitor the time and attendance of subordinates, take appropriate action in the case of absenteeism, and report issues to Human Capital; Promote high levels of safety, discipline, output standards within a motivational climate so that performance and other outputs are achieved;
* Manage performance outputs of employees through the performance management system, and take corrective action promptly and effectively; Facilitate change in the Operations Technology environment through ATNS change management processes.
Minimum requirements
Qualifications Requirement
* A Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering / BEng in Electronic / Electrical Light Current or equivalent post graduate NQF 8 is required.
* Master’s level qualification in engineering or technical or general business management or related field is advantageous.
* Formal Leadership and Business Management training as an added advantage.
* Registration as Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa is required. Alternatively, be registrable within a period of 2 years.
Experience Requirement
* At least ten 10 years engineering experience in an aviation environment or similar of which 7 years must have been at senior management level
* Air traffic navigation experience will be an added advantage
Apply by: 30 October 2026
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