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The Satellite Applications Catapult is on an exciting mission to innovate for a better world empowered by space! A rare opportunity to work in our Westcott Core Team has arisen and we are looking for an energetic Drone Test & Development Centre (DTDC) Manager to join us and help grow the Westcott Space Cluster.

Applying a “start-up can-do” mentality you will be responsible for: the safe and effective operation of this newly opened facility; working closely with the Westcott Operations and Estates Managers to ensure that the DTDC customer experience is excellent; working closely with the Head of Technical Facilities to maximise DTDC impact, utilisation and revenue; working across the whole of the Catapult to offer the DTDC for project work.

This is a rare and extremely exciting new role with a high level of autonomy in which you will be able to make your mark with responsibility for DTDC safety and operational excellence at the growing Westcott Venture Park.

Key Responsibilities:

• Day to day operations of the DTDC (end to end customer lifecycle)

• Implement, enhance and inspire a safe operating culture, implement all relevant health and safety procedures.

• Perform and supervise airfield management activities, including mobile airfield management functions.

• Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation; with support of the Estates and Technical Facilities teams

• Coordinate drone operations to operate safely within the Westcott Venture Park on a daily basis.

• Act as Safety Officer for SMS, and run, promote and improve the SMS at the DTDC.

• Develop and refine systems to implement flight plans and coordinate flight operations.

• Procure, produce, and provide information such as flight planning publications, operations publications, charts and maps, and weather information needed for airfield management and flight planning.

• Review work orders or schedules to determine best and most efficient operations.

• Review and implement CAA / Air Navigation Order and implement methods for compliance to CAP722 or relevant policy or legal / statutory regulation.

• Support the future growth of the DTDC and propose enhancement to the facilities to improve and grow capability.

• Maintain clear and positive communication with Westcott Venture Park staff to maintain support for DTDC operations.

• Liaise with the Estates and Technical Facilities team to ensure that all DTDC health & safety documentation and procedures are up to date.

• Act as the DTDC Business Development Manager to enable the provision of supportive occupancies and testing residences at DTDC for small companies – keeping CRM up to date and ensuring opportunities are followed up on

• Liaise with the Catapult’s Chief Architect – Future Networks and Systems, and Mission leads as required to support future Catapult initiatives.

• Liaise and coordinate with DTDC customers and other drone users on the Westcott Venture Park.

Skills & Experience required:

• Experience in undertaking and/or facilitating air operations in the UK.

• Excellent working knowledge of all applicable CAA regulations concerning drone operations or Airfield operations.

• Prior experience in aviation industry either operations or engineering background.

• Ability to prioritise workload and identify concerns about workflow to Line Manager if necessary.

• Ability to balance safety and commercial pressures.

• Ability to work independently.

• Comfortable presenting to highly skilled audiences.

• Relationship Management – you develop and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders - using relationships to shape prospects and opportunities for the future. You can seek opportunities to build relationships important to the business. You consider how your actions/decisions may impact the ecosystem and work collaboratively to accomplish work goals.

• Delivering results – you define what needs to be delivered, providing clarity on what needs to be delivered, by when and drive this through to delivery. You maintain a high level of commitment to personally getting things done with little direction. You are dependable and responsible

• Excellent Communication – you share vision and objectives clearly to enable successful outcomes

• Business Acumen – you are able to apply understanding of general business, accounting and financial concepts well to the issues faced in this organisation

• Team work - you work with other teams and partners to exploit and evolve technology applications

Desirable Skills & Experience:

• Experience in running a Safety Management System

• Current or previous manager of an aviation-related facility.

• Educated to degree level

You know you have been successful when…

• DTDC is operating in a safe and effective manner.

• Start-ups, SMEs and primes are using the DTDC and growing the sector.

• The Catapult Executive Management Team (EMT) has confidence that Westcott is commercially focussed and well run.

• Industry investment is successfully attracted to Westcott due to the Catapult’s credibility and success.

How we work:

We strive to create a high trust environment that enables team members to bring their whole selves to work – this helps to create the foundations of an innovation culture.
Our shared values are critical to this:

• We care - for our people, our partners, and our planet

• We connect - and engage with people and ideas

• We learn - and grow, as people and as an industry

Underpinning this is our belief in great teams, our combined efforts will always deliver outcomes beyond that of any individual providing we are honest through debate, experiment and reflect, and create shared resolutions in support of our purpose. Live these values, work to our principles, take ownership to deliver, and we are certain you will thrive with us.

Important notice for applicants: We use tools to detect plagiarism and the use of AI or chatbots for applicant answers. If plagiarism, AI use (such as ChatGPT) or similar software are found to have been used in your application you will not be considered for this or future roles within the Satellite Applications Catapult.