Director, Airport Operations (SIA) (Level 8)

Director, Airport Operations (SIA) (Level 8) – salary: $9,401,821- annually.

Job Purpose

Under the direction of the Senior Director Western and Montego Bay Operations, the Director, Airport Operations will be responsible:

• To manage customs activities and operations at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) aimed at facilitating the speedy movement of legitimate travellers and goods in and out of Jamaica while ensuring compliance with the Customs Act, its regulations and related legislation(s);
• To facilitate the effective and efficient operations at the Queen’s Warehouse
• To ensure sound management of goods entering and leaving the warehouse
• To optimize revenue by ensuring adequate systems and measures are in place that facilitate the declaration and/or application and payment of correct duties and taxes on goods and other items being imported and exported;
• To protect Jamaica’s borders and her society by providing direction and collaboration on activities aimed at detecting and seizing illegally imported or exported goods and other items as well as
• To maintain an effective deterrent against persons committing customs offences, thereby optimizing revenue and the protection of society.

Key Responsibility Areas

Technical/Professional Responsibilities

• Provides direction and guidance to operational units in the DSIA on passenger profiling and processing, declaration verification, revenue collection, detection and seizure of illegal goods and other items to achieve agreed performance standards and targets by:

1. 1. Ensuring effective systems are in place for the management of cargo processing, clearance, seizure, detention, warehousing and/or disposal in accordance with the Customs Act and related legislation;
   2. Overseeing the effective and efficient airport operations for passenger processing that supports speedy and legitimate traveller movement across Jamaican borders by existing legislation and established policies;
   3. Coordinating customs operations and functions relating to the speedy entrance/exit and clearance of aircraft;
   4. Monitoring the inspection and control functions of persons, carriers, baggage and cargo; and,
   5. Ensuring that mechanisms and systems are in place to support the effective and efficient operations of the Queen’s Warehouse regarding the storage and removal of goods in accordance with the Customs Legislation and established policies and procedures.
   6. Participates in the development, implementation and review of strategic and operational plans for operational units in the Montego Bay Region.

• Collaborates with other Government agencies in enforcing the Acts and Regulations about commerce, health, immigration, security, agriculture and other areas of government.
• Represents the Agency in discussions with other agencies (national and international) relating to customs administration, international travel and trade.
• Liaises with the public, major clients and stakeholders on customs administration, customer service and programme delivery issues.

Management/Human Resources Responsibilities

• Creates an effective team within the DSIA Operations to achieve the Agency’s objectives and targets by:
  1. Monitoring and reviewing the performance of the Unit to ensure its agreed performance targets are met;
  2. Ensuring that the staffing needs of the Unit are met through appointments, promotions staff development and promoting discipline in according to policies and procedures;
  3. Ensuring the management and continuous performance of staff within the Unit through the implementation of the performance management system; and,
  4. Ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and direction in the development and continual performance improvement of the unit and oversee and manage the sub-division’s activities and operations.
• Ensures that all required processes, systems and controls are in place within the unit to enable the achievement of its objectives effectively and efficiently.

Customer Service Responsibilities

• Maintains customer service principles, standards and measurements;
• Identifies and incorporates the interests and needs of customers in business process design;
• Ensures critical success factors are identified and meet expectations;
• Prepares quarterly and/or annual Customer Service reports by established standards.

Other Responsibilities

• Performs all other duties and functions as may be required from time to time.

Required Competencies

Core

• Excellent interpersonal and staff management skills
• Excellent analytical, decision-making, planning and organizing skills
• Excellent communication and human relations skills
• Excellent negotiating skills
• Strong financial management skills
• Strong judgment, analytical skills and ability to think strategically
• High confidentiality, integrity and honesty
• Ability to communicate, interact and work effectively and cooperatively with all people including those from diverse ethnic and educational backgrounds.

 Technical

• Expert knowledge and understanding of Customs and tax laws and their impact on business, trade and economics.
• Expert knowledge and understanding of Customs Operations.
• Sound knowledge of Queen’s Warehouse procedures and the management of auctions.
• Sound understanding of the principles of change management organizational leadership and individual change development
• Sound understanding and experience in the management of limited resources to achieve challenging output targets.
• Understanding of the fundamentals of financial and general management.
• Understanding of the application of information technology solutions to organizational problems and the fundamentals of business processing reengineering.

Minimum required Education and Qualification.

• Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Management Studies, or equivalent qualification in the Social Sciences with six (6) years’ experience in an operational management position, with at least three (3) years at the managerial level

OR

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Management Studies, or equivalent qualification in the Social Sciences and at least ten (10) years’ experience in an operation management position, with at least five (5) years at the managerial level.
• Supervisory Management training and experience.
• Experience in the application of the Customs Act and related legislation.
• Specialized knowledge of customs administration and operations.
• Specialized training in profiling, risk assessment, arrest and restraint techniques.

Special conditions associated with the Job

• Work will be conducted in an office outfitted with standard office equipment and specialized software.
• The environment is fast paced with ongoing interactions with critical stakeholders and meeting tight deadlines which will result in high degrees of pressure, on occasion.
• Extensive degree of travelling required (>75%) regularly to conduct periodic visits to major operational units island wide as well as to promote JCA interests and represent the CEO at local and international events
• Strenuous job involving a high degree of interaction and responsibility to the public
• May be required to work long hours (>50 hours weekly) over protracted periods. On call 24 hours.

Applications, including résumés, should be submitted no later than Friday, July 4, 2025.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Email us at helpdesk@jca.gov.jm, if you have any technical difficulties.