Accountabilities 

Strategic Program Leadership 

• Contribute to the development and implement Etihad’s multi-year pilot recruitment strategies to meet growth targets and future pilot workforce requirements. 
• Lead pilot hiring programs end-to-end, ensuring processes are efficient, scalable, and aligned with Flight Operations needs. 
• Partner closely with Pilot Selection, Training, and Workforce Planning to forecast hiring volumes and adjust sourcing and assessment strategies accordingly. 
• Act as a key liaison between Talent Acquisition and Flight Operations to ensure alignment, consistency, and candidate quality across all hiring activities. 

Pipeline Development & Market Insights 

• Drive proactive sourcing strategies and global pipeline-building initiatives across target markets. 
• Develop, maintain, and actively engage a global pool of current and future pilot talent, ensuring sustainable long-term access to qualified candidates aligned with Etihad’s growth plans. 
• Conduct ongoing market research into pilot supply, regional regulatory requirements, and competitor activity to guide sourcing and location strategy. 
• Support the design of global outreach initiatives, including roadshows, partnerships, and events in key talent markets. 

Assessment & Selection Program Management 

• Design and maintain effective assessment center models and structured selection methodologies. 
• Lead the planning, design, and governance of pilot assessment centers and outreach events, while technical evaluation components remain owned by Flight Operations. 
• Ensure all processes uphold Etihad’s standards for fairness, rigor, candidate experience, and regulatory compliance. 
• Represent Etihad professionally during events, assessments, and engagement activities. 

Process Improvement & Innovation 

• Identify opportunities to enhance recruitment efficiency, technology utilisation, candidate engagement, and conversion rates. 
• Recommend and implement improvements to systems, reporting, workflows, and selection tools, leveraging data and analytics to guide decisions. 
• Evaluate new recruitment tools, platforms, and assessment innovations relevant to pilot recruitment. 
• Leverage recruitment technology platforms confidently, with a willingness to test, refine, and experiment with new tools and approaches. Maintain a continual improvement mindset to enhance program scalability, process efficiency, and the overall impact of pilot hiring initiatives. 

Stakeholder Management & Candidate Experience 

• Act as the Program Lead for all pilot recruitment activities, ensuring clear communication and alignment with internal stakeholders. 
• Provide accurate updates, insights, and reports related to pipeline strength, conversion rates, and hiring progress. 
• Ensure an exceptional candidate experience from first contact through onboarding, reflecting Etihad’s brand and service excellence. 
• Build effective partnerships across Talent Acquisition, Flight Operations, HR, and other key departments. 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree is required. 
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, ideally including: 
• Talent acquisition, recruitment operations, or program management; or 
• Recruitment analytics, reporting, technology implementation, or talent project management roles. 
• Experience in aviation, pilot recruitment, or the Middle East is beneficial but not required. 
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, or managing assessment centers or structured selection programs. 
• Strong project or program management skills, with the ability to manage multiple simultaneous workstreams. 
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities, with confidence presenting to groups and senior leaders. 
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and use insights to guide decisions. 
• Ambassadorial qualities with the ability to represent Etihad professionally during events and candidate interactions. 

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process for this position will involve the following stages:

• Application review undertaken by a member of our Recruitment Team 
• Shortlisted candidates that meet the position criteria will be invited to complete a HireVue Video Interview. All completed interviews will be reviewed by a human member of our team.
• Selected candidates will be invited to complete a recruitment-related case study and interview with our hiring team 
• Final interview/meet and greet with the Senior Manager Recruitment