Safety Culture and Operational Risk Director

About Vantage Group

Vantage Group is a global leader in airport and transportation investment, development, management, and advisor services. Since 1994, Vantage's corporate and network-wide team has managed an award-winning portfolio, building strong partnerships that integrate global expertise and local know-how to solve complex transportation challenges at every network location. Over three decades, Vantage has built a track record of creating customized solutions to transform airports and transportation centers that benefit the passengers, stakeholders, and communities they serve. Vantage is a wholly owned strategic platform of Investcorp Corsair Infrastructure Partners for capital deployment in the airport and transportation sectors. Visit vantagegroup.com to learn more. 

Position Summary
The Director, Safety Culture & Operational Risk is responsible for developing and leading Vantage's enterprise-wide safety culture and operational risk strategy, with the goal of achieving zero injuries and accidents across our network of airports. This role serves as the organization's champion for safety leadership, human performance, risk management, and operational excellence, ensuring that safety is embedded in every decision, process, and behavior across the business.
Working closely with airport leadership teams and operational stakeholders, the Director will foster a proactive, learning-focused safety environment that protects employees, passengers, tenants, contractors, and the communities we serve.

Key Responsibilities

Safety Culture Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute a multi-year safety culture strategy aligned with Vantage's vision of zero injuries and accidents.
• Embed safety as a core organizational value across all airports and business functions.
• Foster a culture of accountability, reporting, transparency, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Lead enterprise-wide initiatives focused on human performance, behavioral safety, psychological safety, and employee engagement.
• Provide thought leadership and subject matter expertise on safety culture and operational risk management.

Leadership & Employee Engagement

• Develop programs that strengthen leadership visibility, ownership, and accountability for safety performance.
• Lead safety culture assessments, surveys, focus groups, and feedback mechanisms to identify improvement opportunities.
• Champion recognition and engagement programs that reinforce positive safety behaviors and operational excellence.
• Support leaders in building high-performing teams that prioritize safety and continuous improvement.

Operational Risk & Safety Performance

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), leading indicators, and performance metrics that support proactive risk management.
• Develop executive reporting and dashboarding to provide visibility into safety performance and trends across the Vantage network.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities through analysis of operational data, audit findings, incident trends, and industry developments.
• Benchmark organizational performance against industry best practices and leading aviation organizations.

Learning & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the development of systems and processes that capture and leverage lessons learned from incidents, near misses, safety observations, and operational experiences.
• Facilitate root cause analyses with a focus on organizational, cultural, and human performance factors.
• Ensure lessons learned are effectively communicated and incorporated into policies, procedures, training, and operational practices.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety performance, operational effectiveness, and organizational resilience.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Influence

• Partner with airport leadership teams and functional leaders to integrate safety and risk management into business planning and decision-making.
• Build strong relationships across the organization to influence and sustain a culture of safety excellence.
• Represent Vantage in industry forums and collaborate with external partners to identify and implement leading practices

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Safety Management, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field; MBA or other advanced degree is an asset.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation.
• 5–10+ years of progressive occupational health and safety experience, preferably within construction, manufacturing, transportation, or other operational environments.
• Experience working within a highly regulated industry is considered an asset.
• Strong knowledge of safety management systems, regulatory compliance, risk assessment, incident investigation, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated business acumen with the ability to align safety initiatives with organizational objectives.

Skills & Capabilities

• Exceptional analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound decisions in complex or ambiguous situations.
• Proven ability to navigate changing business priorities, drive process improvements, and deliver innovative solutions.
• Strong project management and execution capabilities, including planning, prioritization, and managing multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating across cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.
• Skilled at influencing and building relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to operational excellence.
• Naturally curious, with the ability to challenge the status quo, identify opportunities, and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to evaluate options, develop recommendations, and support operational decision-making.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly PowerPoint, with the ability to create compelling executive-level presentations that translate complex concepts into clear, visually engaging content.

What we offer
In addition to a competitive compensation, career progression, and access to a global team of talented professionals, we are growing and offer boundless opportunities to make your mark within our organization. If you share our sense of adventure, come, and join us for the journey.

Primary Work Location: This role is open to candidates across Canada. Preference will be given to individuals residing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Compensation: The expected annual compensation for this position includes a base salary of $145,000 - $165,000 per year, plus eligibility for an annual incentive.

AI Disclosure: We may use artificial intelligence-powered tools to support candidate sourcing. All applications are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition and Hiring teams, and all selection and hiring decisions are made by human decision-makers.

Vacancy Disclosure: This posting is for an existing vacancy.

 To apply

Please visit our Careers page at https://www.vantagegroup.com/careers/ and follow prompts to apply with your cover letter and résumé. 

All qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada will be considered.

At Vantage Group, we seek and welcome unique backgrounds, perspectives, experiences and skills. As a global organization, we are always looking for differentiated points of view. We know that a diverse, inclusive and empowered workforce is essential to our shared success, and we invite you to join us for the journey.

Accommodation for Applicants
We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience. If you require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us at careers@vantagegroup.com

We will work with you to provide appropriate support, and requesting an accommodation will not affect your consideration for employment.