Firefighting & Rescue Manager

JOB PURPOSE
The Manager, Firefighting & Rescue is responsible for leading the strategic management, operational capability and regulatory compliance of GBIA's Firefighting & Rescue function, ensuring the airport maintains an effective Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) capability in accordance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), Vietnamese aviation regulations and Aerodrome Certification requirements.
KEY DUTIES
1. Firefighting & Rescue Capability, Emergency Preparedness & Operational Readiness
• Lead the development, implementation and continual improvement of GBIA's Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) capability, ensuring compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), Vietnamese aviation regulations and Aerodrome Certification requirements.
• Establish and maintain the operational capability required to achieve the designated airport rescue and firefighting category, ensuring appropriate staffing, specialist vehicles, firefighting agents, rescue equipment and emergency medical resources are continuously available.
• Ensure Firefighting & Rescue capability continues to satisfy applicable airport certification requirements throughout the operational lifecycle, including changes to airport infrastructure, aircraft operations and rescue and firefighting category.
• Develop operational readiness strategies, standards and procedures that ensure the Firefighting & Rescue function maintains immediate response capability for aircraft accidents, structural fires, hazardous materials incidents, medical emergencies and other airport emergencies.
• Oversee the operational readiness, inspection, testing and assurance of ARFF stations, firefighting vehicles, emergency response equipment, communications systems, specialist rescue equipment and emergency medical assets.
• Ensure Firefighting & Rescue capability remains aligned with airport development, runway operations, aircraft movements and future operational requirements.
• Support airport mobilisation, Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) activities and operational trials to ensure emergency response capability is fully established prior to airport opening.
• Promote continual improvement of emergency response capability through operational assurance, performance monitoring, post-exercise reviews and lessons learned.
2. Emergency Planning, Regulatory Compliance & Operational Coordination
• Lead the development, implementation and continual review of the Airport Emergency Plan (AEP), Firefighting & Rescue operational procedures and emergency response arrangements.
• Ensure Firefighting & Rescue operations comply with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), Vietnamese aviation legislation, Aerodrome Certification requirements, airport procedures and applicable fire safety legislation.
• Lead the planning, coordination and evaluation of emergency exercises, including tabletop, partial and full-scale emergency exercises involving airport stakeholders and external emergency response agencies.
• Act as the principal Firefighting & Rescue representative with the Airport Authority (Cảng vụ Hàng không), CAAV, local Fire & Rescue Services, Emergency Medical Services, Police, Military authorities and other emergency response organisations on matters relating to emergency preparedness and ARFF capability.
• Coordinate closely with AOCC Operations, Airport Duty Managers, Airfield Operations and Aviation Safety & Compliance to ensure effective emergency preparedness, operational coordination and incident recovery.
• Lead operational reviews, post-incident investigations and emergency debriefs relating to Firefighting & Rescue activities, ensuring lessons learned are incorporated into emergency plans, procedures and training programmes.
• Provide specialist technical advice to airport leadership regarding emergency planning, aircraft rescue and firefighting capability, fire safety risk management and emergency response resilience.
• Monitor emergency response performance against established response time objectives and recommend corrective actions where required.
• Support business continuity planning and recovery arrangements following significant operational disruptions and emergency events.
3. Leadership, Resource Management & Continuous Improvement
• Lead and develop the Firefighting & Rescue function, ensuring personnel maintain the operational competencies, licences, certifications, physical fitness and medical standards required to perform emergency response duties.
• Establish competency management frameworks, structured training programmes and professional development pathways that support operational excellence and regulatory compliance.
• Manage departmental budgets, workforce planning, resource allocation and succession planning to ensure sustainable operational capability throughout the airport lifecycle.
• Oversee specialist maintenance contracts, firefighting equipment servicing, emergency medical equipment maintenance and supplier performance to ensure operational readiness of critical emergency response assets.
• Foster a proactive safety culture through compliance with the Airport Safety Management System (SMS), occurrence reporting, operational assurance and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Promote innovation, operational learning and adoption of best practice to enhance emergency preparedness, emergency response capability and organisational resilience.
• Support the ongoing development of the Firefighting & Rescue function as airport operations expand beyond the APEC Phase, ensuring emergency response capability evolves in line with airport growth.