Manager Pilot Recruitment Programs

At Etihad Airways, we believe in the power of people to create extraordinary experiences. As the national airline of the UAE and one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, we’re proud to connect Abu Dhabi to over 100 destinations globally.

Our Talent Acquisition team is central to this growth, ensuring we recruit the right people at the right time, with the right skills and capability. We are seeking a Manager, Pilot Recruitment Programs to join our dedicated Pilot Recruitment team. This role will play a pivotal part in ensuring we meet Etihad’s expanding pilot hiring requirements by building sustainable global talent pipelines and driving effective recruitment programs in close collaboration with our Flight Operations and Pilot Selection teams.



Role Purpose

This role exists to design, manage, and continuously enhance Etihad’s global pilot recruitment programs. You will lead recruitment strategy, pipeline development, assessment center design, and program governance for all pilot hiring initiatives - ensuring alignment with GCAA regulations, workforce planning targets, and Etihad’s Journey 2030 growth ambitions.

While you will possess full-cycle recruitment experience, this position is program and project-focused rather than a traditional operational recruiter role. Much of the day-to-day assessment and technical evaluation is delivered by Flight Operations teams, and your role will be to ensure seamless coordination, consistent standards, and a strong pipeline of high-quality pilot talent.

You will bring structured program management skills, fresh thinking, and a continuous improvement mindset. You will be supported by colleagues with deep pilot recruitment expertise and are not required to be a technical subject-matter expert yourself (although you are willing to become one!)



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
  
  

About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world’s leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. Together with Etihad’s codeshare partners, Etihad’s network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty programme and more. All this ties into Etihad’s ambitious Journey 2030 strategy. The airline plans to double its fleet size and triple the number of customers over the next six years as it sets out to be the airline everyone wants to fly!

To learn more, visit etihad.com

Recruitment Fraud Alert

Beware of fraudulent job offers from individuals or organizations claiming to represent the Etihad group. We will never ask for personal information, bank details, or payment during the recruitment process. Interviews are conducted face-to-face or via video/telephone before any formal offer. If you are asked for money, please treat it as fraudulent.

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