UAS Operations Manager (Chief Remote Pilot)

UAS Operations Manager (Chief Remote Pilot) , Spekboom Restoration Project

Technical and Carbon Division (UASOC Programme) Department, Eastern Cape (Gqeberha), South Africa

Location: Gqeberha, Eastern Cape (Head Office), with travel to all NatCarbon Africa project sites

Reports to: Accountable Manager

Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure that will revitalise landscapes, combat climate change, and promote sustainable agriculture? Join NatCarbon Africa: a mission-driven, proudly African organisation dedicated to high-quality implementation of large-scale carbon, climate, and biodiversity projects. We embrace the power of innovative technology to enhance project execution. Community engagement lies at the heart of our projects, driven by a genuine commitment to meaningful and inclusive participation and co-benefits, such as biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic upliftment.

NatCarbon Africa seeks a UAS Operations Manager (Chief Remote Pilot) in the Technical and Carbon Department for the large-scale Spekboom Restoration Project in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa.

With our partner, Imperative Global, our aim is to restore up to 100,000 hectares of degraded subtropical thicket biome. The Project entails planting Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) on privately owned land to improve ecosystem functioning and agricultural productivity over time, promote biodiversity, improve soil filtration, enhance water storage capabilities, and to reduce soil erosion. The Project is estimated to permanently store large quantities of Carbon Dioxide over the Project life, thus positively contributing towards climate change mitigation.

Position Summary:

The UAS Operations Manager will lead the establishment and ongoing operation of NatCarbon Africa's own Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operating Certificate (UASOC) under Part 101 of the South African Civil Aviation Regulations. Acting as the organisation's Chief Remote Pilot and nominated operations post-holder, this role owns the Operations Manual, flight standards, and pilot training and currency across all NatCarbon project teams, and is the primary operational point of contact with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). The role works closely with the UAS Quality & Safety Manager to ensure operations remain compliant, safe, and audit-ready as the certificate is established and the operation grows.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, documentation, and submission of NatCarbon Africa's UASOC application under Part 101, including drafting and maintaining the Operations Manual (OM) and Operational Specifications (OpsSpecs).

• Serve as Chief Remote Pilot, taking overall responsibility for the standardisation, currency, and technical competency of all Remote Pilots in Command (RPICs) across the organisation.

• Set, implement, and enforce flight operations standards, SOPs, and pre- and post-flight procedures across all project teams, including the existing Spekboom Restoration Project geospatial field team (Young Professionals, Field Technicians, and Senior Field Technicians).

• Own operational planning for the UAS fleet, including aircraft type approvals, airspace coordination, and flight authorisations for new sites, aircraft, or mission types.

• Establish and lead pilot training, certification, and currency-tracking programmes (RPC, BVLOS, type ratings) across all levels of the geospatial field team.

• Liaise with the Responsible Person: Aircraft post holder and RPAS/UAS Maintenance Technicians to ensure all aircraft are serviceable, properly maintained, and that aircraft airworthiness records meet UASOC requirements.

• Act as the primary operational liaison with SACAA on flight-operations matters, including future scope expansions such as BVLOS approval, additional aircraft types, or new operating areas.

• Investigate flight incidents and occurrences, and implement corrective actions in coordination with the UAS Quality & Safety Manager.

• Provide operational input into the Safety Management System (SMS) and support internal quality audits.

• Provide technical leadership and escalation support to Geospatial Team Leads and Senior Geospatial Field Technicians across projects.

• Hold the authority to stop or prohibit any unsafe, unreliable, or non-compliant flight operations.

• Roster pilots and schedule flights across all project teams.

• Ensure the currency and availability of the Operations Manual and the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package (IAIP) across all project sites.

General:

• Embrace a culture of continuous learning by adapting to evolving job responsibilities as the UAS Operating Certificate (UASOC) programme matures, driven by NatCarbon Africa’s commitment to innovation, safety, regulatory compliance, personal growth, and shifting operational priorities.
• This is an organisation-wide role: travel to NatCarbon Africa project sites will be required, occasionally including remote locations. Work hours may be irregular during audit or approval periods. Work hours may be irregular during audit and approval periods.

• This outline of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. The employer reserves the right to assign additional duties or responsibilities at any time, provided they are reasonably aligned with the scope of the role or necessitated by operational requirements. The functions and responsibilities detailed within this job description may be subject to modification at the employer’s discretion, based on evolving operational requirements, while remaining consistent with the parameters of the employee’s position.

Skills:

• Strong working knowledge of SACAA Part 101 regulations and the UASOC application and compliance process.

• Proven experience as a Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC), with the credibility to set and enforce operational standards for other pilots.

• Strong operational planning, SOP development, and standardisation skills.

• Excellent leadership and cross-team coordination skills, with the ability to manage geographically dispersed field teams.

• Strong written communication skills for regulatory documentation, including Operations Manuals and incident reports.

• Comfortable engaging directly with a regulator (SACAA) and managing formal compliance submissions.

Qualifications:

• A degree or relevant tertiary qualification in Aviation, Geomatics, Remote Sensing, Engineering, or a related field (equivalent industry experience will be considered in lieu of formal qualification).

• Valid Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC), fixed-wing and multi-rotor, required; BVLOS rating required or in progress.

• Valid Aviation Security (AVSEC) certificate required; must be able to pass a criminal and background check and obtain police clearance, per SACAA post-holder requirements.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in commercial UAS/RPAS operations, with demonstrable exposure to SACAA regulatory processes.

• Experience establishing or maintaining a UASOC, or supporting an equivalent civil aviation operating certificate, is strongly preferred.

• Experience developing Operations Manuals, SOPs, and pilot training or currency programmes.

• Experience managing or mentoring remote pilot teams in field conditions.

• Familiarity with photogrammetry, GIS, and geospatial data workflows is advantageous given NatCarbon's restoration and carbon monitoring work.

Working Conditions

• Frequent travel within the Eastern and Western Cape anticipated, including to remote locations.
• Travel may on occasion cross weekends and holidays to accommodate schedules.
• Work hours may be irregular

You will join a great team! We are:

• From diverse locations and backgrounds, but all experts in our respective fields. We bring together a wide range of cross-sector experiences, ideas, and skills.
• Relentless in our pursuit of excellence and innovation, always pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo. But it is not all work for us – we also believe in celebrating our successes, recognising individual contributions, and taking time to support each other’s growth and development.
• At our core, explorers, constantly learning, evolving, and seeking new ways to deliver impactful solutions. We are not afraid to dream big, take risks, and step out of our comfort zones because we know that together, we can achieve great things.

Compensation

To help us attract and retain top talent, NatCarbon Africa pays employees competitively to the market, depending on experience. Salary is one component of NatCarbon Africa’s total compensation package which also includes health care and life insurance, contributions to each employee’s retirement plan, paid time off and funds to support professional development. We will recognise employees who go beyond expected performance with salary increases and/or promotions.

In return, we expect each employee to, at a minimum:

• Meet expectations in terms of work effort and performance.
• Take the initiative to build the skills and knowledge needed to do their job effectively; and
• Embody the values of NatCarbon Africa.

How to Apply

To apply, please send us the following:

• Cover letter (not to exceed one page).
• Resume/CV (not to exceed three pages).

Please add app.bamboohr.com to your contact list to ensure you receive emails from us

NatCarbon Africa provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination.

Only applications received online via the NatCarbon website or LinkedIn Page will be considered