Role overview
What you'll be stepping into
Job Purpose
The Cargo Standards Officer is responsible for monitoring, enforcing, and continuously improving UNACL cargo operational standards, cargo safety compliance, operational quality assurance, and third-party cargo handling conformity in alignment with IOSA, ISAGO, IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM), Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), aviation security requirements, customs requirements, and UNACL operational standards.
The role provides operational governance and quality oversight of outsourced cargo handling activities, Cargo GSAs, warehouse operators, cargo terminal providers, ground handling agents, and operational cargo partners to ensure standardized, safe, secure, compliant, and audit-ready cargo operations across UNACL network.
The role supports UNACL IOSA compliance, operational risk management, safety reporting, corrective action monitoring, operational quality assurance, and continuous operational improvement within cargo operations.
The role focuses heavily on operational oversight, service provider governance, operational compliance monitoring, and enforcement of standards across third-party cargo-handling environments.
The Cargo Standards Officer works closely with Cargo Operations, Cargo GSAs, Ground Handling Agents, Airport Operations, Safety & Quality teams, Flight Operations, Security teams, and regulatory stakeholders to support operational compliance, cargo safety, and cargo service quality.
Key Accountabilities
1. Cargo Operational Standards Management
Monitor implementation of UNACL cargo operational standards across all cargo operations and stations.
Ensure compliance with cargo handling procedures, cargo acceptance standards, operational documentation requirements, shipment handling controls, and UNACL operational procedures.
Support standardization of cargo operational practices across all handling partners and operational locations.
Ensure cargo operational processes remain audit-ready and compliant with UNACL safety and quality management systems.
2. IOSA, ISAGO and Operational Quality Compliance
Support UNACL compliance with IOSA operational standards, ISAGO handling oversight requirements, IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM), IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), and UNACL operational quality standards.
Monitor operational conformity of outsourced cargo handling providers and operational cargo vendors.
Support preparation for IOSA audits, ISAGO oversight reviews, internal operational audits, regulatory inspections, and operational compliance assessments.
Track and monitor corrective actions, audit findings, operational observations, and compliance closure activities.
Coordinate operational quality assurance activities and continuous improvement initiatives within cargo operations.
3. Cargo Compliance and Regulatory Oversight
Monitor operational conformity with IOSA standards, IATA cargo operational standards, dangerous goods regulations, aviation security requirements, customs regulations, and UNACL operational manuals.
Ensure cargo operational activities comply with national aviation regulations, airport authority requirements, and international cargo handling standards.
Coordinate corrective actions relating to operational compliance gaps and audit findings.
Escalate operational non-compliance issues and regulatory risks immediately.
4. Dangerous Goods and Special Cargo Compliance
Monitor operational compliance relating to dangerous goods, perishables, pharma cargo, live animals, valuables, diplomatic cargo, and special handling shipments.
Ensure special cargo handling complies with operational safety standards, packaging requirements, labelling standards, acceptance procedures, and regulatory handling requirements.
Escalate dangerous goods or cargo safety violations immediately.
Support operational verification of special cargo handling procedures across all cargo partners.
5. Cargo Handling Agent and GSA Standards Oversight
Monitor outsourced cargo handling agents and Cargo GSAs for compliance with UNACL operational standards, service level agreements, safety procedures, cargo operational procedures, and handling requirements.
Conduct operational station inspections, cargo process reviews, and handling quality assessments.
Escalate operational service failures, handling irregularities, and compliance breaches.
Support performance monitoring and operational governance of third-party cargo providers.
6. Cargo Documentation and Quality Assurance
Monitor operational accuracy and compliance of airway bills, cargo manifests, dangerous goods declarations, shipment documentation, and operational cargo records.
Ensure proper operational documentation standards are maintained across all cargo operations.
Support implementation of cargo operational quality assurance initiatives and documentation controls.
Monitor shipment handling accuracy and operational processing quality.
7. Cargo Safety and Security Monitoring
Support implementation of cargo safety and aviation security procedures.
Monitor cargo screening compliance, restricted cargo handling, operational safety controls, and shipment security procedures.
Coordinate reporting and escalation of cargo safety incidents, operational hazards, security breaches, and compliance violations.
Support operational safety awareness and compliance culture across cargo stakeholders.
8. Operational Risk and Safety Management
Support cargo operational risk identification, assessment, and reporting activities.
Monitor operational risks relating to dangerous goods, cargo security, ULD operations, outsourced handling activities, shipment irregularities, and operational service failures.
Coordinate reporting and escalation of safety incidents, operational hazards, compliance breaches, and operational safety concerns.
Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions arising from audits, incidents, investigations, operational reviews, and safety assessments.
Promote operational safety culture and compliance awareness across cargo operational stakeholders.
9. Cargo Operational Training and Standards Awareness
Support cargo operational awareness and standards training activities.
Coordinate dissemination of operational notices, procedural updates, compliance communication, and cargo standards requirements.
Support continuous improvement initiatives for operational compliance, cargo service quality, and cargo operational consistency.
10. Cargo SLA and Performance Monitoring
Monitor cargo operational KPIs and handling performance standards including shipment handling quality, operational SLA compliance, cargo acceptance accuracy, cargo screening compliance, operational turnaround performance.
Prepare cargo compliance reports, operational quality reports, audit summaries, cargo standards report, and operational performance reviews.
Monitor third-party operational compliance and service quality performance.
11. Cargo Irregularity and Incident Management
Investigate and monitor cargo operational irregularities, shipment mishandling, cargo incidents, operational service failures, compliance breaches, and operational disruptions.
Coordinate investigation support and operational corrective action implementation.
Support root cause analysis and preventive action monitoring activities.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The Cargo Standards Officer shall be evaluated based on:
IOSA cargo compliance performance
ISAGO handling oversight compliance
Cargo operational audit performance
Audit finding closure effectiveness
Cargo handling SLA compliance
Dangerous goods compliance performance
Cargo safety and security compliance
Reduction in cargo operational irregularities
Cargo documentation accuracy
Corrective action implementation effectiveness
Operational risk reduction performance
Third-party cargo handling conformity performance
Safety reporting compliance
Cargo operational quality performance
Cargo incident reduction performance
Minimum Qualification and Experience
Bachelor’s Degree in: Aviation Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Cargo Management, Transport Management, Quality Management or related field.
Professional IATA Cargo certification is highly desirable.
Dangerous Goods certification is mandatory or highly preferred.
Training in IOSA, ISAGO, aviation quality assurance, operational compliance, or Safety Management Systems (SMS) is highly desirable.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Cargo operations, Cargo Compliance, Cargo Handling, Aviation quality assurance, or Operational standards management.
Experience working with cargo handling agents, Cargo GSAs, airport cargo environment, outsourced operational providers, and Cargo operational compliance functions is highly desirable.
Strong experience in dangerous goods compliance, operational audits, IOSA or ISAGO environments, cargo operational governance, and operational standards enforcement
is preferred.Experience supporting Safety Management Systems (SMS), operational quality assurance, corrective action management, and Airline operational governance
is highly desirable.
Core Competencies
Strong operational compliance capability
Cargo standards and governance capability
Operational quality assurance awareness
Safety and security awareness
Attention to detail
Problem-solving capability
Analytical and reporting capability
Stakeholder management capability
Communication and coordination skills
Professionalism and integrity
Proficiency in Cargo management systems, Cargo operational reporting tools, Compliance tracking systems, Audit documentation tools, Operational quality monitoring tools
Strong understanding of IOSA operational standards, ISAGO handling oversight, Safety Management Systems (SMS), operational risk management, dangerous goods regulations, aviation cargo security, cargo operational compliance, cargo handling standards, corrective action management, and aviation quality assurance is essential.
HR Summary
To monitor and enforce UNACL cargo operational standards, IOSA compliance requirements, dangerous goods procedures, cargo safety controls, and operational quality assurance activities through operational governance, compliance monitoring, third-party oversight, and cargo standards enforcement to ensure safe, compliant, secure, and standardized cargo operations across UNACL network.
How to apply