Flight Crew Planning Specialist

About the company

Riyadh Air (RX), based in the Saudi capital, is a new national carrier building a digitally native airline experience. Its long-term ambition is to help position Saudi Arabia as a major global aviation and trade center while connecting the Kingdom to more than 100 destinations.

About the role

This position is for a planning professional who enjoys solving complex operational challenges and improving airline efficiency. The role focuses on the strategic design and daily management of pilot schedules, crew allocation, and related planning activities to ensure each flight is staffed by qualified, compliant, and adequately rested pilots.

You will create efficient pairings and rosters, coordinate training schedules with Flight Operations, Training, and OCC, and help maintain a balance between operational performance, pilot wellbeing, fatigue risk management, and aviation regulatory requirements. The role also involves working closely with Network Planning and Scheduling to anticipate crew-related risks and prepare mitigation plans that protect operational continuity.

In addition, you will contribute as a subject matter expert to long-term workforce forecasting, planning system improvements, and process enhancement initiatives across the crew planning function. You will also help build and manage both long-range and short-range recurrent training plans for flight crew in partnership with the Training Department.

Another important part of the role is forecasting pilot coverage needs based on seasonal changes, route expansion, and fleet growth so that manpower levels remain aligned with operational demand.

Responsibilities

• Plan and oversee the day-to-day scheduling of pilots and crew resources.
• Build compliant pairings and rosters that meet regulatory and operational requirements.
• Coordinate recurrent and operational training schedules with relevant internal teams.
• Work with Flight Operations, Training, and OCC to support smooth airline operations.
• Partner with Network Planning and Scheduling to identify crew risks early and define mitigation actions.
• Apply fatigue risk management principles while balancing efficiency and crew welfare.
• Support manpower forecasting for seasonal demand, route growth, and fleet expansion.
• Contribute to process improvement, planning system upgrades, and long-term workforce strategy.
• Assist in managing large-scale recurrent training programs for flight crew.

Requirements

• A degree is required.
• At least 4 years of experience in crew planning, crew scheduling, or manpower resource planning within a commercial airline.
• Strong understanding of pairing construction, crew roster planning, and large training program coordination.
• Practical knowledge of crew management, airline operations, and training systems is preferred.
• Experience with NetLine Crew is an added advantage.

Additional information

This is a full-time, on-site role in the Riyadh Region.

The application message states that submissions should be made through the application process, and the Talent Acquisition team will review candidates shortly.

About the employer

Riyadh Air is a new Saudi airline working to redefine air travel through digital-first operations and a wide international network.