Program Manager - Operations

Overview of the role:WestJet is seeking a Program Manager, Operations. This is an exciting opportunity to join one of WestJet’s most impactful teams, playing a key role in advancing our ElevateOps strategy and driving enterprise-wide performance improvements. The team has been instrumental in delivering initiatives that enhance operational reliability, improve the guest experience, and contribute to the strong performance outcomes that have earned WestJet industry recognition for on-time performance and completion factor results.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Operations Performance, you will lead complex, cross-functional initiatives that transform strategic priorities into actionable plans and measurable business outcomes. Partnering closely with senior operational leaders, you will identify opportunities for improvement, solve complex business challenges, and guide initiatives from concept through execution. You will establish program governance, drive delivery excellence, and develop meaningful performance measures while fostering stakeholder alignment, engagement, and accountability. This role combines strategic thinking, operational problem-solving, and program leadership, requiring someone who can effectively navigate between strategy and execution, while influencing outcomes across diverse teams and organizational levels.
As a member of this high-performing team, you will play a key role in shaping the future of operational performance at WestJet, delivering initiatives that drive measurable improvements and lasting business outcomes.
Key deliverables include:
Lead a portfolio of operational performance and transformation initiatives, including opportunity identification, prioritization, roadmapping and delivery.
Partner with senior leaders to diagnose business challenges, evaluate opportunities and develop recommendations, business cases and implementation plans.
Lead complex cross-functional programs and projects, managing scope, milestones, risks, dependencies and outcomes.
Facilitate executive steering committees, working groups and stakeholder sessions, creating alignment and driving decisions.
Build executive-level recommendations and presentations that translate complex analysis into clear decisions, actions and next steps.
Mobilize teams and drive delivery across organizational boundaries without direct authority.
Track outcomes and adapt plans to ensure initiatives deliver sustainable results.
Experience and qualifications:
8–12 years of experience in program/project management, business transformation, management consulting, strategy & execution, operational transformation or advisory roles.
Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from strategy through implementation.
Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn ambiguity into a clear path forward.
Experience partnering with senior leaders and influencing across organizational boundaries.
Strong program management, facilitation, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Experience developing business cases, recommendations and executive presentations to support investment and decision-making.
Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, complex operational environment.
Post-secondary degree or diploma in Business, Operations or a related field.
Assets:
Experience in aviation maintenance, transportation, logistics, or another highly regulated operational environment, partnering with maintenance teams and technical subject matter experts.
Program or project management certification or formal training.
Experience with Lean, Agile or continuous improvement methodologies.
Proven experience leading or supporting the implementation of new technologies, systems, digital solutions, or process improvements, including change management activities that enable successful adoption and sustained business outcomes.
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