FlySafair Lead Business Optimisation Engineer Vacancy 2026

Opportunity Overview

FlySafair, a leading South African airline, has an opening for a Lead Business Optimisation Engineer. This permanent position is based at their Head Office in Bonaero Park and falls within the IT & Innovation Department.

This role offers a chance to contribute significantly to operational efficiency and continuous improvement initiatives within the dynamic aviation industry. The successful candidate will report directly to the Manager: Business Improvement, playing a pivotal role in driving strategic optimisation projects.

Minimum Requirements

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Grade 12 or equivalent qualification (Essential)
• B.Eng Industrial Engineering degree (Essential)
• A Post Graduate Degree (Advantageous)
• Minimum of 8 years' progressive experience in business optimisation, continuous improvement, or operational excellence environments (Essential)
• Proven experience leading complex improvement projects from start to finish (Essential)
• Experience coaching or mentoring Engineers/Analysts (Advantageous)
• Expertise in mathematical modelling, simulation modelling, and optimization

Key Responsibilities

The successful Lead Business Optimisation Engineer will be responsible for:

• Leading and overseeing complex, cross-functional business optimisation initiatives from concept to implementation.
• Guiding project scoping, problem definition, data analysis, solution design, and implementation planning.
• Ensuring optimisation and continuous improvement methodologies are applied consistently and in line with best practice.
• Reviewing and challenging project outputs to ensure quality, rigor, and business relevance.
• Supporting team members in unblocking issues, managing risks, and navigating stakeholder complexity.
• Tracking, analysing, and reporting on project performance, value delivery, milestones, and risks.
• Identifying and driving continuous improvement and automation opportunities to reduce cost, cycle time, and operational risk.
• Serving as technical guidance for optimisation methodologies, tools, frameworks, and standards.
• Providing solution and architectural input to ensure designs align with organisational architecture and technology standards.
• Assisting and guiding engineers in designing fit-for-purpose, scalable, and sustainable solutions.
• Setting direction for framework adoption and continuous evolution in alignment with organisational strategy.
• Ensuring solutions meet quality standards defined within the Innovation / Business Optimisation environment.
• Providing hands-on coaching to engineers on analysis techniques, problem structuring, storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and solution design.
• Mentoring junior and graduate engineers, supporting technical, professional, and leadership development.
• Assisting with onboarding and accelerating new team members’ effectiveness.
• Identifying development needs and supporting the creation of individual development plans.
• Facilitating knowledge-sharing sessions, training, and internal capability-building initiatives.
• Promoting a culture of continuous improvement, learning, and experimentation.
• Supporting the Business Optimisation Manager with team planning, prioritisation, and workload balancing.
• Acting as the first point of escalation for project-level delivery challenges.
• Contributing to resource planning, project allocation, and skills matching across initiatives.
• Keeping track of projects using the organisation’s project management tools.
• Stepping in for the Manager when required to ensure continuity of delivery.
• Building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Translating complex analysis into clear, compelling insights and recommendations.
• Influencing decision-making by balancing analytical rigor with practical business realities.
• Driving proactive change management across initiatives.
• Engaging with Business Improvement / Optimisation consultants and vendors to ensure alignment to standards and governance.
• Contributing to the development and execution of the Innovation roadmap within assigned areas.
• Providing input into building and maintaining a structured knowledge base for the function.
• Ensuring appropriate training and capability development is enabled through modern e-learning and digital platforms.

What the Work Involves

As a Lead Business Optimisation Engineer, you will be at the forefront of driving efficiency and innovation within FlySafair. Your day-to-day will involve leading complex projects, guiding a team of engineers, and applying advanced methodologies to solve business challenges. You will collaborate closely with various departments, translating intricate data into actionable insights and presenting recommendations to influence key decisions.

You will play a crucial role in mentoring junior and graduate engineers, fostering their technical and professional growth, and ensuring project outputs meet high-quality standards. This role requires a hands-on approach to coaching, problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement. You will also be responsible for tracking project performance, managing risks, and identifying automation opportunities. The working environment is the company's Head Office in Bonaero Park, where you will report to the Manager: Business Improvement and use the organisation’s project management tools to oversee initiatives.

How to Apply

To apply for the Lead Business Optimisation Engineer position at FlySafair, please submit your application through their official career portal. Click here to apply: https://flysafairjobs.mcidirecthire.com/Vacancy/Application?parameters=q4%2F37VDQTFWXnK7wNIeCPREdPyZ%2Bm5GtClsYiCoryhuFzWtsmfjHgmOJE%2FI%2B3ZNfhEtMmMXnFTPo4D58b926jtO1ls1bhuMVJJmUrf6NkLnIB7EgYAeHVTgwACLG3JvigBlSjyO%2B%2BbefrF74RFjs4jHBw2LiakpKh5Ao5mMzwGFcsafYVv4InQeviGICullK7v91SihBzfIgsrPhAkfgYLmqniTVC7pBnD2NQiU%2FUYt1YNPF5FZ0i9IP2tZmpQRO

The application deadline is September 10, 2026. Ensure you submit your application well before this date.