Group Chief Executive Officer

Full Time
Eswatini
Posted 4 hours ago

Website Royal Eswatini National Airways Corporation (RENAC)

JOB ADVERTISEMENT – ROYAL ESWATINI NATIONAL AIRWAYS CORPORATION (RENAC)

Job Title: Group Chief Executive Officer

Department: CEO’s Office

Section: Administration

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The Group CEO is responsible for strategic leadership and performance oversight across all Group entities within RENAC being Eswatini Air, RETA, VVIP Operations and Ground handling operations. The Group CEO carries ultimate accountability for risks that may impact national aviation integrity, public safety, diplomatic relations, and state reputation, and is required to exercise executive judgment consistent with the highest standards of governance, confidentiality, and public trust. The role also serves as the principal liaison for all VVIP aviation matters between the RENAC Group and external stakeholders including the Kings Office.

KEY TASKS OF THE GCEO

Ensure coherence, synergy, and accountability across the Group while respecting subsidiary autonomy and Board oversight.
Define and communicate the vision and mission of the RENAC Group.
Develop and execute the corporate strategy and annual business plan.
Oversee financial performance, budgeting, and reporting.
Lead senior management and review performance metrics.
Ensure regulatory compliance across the RENAC Group.
Promote organizational culture, ethics, and safety.
Manage risk, including operational, financial, and reputational risks.
Build alliances and partnerships (codeshares, strategic alliances).
Oversee fleet acquisition and investment decisions.
Represent the company in industry forums, investor meetings, and media.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. STRATEGY AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Leading organizational change and transformation.
Provide strategic leadership in setting and periodically reviewing the organisation’s long-term vision, strategic priorities, and performance objectives.
Ensure translation of Board approved strategy into executable enterprise plans and performance frameworks.
Provide strategic counsel to the Board on organisational performance, growth opportunities, and strategic risks.
Ensure alignment between national priorities, shareholder expectations, and organisational objectives.

2. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE & ETHICS

Ensure the organisation operates within approved governance frameworks, policies, and ethical standards.
Support the Board in discharging its fiduciary and oversight responsibilities.
Promote ethical leadership, transparency, and accountability throughout the organisation.
Ensure effective implementation of Board decisions and governance resolutions.

3. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Ensure long term financial sustainability through effective capital allocation, revenue strategy, and cost stewardship.
Recommend budgets, financial strategies, and investment plans to the Board for approval.
Monitor enterprise financial performance and ensure corrective strategic interventions where required.
Uphold fiscal discipline and value for money principles within delegated authority.

4. REGULATORY & SAFETY COMPLIANCE

Ensuring compliance with aviation safety and regulatory standards (e.g., FAA, EASA, ICAO).
Provide executive oversight of aviation safety, security, and regulatory compliance frameworks.
Ensure that management systems, controls, and assurance mechanisms are established to sustain licence to operate.
Receive and act on high level safety, security, and regulatory assurance reports.
Set the tone and expectations for safety and compliance culture across the Group.

5. PERFORMANCE MONITORING & BOARD REPORTING

Ensure timely, accurate, and balanced performance reporting to the Board.
Monitor progress against the Group CEO scorecard and enterprise KPIs.
Ensure corrective actions are implemented where performance deviates from targets.
Provide assurance to the Board on organisational health and performance outlook.

6. STAKEHOLDER & SHAREHOLDER MANAGEMENT

Managing relationships with investors, regulators, partners, unions, and the media.
Serve as the principal executive interface with shareholders, government authorities, regulators, and key strategic stakeholders.
Build and maintain stakeholder confidence in the organisation’s leadership, governance, and performance.
Represent the organisation at national, regional, and international forums as required.
Manage stakeholder expectations in alignment with strategic and national interests.

7. SUSTAINABILITY & TRANSFORMATION

Driving environmental sustainability (fuel efficiency, emissions).
Lead enterprise level change initiatives aligned to strategic, regulatory, and market developments.
Champion innovation and operational modernisation without compromising safety or governance.
Ensure performance insights are used to drive continuous improvement.
Oversee change initiatives to ensure benefits realisation and organisational readiness.

8. LEADERSHIP CULTURE & TALENT STEWARDSHIP

Provide leadership to the executive management team and promote a high-performance, accountable organisational culture.
Ensure effective succession planning and executive talent development.
Set expectations for professional conduct, performance excellence, and ethical behaviour.
Foster an organisational culture aligned to safety, service, integrity, and continuous improvement.

9. RISK MANAGEMENT & ASSURANCE

Ensure enterprise-wide risk management frameworks are in place and functioning effectively.
Receive and review reports on strategic, financial, operational, safety, and reputational risks.
Escalate material risks to the Board with appropriate mitigation options.
Promote a proactive risk aware decision-making culture.

10. CRISIS LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY

Provide decisive executive leadership during crises that pose material risk to public safety, national reputation, regulatory standing, financial sustainability, or continuity of operations across the Group.
Assume overall command and accountability for the Group’s response to major incidents, emergencies, or disruptions, including aviation accidents or incidents, safety or security breaches, cyber incidents, labour unrest, political or diplomatic issues, financial distress, or operational shutdowns.
Ensure that comprehensive crisis management, business continuity, and disaster recovery frameworks are established, tested, and maintained across all Group entities.
Chair or direct crisis management structures and ensure clear escalation protocols, decision-making authority, and accountability during emergency situations.
Lead engagement and communication with the Board, Shareholder representatives, Government authorities, regulators, and other relevant stakeholders during crises, ensuring transparency, timeliness, and confidence in leadership.
Provide oversight of public, media, and stakeholder communications during crises, safeguarding public trust, national interests, and the Group’s reputation.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Requirements:

A recognised Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Economics, Engineering, Aviation, Law, or a related field or Professional Aviation Qualification.
Postgraduate qualification (MBA, MBL, MSc, MA, or equivalent) in Business, Strategy, Finance, Aviation Management, or Public Administration.

Advantageous:

Formal training in corporate governance or board leadership.
Risk management or executive leadership certification.
Aviation specific certification or qualification.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

Minimum Required Experience:

10–15 years in executive leadership roles, ideally in aviation or public sector entities.
5–10 years in the airline or aviation sector (operations, finance, commercial, or technical roles).
Proven track record leading complex, regulated, or capital-intensive organisations.
Experience engaging Boards, Government, Regulators, and organised labour.
Leadership experience in public sector or state-owned entities is critical for this role.

Advantageous:

Direct airline or aviation operations experience.
Exposure to capital-intensive or infrastructure-heavy environments.
Experience in multi-subsidiary group structures.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

P&L Responsibility – Proven track record of leading a business unit or entire organization with profit & loss accountability.
Strategic Planning – Experience developing and executing multi-year strategies, including fleet planning, route development, and growth initiatives.
Change Management – Experience leading organizational transformation, restructuring, or post-crisis recovery.
Strategic and systems thinking – Ability to see the organisation as an integrated system and set long term direction aligned to national, shareholder, and market realities.
Ethical judgment and integrity – Consistently makes principled decisions that uphold governance, public trust, and the highest standards of ethical conduct.
Enterprise risk leadership – Anticipates, evaluates, and governs strategic, financial, operational, safety, and reputational risks at an enterprise level.
Political and stakeholder acuity – Manages complex relationships with government, regulators, shareholders, labour, and partners with diplomacy and sound judgment.
Financial and commercial acumen – Understands financial drivers, capital requirements, and commercial realities to ensure sustainability and value creation.
Governance & Board Accountability – Effectively discharges fiduciary duties, provides assurance to the Board, and operates within sound corporate governance frameworks.
Communication & Influence – Clearly communicates strategy and decisions while influencing diverse stakeholders across political, commercial, and operational environments.

KEY INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

Eswatini Air Board of Directors
RETA Board of Directors
RENAC Board of Directors
King’s Office
All RENAC, Eswatini Air and RETA ExCo, management and staff.

KEY EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority ESWACAA
All Airlines’ destination Airport Management
Eswatini Standards Authority
Eswatini Environmental Authority (EEA)
Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Ministry of Labour & Social Security
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
International Organization for Standards (ISO)
Aviation Industry Associations.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Application letters accompanied by detailed resumes and certified copies of relevant tertiary plus professional qualifications should be submitted by email to: recruitment@amrseswatini.com by Wednesday, 20th May 2026, 4:00 PM.

Please quote the full job title in the email subject line.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

To apply for this job email your details to recruitment@amrseswatini.com.