Simon Segwabe
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Specialist: Business Operations
South African Airways
03.2025 - Current
- Responsible for driving business efficiency, process improvement, and operational excellence across the organization.
- Responsible for by driving business operations excellence adopting a data-driven approach, in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Participation in the development and implementation of policies, procedures and protocols as well as adherence to relevant legislation and consideration of international standards and recommended practices.
- Process Improvement: Analyse and optimise business processes to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the experience of those impacted by the operation.
- Operational Metrics: Develop and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure business performance, identify areas for improvement, and inform strategic decisions.
- Project Management: Manage special projects and initiatives that drive business growth, improve operations, and enhance company culture.
- Data Analysis: Collect, analyse, and interpret data to inform business decisions, identify trends, and optimise operations whilst ensuring business advantage.
- Integration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive business outcomes and resolve operational issues.
- Implementation of Applicable Legal Frameworks: Comprehensive knowledge and adherence to legal statutes that legislate employment (BCEA, LRA, EEA) and Industry (SAA Act, Civil Aviation Act, CARs & CATs) and any other related including other jurisdictions outside SA.
- Policy and Procedure Development: Develop, direct execution and maintain business policies and procedures to ensure compliance industry standards and interface with external stakeholders.
- Regulatory Compliance: Develop, implement, and maintain business policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements nationally, regionally and internationally regulatory and best practices in commercial aviation.
- Ensure compliance with the Air Service Management Plan (ASMP), Corporate Quality Management Manual (CQMM), Airline’s Aircraft Operating Manual (AOM) and the regulations as produced by SACAA and applicable regulatory authorities under whose registers the Airline operates aircraft with a key focus on safe operations.
- Continuous Improvement: Stay up to date with industry trends, best practices, and new technologies to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement.
- Operational Continuity: Assist with oversight of quality audits across the Airline and liaise with all relevant departments and third-party suppliers as well as government regulators.
- Perform oversight on the development, updating and amendments of manuals within Operations.
- Support Aircraft Entry Into Service (EIS) preparation and Operations Specification Amendments (OpSpec).
- Collaborate with Quality Assurance coordinate AOC and IOSA assessment readiness.
Independent Aviation Safety Consultant
11.2023 - 03.2025
- Prepare and assist both prospective and current approval holder to retain or obtain an approval.
- Aircraft Maintenance Organization.
- Aircraft Training Organization.
- Aircraft Pre-purchase.
- Developed Aircraft Maintenance Plan/Program/Schedule and Minimum Equipment list.
- Conduct pre-inspection before the regulator (SACAA) conduct their own inspection.
- Conduct an assessment/audit and/or inspection of the customer facilities and processes (aviation spares/part distribution/seller) compliance status in line with the client recommended/required standard, to present the report/s to the client with relevant finding/non-compliance if any and, recommendations to in order for the client to make relevant and informed decision.
- To develop and implement the necessary corrective action plan in order to ensure that client meets to required compliance level.
- Providing the following services: To assess and put in place effective Maintenance Planning processes for organisation’s fleet.
- To assess competency levels of maintenance Engineers and their adequacy to maintain the fleet and provide gap analysis.
- Recommended and develop an ideal working shift pattern relevant to LAM operations taking into account human factor principles.
- Audit the adequacy of Mandatory Regulatory Documentation that are required for minimum regulatory compliance for LAM MRO.
- To assess adequacy of Ground Equipment to support LAM MRO Regulatory Approvals.
- To establish the adequacy of subscription with relevant OEMs to support LAM MRO.
- To assess and recommend the necessary maintenance equipment to enable LAM to conduct its own maintenance work and possible future clients.
- Provide overall assessment gap analysis and make recommendations to address short comings identified in LAM MRO.
- Prepare implementation plan to address the recommendations proposed/made and monitor its implementation.
SACAA Executive: Aviation Safety Operations
South African Civil Aviation Authority
06.2015 - 09.2023
- Responsible for strategic leadership of Aviation Safety Operations Division in accordance with ICAO SARPs and SA Civil Aviation legislation, ensuring regulatory compliance and safety oversight of all Air Operators, Aviation Training Organisations, Manufacturing Organisation, Aviation Maintenance Organisations, and the Aviation Medicine discipline.
- In addition, enabling human development, and managing financial resources.
- Leading next generation safety operations strategic initiatives.
- Fostering domestic, regional and international collaboration with other Civil Aviation Authorities and industry stakeholders to achieve global aviation safety targets.
SACAA Senior Manager: Operations Management
South African Civil Aviation Authority
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Leading the Airworthiness function, and responsible for upkeep of the civilian aircraft register; ensuring that civilian aircraft are maintained in accordance with requirements.
- Performing oversight function of Aircraft Maintenance Organisations, the approval of aircraft modifications and Supplementary Type Certificates and to ascertain that maintenance engineers adhere to the applicable regulations.
- Managing the South African Civil Aviation Authority Airworthiness team.
- Leading ICAO international audit preparatory programme.
- Development of Departmental policies, processes, procedures and quality standards for the Operations Management Inspectorate.
- Manage the departmental annual budget in excess of R60 million.
- Select, interview and recruit new line management and necessary inspectorate whom will ensure that SACAA is capacitated with staff qualified to industry standards.
SACAA Line Manager [Manager: Manufacturing]
South African Civil Aviation Authority
01.2007 - 01.2011
- Administration and coordination of duties in relation to the certification and safety oversight of organisations that manufacture aircraft and aeronautical products.
- Development of manufacturing legislation and guidance material.
- Development and implementation of the audit programmes for Production/Manufacturing Organisation Approval holders.
- Conduct surveillance and audits of organizations with manufacturing approvals, in accordance with prescribed schedules as to ensure compliance with regulatory framework.
- Manage the delegation and availability of resource applicable to projects and internal routine requirements.
- Maintain a high degree of morale and efficiency by providing ongoing support and motivation to the subordinates.
SACAA Airworthiness Inspector
South African Civil Aviation Authority
06.2003 - 09.2007
- Certify Aircraft Maintenance Organisation both domestic and international that carries out maintenance on South African Registered aircraft and its components in terms of the South African Civil Aviation Regulations.
- Certification of Air Operator in conjunction with Flight Operations department including approval of but not limited to Extended Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS/EDTO); Low Landing Minima (LLM), Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) approval.
SACAA Air Operator Inspector
South African Civil Aviation Authority
- Inspections of both fixed wing and rotorcraft (Small and Large) airplane registered in the Republic of South Africa for issuance of certificate of airworthiness.
- Verifying compliance with the manufacture’s type certification requirements and the South African Civil Aviation Regulations (SACAR) as amended.
SENIOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN
South African Airways Technical
08.1999 - 10.2003
- Responsible for ensuring that aircraft operates properly and safely.
- I conducted repairs, troubleshoot problems, conduct inspections and make upgrades to aircraft.
- Daily duties included inspections, scheduled maintenance checks, emergency repairs and record keeping of all maintenance activities.
- I trained apprentices/trainees with developing their skills and abilities to perform their respective tasks in areas or aircraft maintenance.
Timeline
Senior Specialist: Business Operations
South African Airways
03.2025 - Current
Independent Aviation Safety Consultant
11.2023 - 03.2025
SACAA Executive: Aviation Safety Operations
South African Civil Aviation Authority
06.2015 - 09.2023
SACAA Senior Manager: Operations Management
South African Civil Aviation Authority
01.2011 - 01.2015
SACAA Line Manager [Manager: Manufacturing]
South African Civil Aviation Authority
01.2007 - 01.2011
SACAA Airworthiness Inspector
South African Civil Aviation Authority
06.2003 - 09.2007
SENIOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN
South African Airways Technical
08.1999 - 10.2003
SACAA Air Operator Inspector
South African Civil Aviation Authority