Group and team descriptions

Keith Manch – Director of Civil Aviation and Chief Executive

Keith joined the Authority from Maritime New Zealand and brings strong experience as a regulator to the Authority, along with considerable experience as senior leader in government.

Keith brings a robust understanding of regulating complex systems and keenly appreciates the importance of maintaining safety and security to enable New Zealand’s aviation system to contribute to positive economic and social outcomes.

Jess Carter – Head of Assurance and Governance Group

Jess and her team provide the Board, Executive Leadership Team (ELT), Ministers and other key stakeholders with quality and well-timed information and advice. This team is responsible for organisational governance and oversight, including secretariat support for Board and key internal committees. Teams that make up this group are:

  • Governance and Secretariat
  • Resolutions
  • Quality and Assurance
  • Communications and External Relations
  • Organisation Change Implementation

Joe Franklin – Acting DCE Aviation Safety Oversight Group

Joe and his team are responsible for regulatory oversight of organisations, aircraft, aircraft products, individuals, airspace, aerodromes and aviation-related infrastructure. They make sure aviation safety system participants meet safety standards and have systems and practices in place to successfully manage safety risks. Teams that make up this group are:

  • Advice, Triage and Planning
  • Certification and Monitoring
  • Licensing and Standards
  • Aeronautical Services

Warwick Burr, Acting DCE Aviation Security Group

The Aviation Security Group is responsible for managing the aviation security system, as part of the wider national security and international system. This includes assessing and responding to aviation security threats, identifying vulnerabilities and reducing risks. Their regulatory oversight also includes delivering security outcomes and activities at security-designated airports, including aviation security screening. Teams that make up this group are:

  • Aviation Security Service (AvSec)
  • Aviation Security Support
  • Operational Quality Assurance
  • Security Certification, Monitoring and Response

Warwick is Acting as DCE with responsibility for AvSec, the Aviation Security Support team and the Operational Quality Assurance team.  David Willing, the Manager of the Security Certification, Monitoring and Response team reports to the Director, until a permanent DCE takes up the role.

John Kay, DCE System, Strategy and Policy Group

John and his team lead the organisation’s strategy and set strategic objectives. They develop regulatory policy and manage international relationships to implement CAA and New Zealand’s objectives. This is supported by the delivery of operational policy, strengthened by regulatory practice design and robust process improvement. They make sure emerging technologies are safely integrated into the aviation regulatory system. Teams that make up this group are:

  • Strategy, Policy and International Engagement
  • Operational Policy, Practice and Design
  • Emerging Technologies Programme
  • Civil Aviation Act Implementation programme (temporary)

Dean Winter, DCE Regulatory Enablement and Response group

Dean and his team are responsible for providing intelligence, insights and research services for the organisation, triage of safety and security information and occurrences, leading investigations, undertaking education and regulatory interventions and managing legal risk. They’re the first point of contact for aviation accidents, incidents and concerns. Teams that make up this group are:

  • Triage, Analysis and Insights
  • Investigations
  • Engagement and Interventions
  • Legal

Andrea Cooke, DCE People and Capability Group

Andrea and her team play a key role in ensuring people are at the centre of our organisation’s strategy, including considering and planning for how our people are impacted by strategic objectives and changes. The team are responsible for attracting, educating and developing employees. Teams that make up this group are:

  • People Services, Systems and Reporting
  • Learning and Capability
  • People Experience
  • People Partnering

Mark Davis, DCE Corporate Services

Mark and his team provide all the following services to the organisation: financial, digital, workplace, commercial and procurement and portfolio and project delivery. They also maintain and deliver all aviation security screening equipment across New Zealand and the Pacific. Teams that make up this group are:

  • Finance and Commercial
  • Digital
  • Workplace
  • Project Delivery and Portfolio Management