Senior Operations Manager

Kamaka Air is a Hawaii-based FAA Part 135 certificated air cargo carrier headquartered at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), operating a fleet of Cessna 208 Caravan and Cessna 408 Sky Courier aircraft on scheduledrecurring [CB1] and charter cargo routes to Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. As a critical link in Hawaii’s inter-island logistics chain, we move the freight the islands run on — from UPS and USPS canisters to medical supplies, fresh food, and time‑sensitive cargo for the businesses and communities of the neighbor islands.

At Kamaka Our our commitment is simple: safety, reliability, and service to the working Hawai’i we fly for every day.

The Senior Operations Manager owns end-to-end cargo operations — from the moment a customer places an order through scheduling, front desk intake, cargo acceptance, staging, load, departure, and delivery at our neighbor island stations on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this leader directs the HNL hub ground operation and remote island stations, and partners daily with Flight Operations and Maintenance & Engineering to deliver safe, on‑time, cost‑effective service.

This is a hands‑on senior leadership role for an operator who thrives in the pre‑dawn cargo window (normal operating hours 1:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.), leads from the floor, and is accountable for the numbers: on‑time performance, dispatch reliability, cargo damage rate, load factor, and cost per flight.

• Safe, compliant operations — zero preventable incidents; full FAA, TSA, OSHA, and hazmat compliance.
• On‑time performance & dispatch reliability — aircraft loaded, documented, and released on schedule.
• End‑to‑end service quality — accurate order intake, staging, and delivery; low cargo damage/claims rate.
• Operational efficiency & cost management — labor productivity, load factor, and cost per flight.
• Team readiness — trained, engaged crews at HNL and all island stations, every shift.

• Own the daily operating plan from customer order and booking through scheduling, flight assignment, and confirmed delivery across all four island routes.
• Lead front desk and customer service intake — cargo acceptance, documentation, dangerous goods screening, weights, and cutoffs — so every shipment enters the system right the first time.
• Build and manage daily flight load plans with Flight Operations; balance scheduled commitments, charter requests, and priority freight (UPS, USPS, key accounts).
• Serve as senior operational point of contact for key customers; resolve service issues quickly and permanently.

• Direct daily hangar and warehouse operations: sortation, island staging lanes, UPS/USPS canister receipt, build‑up, and aircraft loading/unloading.
• Champion lean operations — 5S, visual management, and standard work — to increase throughput from cargo acceptance to aircraft load.
• Ensure ground support equipment, vehicles, forklifts, and fuel operations are serviceable, inspected, and ready; drive preventive maintenance to minimize downtime.

• Own station performance at OGG/JHM, MKK, and LNY: staffing, ground handling, turnaround times, equipment readiness, and local vendor/airport relationships.
• Standardize processes across stations so a shipment is handled the same way on Lanai as it is in Honolulu; travel regularly to each island station.
• Plan station coverage and contingencies for weather, mechanical, and schedule disruptions in coordination with dispatch and Flight Operations.

• Enforce strict adherence to FAA Part 135 ground handling requirements, TSA cargo security programs, OSHA, and 49 CFR hazardous materials regulations.
• Conduct safety audits, briefings, and recurrent training for ground, front desk, and cargo handling personnel; sustain a just, reporting‑driven safety culture.
• Own incident reporting, root cause analysis, and corrective action implementation; track findings to closure.

• Partner daily with…