Head of Mission – Aerial monitoring operations

Head of Mission – Aerial monitoring operations

Localisation :
Sicily, Italy

SOS MEDITERRANEE
is a European maritime and humanitarian organization founded in 2015 in response to the humanitarian tragedy and the persistent absence of adequate state-led rescue capabilities on the Central Mediterranean route — the deadliest migratory route in the world since 2014.

Created by a collective of European citizens committed to upholding human dignity, our organization operates with a clear mission:

• To rescue people in distress at sea;
• To protect and assist survivors on board our rescue vessel;
• To bear witness and raise public awareness about the ongoing crisis in the Mediterranean.

Since launching operations in 2016, SOS MEDITERRANEE has rescued more than 40,000 people in coordination with its network across Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland, using the ships Aquarius and Ocean Viking.

With the aim of increasing contextual awareness in the Central Mediterranean and to document the human rights violations and interceptions happening in this maritime region, SOS MEDITERRANEE, as a humanitarian civilian association, is planning to scale up our operational capacity in partnership with another organisation to launch a civilian aerial monitoring mission
. We are currently working to be operational as soon as possible, this context we are looking for these profiles. This six-month pilot operation will be based in Italy
.

The Head of Mission (HoM) is responsible for overseeing SOS MEDITERRANEE’s aerial monitoring operations and actively contributing to the definition of the aerial operational strategy. This includes supervising all phases of flight operations (before, during, and after) and comprehensively managing the dedicated team based in Lampedusa. The HoM ensures team activities align with SOS MEDITERRANEE procedures and serves as the organization’s primary representative for this mission, engaging with authorities and partners.

Responsibilities
:

• Define and implement aerial operational strategy
• Lead the mission coordinating ground and air teams
• Manage the operational schedule and crew rotations
• Support air team prior, during and after flights with strategical decision making and contextual elements
• Plan flight missions
• Liaise with relevant authorities during flights to relay element of interest regarding mission goals
• Ensure security protocols, procedures, and risk assessments are followed and adapted to evolving conditions
• Act as SOS MEDITERRANEE’s representative toward local authorities, partners, and other NGO actors
• Coordinate with SOS’s shore-based HQ teams (Ops, Advocacy, Comms, Legal)
• Supervise team wellbeing, rest periods, and conflict mediation if needed
• Submit regular operational and incident reports
• Conduct team briefings, debriefings, and ensure smooth handovers between rotations

Flight involvement
:
HoM remains ground-based but oversees air-ground coordination.

Requirements
:

• 5+ years in
  field management
  or
  civilian monitoring aircraft leadership
• Strong knowledge of
  maritime law, SAR procedures, and humanitarian coordination
• Confident handling external representation and pressurized field diplomacy
• Demonstrated abilities in
  leadership, decision-making, team management, communication, and adaptability in high-pressure environments
  .
• Deep understanding of and commitment to humanitarian principles and civilian ethics
• Ability to work in isolated settings, with small multicultural teams, under pressure
• Fluent in
  English
  (spoken and written);
  French, Italian, or Arabic are strong assets

Certifications

• SAR/humanitarian coordination training (recommended)

• Contract
  :
  Fixed-term, 6 months
• Start Date: From October 2025 – subjected to changes depending on the operations’ development
• Schedule
  : rotative system with around 4 weeks deployements + 4 weeks off-duty, including paid leave (might be adapted during contract period to align on operational needs)
• Location: this position is based in Lampedusa during deployment. Flights are carried out in light twin-engine aircraft (e.g. Diamond DA-42, Piper Seneca II).
• Salary
  : between 3200 to 3800€ gross/month according to experience and contract nationality (due to social contributions changes)
• All mission costs covered
  : travel, local accommodation (provided in the SOS Méditerranée Guesthouse), food (as per diem), insurance
• Psychological support
• All PPE and technical equipment provided

Please submit your application by the 23rdof August
.

Kindly note that no information will be given by phone.