MICHAEL THOMSON
Currently employed as an Operations Officers for a private aviation company. 17+ years' experience working in customer service for a diverse group of organizations/clients. Skilled in people management, sales, maintenance, product liability, health & safety, risk management and conducting community projects. In my current role I am one of the senior members of the operations and logistics team for a private aviation company. My role involves handling and co-ordinating a lot of moving parts to ensure we meet our clients' travel needs. This varies from transporting organs, military movements to clients on leisure and business trips involving their private aircraft. I handle everything from client emails, flight plans, liaising with border force, invoicing, health and safety reporting as well as operating/ maintaining heavy machinery for the servicing of aircraft. Previously took a leading role in the preparation and opening of the Aberdeen Decathlon store in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was an extremely rewarding but challenging experience which required a high level of creative problem solving. Prior to this I was part of a successful management team in a busy city centre restaurant. Day to day functions included marketing, cost control and resource management to ensure the company goals were met. Played a key role in the year-on-year growth of sales, increasing footfall, the implementation of a new staff training program and restaurant refurbishment. Additional skills have been developed as a result of coaching swimming and football, as well as volunteering at sports camps.
Work History
OPERATIONS OFFICER
3 Years- Coordinating daily flight operations to support customer and crew requirements. Managing and performing ground service activities, including fueling and de-icing, with focus on safety and efficiency.
- Oversee aircraft arrival and departure monitoring, resolve service delays and minimize operational disruptions quickly.
- Secure aircraft fuel contracts through KPI-focused performance. Improve fuel bowser stock management to support operational readiness. Gained HGV and CPC licenses as one of 2 staff who manage the fuelling side of the operation.
- Coordinating with aircraft operators, 3rd-party services, Border Force and organize the timely handling of customer transport and catering requests. Effective liaison with passengers, crew both in person and via email/ telephone.
- Daily capturing of data, cash handling, stock management and updating financial packages to ensure optimal base performance.
OPERATIONS & WORKSHOP MANAGER
3 Years- Managed people, maintained store operations, conducted audits, created and implemented procedures, addressed legal matters, ensured security, managed stock, forecasted needs, controlled expenses, and developed community sporting projects. Managed the stores P&L, leading to business growth from a forecast of 2.5 million in 2021 to over 4 million in 2023. Achieved margin of 34.7%, exceeding target of 30%. Due to our expense management, we have managed to achieve a productivity number (turnover/hrs spent) of 184 storewide, in comparison to our 164-target UK wide.
- Led workshop operations, coordinating repairs, safety checks, and workflow priorities across service bays.
- Supervised technicians, assigning tasks and coaching staff on equipment servicing standards.
- Managed customer repair intake, ensuring accurate diagnoses, quotes, and service updates.
SENIOR ASSISTANT MANAGER
5 Years 10 Months- Directed recruitment and staff training to ensure highest quality of customer service. Handled stock ordering, inventory control, and waste management to achieve budget and GP targets. Succeeded in increasing our wet GP for the year from 64% to 73.6%. Created and implemented new marketing initiatives that maximized customer footfall while meeting sales targets. For example, creating our express lunch menu which increased our weekday footfall at lunchtimes by 15% in January and February 2020 compared to 2019.
- Supervised daily front-of-house and back-of-house operations to maintain service consistency and guest satisfaction.
- Coordinated staff scheduling, shift coverage, and labor needs to support efficient restaurant operations.
- Monitored food safety, sanitation, and compliance standards to uphold brand and regulatory requirements.
Education
BA (Hons) - Accounting & Finance
Modules Included - Financial Accounting; Management Concepts; Tax & Taxation