Airport Project Programming Manager

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT 

Ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction among Large Airports in the J.D. Power 2024 and 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, John Wayne Airport (JWA) has been a major cornerstone of Orange County for more than 100 years. Located in beautiful Southern California, we currently serve approximately 11.8 million annual passengers. We strive to provide a superior guest experience to ensure travel is convenient and stress-free. The County of Orange owns and operates the airport and the service area includes more than three million people within 34 cities and unincorporated areas of Orange County and beyond.   

As a medium hub airport, we have commercial flights to more than 40 nonstop destinations in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Eleven commercial airlines and two air cargo airlines fly out of the Airport. It is home to nearly 500 general aviation (private, non-commercial) aircraft, representing 60% of total operations, and includes two full-service fixed base operators and one limited use general aviation facility.

DIVISION

The newly reformed Planning and Development Division oversees and delivers the airport's $700 million Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which includes airside, landside, and terminal renovations, as well as major utility projects and long-term infrastructure planning. The Division is also a key partner in the implementation of the General Aviation Improvement Program and the Terminal Tenant Concession Redevelopment Program. This team has 28 professionals in a variety of roles. This Division’s functional areas include engineering, A/E design standards, land use and airport planning, environmental compliance, capital project programming, project management, project controls, and construction Coordination and Logistics Management (CALM).   

• Develop and manage the airport's multi-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), including budget creation, program approval, and project prioritization to meet short and long term infrastructure needs
• Plan and oversee major capital projects to enhance airport safety, reliability, and resilience, and updated FAA Airport Capital Improvement Program plans totaling over $700 million
• Review project studies, scopes, and specifications for inclusion in the CIP, ACIP and the 5 year Strategic Financial Plan relating to scope, funding, cost, and airport priorities
• Recommend project prioritization and scheduling to meet infrastructure needs, applying changes, FFA guidance, future projects and aviation best practices
• Prepare complex reports, cost estimates, and planning studies in support of Airport Project Planning, forecasting, budgeting, and scheduling for future improvements
• Collaborate with Planning, Engineering, Project Controls, Budget, Maintenance, Grants, CALM, as well as consultants and stakeholders to ensure capital projects are appropriately funded, defined and aligned with the airport's capital and operational needs
• Facilitate clear and concise communication among project teams, stakeholders, and executive management to ensure transparency 
• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify operational challenges, infrastructure gaps, and recommendations to mitigate risks
• Prepare memos, reports, and briefings that include recommendations and supporting documentations such as spreadsheets, charts and analysis
• Review projects to ensure delivered projects meet planning requirements and intent
• Gather stakeholder feedback and identify potential new projects  for future improvements

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The most successful candidates will possess seven (7) years of direct and progressive experience in Capital improvement project programming, construction, grant management, project management, and/or civil engineering. Must include at least one (1) year of supervisory experience. Extensive experience in the development, programming, and management of infrastructure Capital improvement Programs. Must include at least three (3) years of experience in an airport setting.

A master's or a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, construction, aviation management, architecture or related field is highly desirable. 

The ideal candidate’s work experience will also demonstrate the core competencies outlined below:

• Ability to work collaboratively with key staff, management, and the public in developing, reviewing, and monitoring the Capital Improvement Program to meet the airport's infrastructure needs
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practice of the airport Capital Improvement Program, including strategic planning, programming and budgeting
• Familiar with evaluating and rating infrastructure projects
• Thorough knowledge of FAA Regulations and advisory circulars, FAA ACIP requirements, FAA grant assurance requirements and CIP programing best practices 
• Ability to prioritize projects based on business and community needs
• Familiar with principles of project management and project definition documents
• Ability to determine and calculate variances in budgeted to actual results
• Recommend corrective action plans to address variances

• Identifies, researches, evaluates, estimates, accurately interprets, and applies technical data and policy information 
• Identify problems, gather relevant information, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions, and recommends solutions
• Evaluates  information from multiple sources including Architectural/Engineering studies, stakeholders executive management, and collaborative partners, changes in regulations, and developments in the aviation industry
• Ability to balance competing priorities, consider the impacts of individual project on the overall CIP, consider the impacts on budgeting, FAA grant funding, project costs, project implementation complexity/timelines, and airport operational impacts
• Use sound reasoning and logical judgment to arrive at conclusions and find alternative solutions to complex problems
• Ability to collect and analyze cost and other data and prepare recommendation of findings

• Present complex ideas clearly, concisely, logically and persuasively, both orally and in writing
  
• Effectively present, orally and in writing, proposals, progress reports, and recommendations to executive management, Airport Commission,  county executive management, contractors, and external stakeholders
• Comfortable with navigating an occasionally political environment
• Communicate using both technical and non-technical language appropriate to the audience

• Recognize and prioritize workload
• Maintain moderately complex records requiring independent judgement and accuracy

• Effectively manage, lead and coordinate with employees, management and executive staff to successfully put together the annual review and update of the 7 year Capital  Improvement Program
• Effectively develop plans to complete projects, collaborate, delegate assignments to staff accordingly
• Ability to make well-informed and objective decisions by perceiving the impact and implications of the decisions in order to accomplish organizational goals
• Makes sound business decisions based on limited, complex, or contradicting information while taking into account relevant public service ethical principles

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Please click here for information on the minimum qualifications, physical, mental, environmental and working conditions for the for Capital Projects Manager.

LICENSE REQUIRED
The successful candidate must obtain, possess, and maintain the following licenses:

• Valid California Driver's License, Class C or higher, by date of appointment
• Valid Airport Access Badge with an Airport Driving Endorsement within ten (10) days of employment

AIRPORT ACCESS REQUIREMENTS
Employees must clear a background check, which includes a Criminal History Records Check (CHRC), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) check, and Security Threat Assessment (STA) check. Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Airport Access Badge with an Airport Driving Endorsement within ten (10) days of employment. Airport Access Badge must be maintained and renewed every two (2) years.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen applications and supplemental responses for qualifications that meet minimum qualifications, are highly desirable, and are most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the assessment step.

Salary : $116,251 - $161,013