Senior Manager Airline Engagement

The New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport is a bold and exciting project to develop a world-class international terminal that will serve as an anchor terminal in the Port Authority's $19 billion transformation of JFK into a global gateway to the New York metropolitan area and the United States. The New Terminal One will set a new standard for design and service, aspiring to obtain a Top 5 Skytrax ranking and be considered one of the finest airport terminals in the world.

The New Terminal One is being built on sites now occupied by Terminal 1 and the former Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, where it will anchor JFK's south side. Construction is taking place in phases. The first phase, including the new arrivals and departures halls and first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026. At completion, anticipated in 2030, the New Terminal One will be 2.6 million square feet, making it the largest terminal at JFK and nearly the same size as LaGuardia Airport's two new terminals combined.

The New Terminal One will be a 23-gate, state-of-the-art, international-only terminal. Sustainably designed and future-focused, the terminal will feature expansive, naturally lit public spaces, cutting-edge technology, and an array of amenities, all designed to enhance the customer experience and compete with some of the highest-rated airport terminals in the world.

Who we are looking for:

As the Senior Manager Airline Engagement, you will lead stakeholder engagement with our airlines partners that will operate from New Terminal One (NTO). You will serve as the primary liaison for airlines to ensure their needs are aligned with terminal operations and overall strategic objectives. You will build and strengthen relationships with these critical partners.

Your experience working with airlines, along with your background in airport operations and project management, equips you to support the day-to-day management of a complex terminal environment. You will work cross-functionally to resolve operational issues, optimize performance, and maintain strong collaborative partnerships with airline stakeholders and internal teams.

Success in this role requires strong skills in stakeholder engagement, organizational skills, conflict resolution, flexibility, and clear communication—all essential to ensuring NTO remains a high-performing, customer-focused terminal.

What you’ll be doing:

• Serve as a key point of contact to ensure airline requirements are understood, addressed and support the alignment of airline partner goals with NTO’s objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with our airline partners through regular communication, strategic updates, and collaborative working.
• Assist in the end-to-end onboarding process for new airline partners, coordinating across internal teams (e.g., operations, commercial, legal, IT) to ensure a smooth and timely integration.
• Track progress against onboarding milestones and help resolve issues to facilitate a successful Terminal opening.
• Support documentation, scheduling, and communication to align on operational requirements, branding needs, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead meetings, site visits, and follow-ups to ensure smooth onboarding and operational performance for current and prospective airline partners, government stakeholders, and industry collaborators.
• Confidently represent NTO in public forums, presentations, and meetings.
• Work collaboratively with airline partners to enhance service quality and satisfaction scores.
• Lead the refinement and ongoing development of monthly airline board dashboards, ensuring data accuracy, clarity, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Support engagement for airline business development and growth
• Maintain and update the airline risk register, working cross-functionally to identify, assess, and monitor risks, and ensure mitigation strategies are clearly documented and tracked over time.
• Demonstrate conflict resolution, flexibility, teamwork, effective communication, respectfulness, and initiative in all aspects of work.

Qualifications:

• Customer focused with strong relationship development and management skills
• Highly organized with ability to manage multiple tasks, actions and relationships at any one time
• Proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel to support executive-level presentations and support strategic decision-making
• Ability to work autonomously and proactively
• Knowledge of airline and airport operational priorities
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Proven ability to build strong relationships and ensure cross-functional teams and stakeholders with professionalism
• Strong communication skills and ability to represent NTO in public forums
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, aviation management, economics, or a related field

Where will you work:

This role will be hybrid and is currently located in Building 111 at JFK Airport. As NTO progresses towards its operational phase, your role may transition to the terminal, where you will be directly involved in the day-to-day activities of this state-of-the-art international terminal.

This role requires a valid Secure Worker Access Consortium (SWAC) clearance and/or Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) badge, which will be obtained and maintained throughout employment. Successful candidates will be subject to a background check and other security clearance procedures. Candidates who cannot obtain and maintain this credential will not be considered for employment.

What we offer:

• Competitive Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings and Reimbursement Accounts HSA/HRA
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Generous Commuter Benefits
• Group Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Competitive 401k matching
• Discount and other perks through partner programs

Our values and commitment:

We do not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

The New Terminal One consortium of labor, operating, and financial partners is led by Ferrovial, JLC Infrastructure, Ullico, and Carlyle. The New Terminal One is being built by union labor and we are committed to local inclusion and labor participation, focusing on diversity and capacity-building opportunities, including ambitious participation goals of 30% for minority and women-owned enterprises, 10% for local business enterprises and 3% for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

To learn more about the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport, visit https://portauthoritybuilds.com/redevelopment/us/en/jfk/planned-projects/terminal-1.html