Position: DIRECTOR, AIRPORTS PLANNING

Salary: Starting Salary range $88,578 to $115,000 Annually, commensurate with qualifications

Department: Airports/Airport Planning and Development

Location: Building 846, Palm Beach International (PBI) Airport, West Palm Beach, FL

Hours: 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday - Friday          

Other: Requires successful completion of DHS Criminal History Records Check and Security Threat Assessment prior to appointment and the ability to maintain these clearances as a condition of employment.

THIS IS AN AT-WILL POSITION.

The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners (PBC BCC) invites applications for Director, Airports Planning, Department of Airports. In this highly responsible role, you will perform professional, administrative, and technical work planning and coordinating airport development at Palm Beach International (PBI) Airport, and three other general aviation airports.  Supervises a staff of 10 management, professional, technical and support employees engaged in planning, technical services, noise abatement and community affairs operations. This position reports to the Deputy Director, Airports Development.   Work is reviewed through conferences, written reports and observation of results obtained.

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated individual to work with our team of professional and administrative staff to sustain and enhance PBI’s operations, and deal with the challenges facing Airports in the future.

Responsibilities include:

• Researches, coordinates and implements a Master Plan and plan elements for short and long-term airport development.
• Confers with airport administration, government officials and civic groups to identify issues, goals and objectives in airport planning.  
• Acts as contract administrator for consultant agreements.
• Reviews development plans to ensure proposals are in compliance with airport development standards.
• Reviews zoning requests and Comprehensive Plan Amendments for

aviation-related impacts and prepares related staff reports and recommendations.

• Coordinates FAA compliance procedures to secure and maintain airport development aid funds.
• Provides guidance/direction to personnel in other County departments, outside consultants and private developers regarding project development and construction issues, relative to impacts on aviation.
• Prepares planning studies and formulates recommendations.
• Reviews planning studies conducted by other airports and related aviation authorities, in an effort to review overall impacts to aviation system.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with governmental agencies, consultants, developers, regulatory agencies, users and the public, in support of the goals of the Department.
• Assists with development of Department’s capital improvement budgets.
• Oversees and prepares performance indicators.
• Prepares and delivers presentations to staff, board members, industry partners, civic organizations and the general public in person and over communication devices.

Our airport system: Palm Beach County operates a system of four airports. PBI serves both air carriers and general aviation aircraft. Annually, PBI handles approximately 140,000 aircraft operations, made up of both air carrier and general aviation activity, and nearly 7.0 million passengers. PBI’s terminal facility encompasses 657,000 square feet, made up of three concourses with 28 passenger holdrooms/gates with loading bridges, an in-line baggage handling system, and Federal Inspection Services facilities for processing international passengers. The airfield consists of three runways including a 10,000 ft. primary runway. PBI also has on site: 9,600 public parking spaces, including multi-level garages and surface lots, a 24-hour FAA air traffic control tower, a U.S. Customs and Immigration port of entry facility, cargo facilities, an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting facility, and three fixed base operators, with four general aviation terminal facilities.

In addition to PBI, the County operates three general aviation airports including: North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport located in Palm Beach Gardens, which provides easy access to the Florida Research Park and Jupiter; Palm Beach County Park Airport located in Lantana, 6 miles south of PBI, and Palm Beach County Glades Airport located in the western portion of Palm Beach County, adjacent to Lake Okeechobee.

PBI received many prestigious awards in 2020, including: 9th Best Domestic Airport by Travel + Leisure Magazine, 3rd Best Airport in the U.S. by Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards and 2nd Best Medium Airport by J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study. With a customer-centered focus, PBI is exceeding expectations and continues to be named in the Top 10 Best Airports in the U.S. by providing our passengers an easy, convenient and stress-free experience from parking to boarding. 

PBI strives to be the favorite airport for both passengers and guests picking up travelers.  Two beautiful pet parks can be found outside the baggage claim level, on the East and West ends of the terminal, along with new service animal relief areas located post-security on Concourse B and Concourse CPBI became more family and traveling mother friendly in 2016, as the first airport in South Florida to provide private nursing suites in the concourses.  In January 2017, construction of a 5-acre Travel Plaza brought guests new amenities for customers waiting on arriving passengers.  The Travel Plaza includes a convenience store, gas station, Dunkin’ Donuts, car wash, electric car charging stations, free Wi-Fi, arrivals information and shaded parking spots while waiting.  Plans are currently underway for the expansion of Concourse B, including new food & beverage options, new retail concessions, additional restroom facilities and more room to move about the concourse while maintaining social-distancing. 

PBI prioritizes sustainability on our grounds.  In 2018, PBI joined the FPL Solar Now program to collect and return clean energy through 230 solar panels.  The in-terminal recycling program started in 2018 and water bottle filling stations were installed in all the concourses in early 2019.  The Department of Airports has also initiated a Sustainability Management Plan to help guide its sustainability efforts into the future for the County’s airport system.

Additionally, the Palm Beach County Department of Airports has consistently been recognized as having a strong financial position by the national bond rating agencies due to low cost per enplanement, strong debt service coverage, robust cash balances, diversified air carrier mix, and diversified revenue stream. 

OUR COMMUNITY: Palm Beach County is truly the Best of Everything. The average temperature is 78 degrees; the 47-mile shoreline has numerous public beaches; and the landscape ranges from urban to agricultural to natural wetlands. In Palm Beach County, there are more than 150 public and private golf courses, hundreds of tennis courts, dozens of parks, waterparks, boating docks, snorkeling and diving sites, cultural and historic attractions, regional libraries, adult education pro­grams, hundreds of houses of worship, and dozens of schools, colleges and universities, hospitals and shopping/entertainment centers. Palm Beach County government provides diverse and comprehensive services, from animal care to libraries, public works to PBI.

Palm Beach County is geographically among the largest of the 67 counties in Florida and is larger than the state of Delaware. The county is bounded by Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean, all of which offer recreational opportunities in beautiful natural settings. Major industries in Palm Beach County include tourism and agriculture, with the western portion of the county producing about 10% of the nation's sugar. There are an estimated 1.5 million people living in Palm Beach County. The life­styles of residents range from urban to rural, with the more densely populated areas in the east. There are 39 municipalities in Palm Beach County. The remaining residents live in unincorporated areas.

PBC GOVERNMENT:  The seven-member BCC is the legislative governing body of Palm Beach County. Commissioners are elected to staggered four-year terms by voters in the district in which they reside.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:  BA/BS in Airport Management, Airport or Urban/Regional

Planning, Airport Engineering or related field; five (5) years of experience in airport planning or related field, that includes one (1) year of project and consultant management experience as applied to airport planning and development projects.  Planning/design/development experience at a commercial airport is preferred.  Advanced related degree also desirable.

BENEFITS:  The PBC BCC provides an excellent executive benefits package, including a salary competitive for the South Florida marketplace, travel reimbursement for interviews, relocation reimbursement assistance, medical, dental and life insurance, as well as vacation, paid parental, and sick leave, tuition reimbursement and participation in the Florida Retirement System.

Application deadline 5:00 p.m., 8/5/2022.  Apply online at https://secure.co.palm-beach.fl.us/onlinejobs/Job/JobOpening?Job=5591  (No emailed resumes accepted).

Note:  It is not necessary to submit another application for this position if you have previously applied.

EO/AA M/F/D/V (DFWP) E-Verify Employer.  All employees of Palm Beach County may be required to work before, during and/or after a natural or man-made disaster or hurricane.