2026 PANYNJ Deputy Director, Operations, Customer Experience and Compliance

Overview

Reporting to the Director of Aviation, the Deputy Director, Operations, Customer Experience, and Compliance is responsible for creating and managing a system of 21st century governance across the region’s airports (JFK, EWR, LGA, SWF, TEB), ensuring key performance indicators (KPIs) are met, regulatory mandates are satisfied, and world-class operations are enforced at every level.

The Deputy Director will oversee the department’s operational standards and regulatory compliance efforts, including safety management and emergency operations, Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF), airspace/delay reduction, and wildlife management. They will lead the department’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) strategy, ensuring that the Port Authority aviation is a leader in integration of AAM at our airports to meet and exceed customer demand. The Deputy Director will lead the development and implementation of the department’s customer experience (CX) strategies and programs, with a laser focus on delivery of world class customer service across all Port Authority airports as benchmarked by airports and systems of airports across the globe.

The Deputy Director will have three direct reports, each with their own teams: the Aviation Operations Officer, the Aviation CX Officer, and the Program Director, Operational Standards & Compliance. They will work closely with the rest of the Aviation Director’s Office, the General Manager of each airport, and the leadership of terminal operators to ensure operations and customer experience meet the standards outlined by the agency’s mission, priorities, and regulatory commitments.

Responsibilities

Aviation Operations

The Deputy Director is ultimately responsible for the effective and efficient delivery of essential aeronautical, technical, and operations support, regulatory compliance, and aviation safety.

• Work with the Aviation Operations Officer to set priorities related to regulatory compliance matters, aviation safety policies (including implementation of Safety Management Systems), and effective use of ARFF resources.
• Establish and implement the strategic vision for AAM integration across all PA Airports, ensuring alignment with all FAA regulations.
• Strategically manage the Airport Rules and Regulations program.
• Serve as a critical senior liaison between the Port Authority, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airport stakeholders, ground service providers, and others to create shared ownership and buy-in to the department’s operations, regulatory, and safety priorities.

Aviation Customer Experience

The Deputy Director enables the department’s development and implementation of  customer experience (CX) strategies and programs across all airports. The Deputy Director works closely with the Aviation CX Officer to set strategic, data-driven and industry benchmarked customer experience goals for all airports, and tracks success via critical CX KPIs including ASQ, CSAT, Feedback Now, JD Power, and others.

• Manage the Aviation CX Officer, supporting their efforts to identify and prioritize emerging CX challenges and trends to deliver world-class customer experience.
• Manage relationships with Aviation Redevelopment, airport General Managers, and terminal operators to incorporate CX strategy into project designs and operational plans.
• Create management systems and cadences that enable CX and operations staff to set, measure, and exceed goals across the customer journey, including airport access, accessibility/ADA, airport ambience/ condition, amenities, and more.

Operational Standards and Compliance

The Deputy Director will work with terminal operators and other stakeholders to ensure consistent operations and alignment with industry best practices, world-class standards, and regulatory requirements.

• Serve as a central point of information supporting operational execution in areas of safety, operations, security, sustainability, and technological innovation.
• Revise policies and guidelines of all functional areas to enhance fairness, compliance, and uniformity of execution.
• Participate in the development of lease agreements associated with all terminals by providing input on operational standards and requirements.

Qualifications

Qualifications 

Candidates must present the following qualifications to be considered eligible for this position: 

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university. Advanced degree in aviation management, business, or public administration is desirable. 
• Superior leadership and management abilities acquired through a demonstrated record of increasingly responsible jobs in the aviation industry,
• At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in aviation operations, with at least 10 years in a people management capacity.
• Demonstrated experience managing functions in compliance with Federal and State regulations, such as those related to airline operations, airfield operations, or FAA air traffic procedures.
• Experience in creating and giving effective presentations to executive staff 
• Excellent leadership and motivational skills. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to interact effectively with the workforce at all levels as well as external constituents. 
• High level of integrity and dependability with ability to think on both a strategic and tactical level to develop long-term achievable plans. 

Desired 

Ideal candidates will present the following profile: 

• Knowledge of the Airport Certification and Safety standards and the ability to enforce regulatory standards.
• Ability to develop methods of meeting regulations given cost and resource constraints. 
• Understanding of both the government and commercial side of the business and the ability to exert influence on senior leadership in the industry.
• Ability to effectively communicate both written and oral instructions.
• Demonstrated experience in negotiations, contract administration and management.
• Knowledge of safety principles with demonstrated experience in taking appropriate action to mitigate unsafe conditions.
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills working with internal and external staff, and outside agencies.
• Industry background and certification in one or more of the following fields: pilot's license, Air Traffic Control license, CFR Part 139 certification, American Association of Airport Executive (AAAE) Certification in Operations and Security, Membership and participation in AAAE, certification as an AAAE Certified Member (C.M.) or Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.) strongly preferred. Engineering degree and Six Sigma training also beneficial.

See Link in Recruitment Brochure for Complete Job Description.

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