Senior Airport Planner - Promotional

SWelcome to San Diego International Airport, where our purpose is to create an exceptional airport experience for the community and the world.  We embody the vibrant spirit of San Diego itself—sunny, welcoming, and full of life. We are committed to attracting, fostering, and empowering a team of talented individuals who can deliver our strategic goals.

Here, you’ll find a workplace culture that thrives on diversity and shared mindsets of collaboration, empathy, inclusivity, thoughtful decision-making, listening, and believing the best in people. If you are ready to contribute to a team that values meaningful impact and enjoys the journey along the way, we invite you to apply today.

The Airport Planning department is seeking a Senior Airport Planner to act as a team lead providing direction to professional and technical staff and consultants involved in advanced long-range and short-range planning for airport infrastructure, land use, environmental entitlements, and regional air transportation system planning. This pivotal role ensures the integration of planning requirements into strategic policy directions and manages department programs while enforcing adherence to federal, state, and local regulations. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong competencies in communication, leadership, and critical thinking, with a proven ability to effectively manage complex projects and teams.

1. Provides lead direction and monitors the work of professional and technical staff and consul­tants; acts as team leader for staff, coordinating department planning activities; trains and mentors professional and technical staff; edits written work of staff for accuracy and readability of content; monitors project budgets and schedules for completion of assign­ments; evaluates and recommends modification of procedures to improve planning results; keeps statistics of planning team’s work.

2.      Admin­isters planning policies and regulations; interprets and implements federal, state, and local laws and regulations; interprets and integrates planning requirements into policy direction, plans and management of department programs; determines the application of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Coastal Development Permit guidelines in accordance with the California Coastal Act and other federal, state and local laws, regulations and codes.

3.      Participates in developing and administering the Airport Master Plan, Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans and regional air transportation system planning, capacity enhancement programs for sustaining and improving the airport’s infrastructure and facilities; analyzes regulatory and social/political constraints in airport development; reviews and comments on proposed legislation affecting airports; assists with community presentations.

4.      Participates on Authority-wide teams focused on capital improvements and facilities development; assists in maintaining and updating documentation to meet regulatory requirements, oversees consultant contracts involved in various airport and land use planning, design and construction projects; leads or participates in difficult land use and environmental studies and projects; assists in the preparation of land use and transportation studies.

5.      Researches planning policy issues and conditions; establishes methodologies for the research; coor­dinates the collection of information regarding study needs from other Authority departments and outside agencies; designs, conducts and analyzes surveys, inventories and evaluations, including data collection and interpretation, analysis and evaluation of consequences of different courses of actions; conducts special studies on sensitive planning issues.

6.      Monitors grant and funding opportunities; prepares federal and state grant funding proposals and applications for airport infrastructure, system or site-specific planning and regional access projects; administers grants; prepares project status reports on grant-funded projects; writes contracts and interagency agreements and negotiates funding.

7.      Provides information and assistance to the public, by phone, or in writing on policies and standards related to airport and land use planning; facilitates community and public involvement meetings; prepares and present staff reports to staff and management; provides information and assistance on to the public on routine to difficult planning, land use and capital related projects; coordinates and reviews projects with in-house departments and outside agencies.

8. Performs administrative related functions for the department including appointment scheduling, coordinating events, answering telephone, compiling reports and data, prepares tabulations, charts, graphs, preparing and editing correspondence.

9.      Supervises professional, technical and support staff including determining workloads and schedules; oversees the work of staff and consultants; instructs and checks the work of less experienced planning staff; provides performance feedback to staff and prepares performance assigned employees appraisal.

Competencies

1. Communication: To proficiently and tactfully exchange and interpret information verbally and in writing, facilitate, persuade and complete presentations.

2. Critical Thinking: Critically reviews and translates business requirements, data and information to specify solutions or alternative practice in support of business objectives and strategies.

3. Critical Evaluation: Critically reviews and analyzes programs, data and information to offer recommendations or alternative practice in support of business objectives and strategies. 

4.     Problem-Solving/Agility Skills – Completes review of situation or factor and collaboratively generates alternative or solution, readily adapts behavior or new work methods for evolving and unexpected situations and obstacles.

5.     Planning -Effectively allocates resources to current business priorities; fosters collaboration and coordination among cross-functional teams to execute projects and achieve objectives.

6.     Interpersonal & Presentation Skills: Seeks and proficiently present information in writing, verbally and digitally, clearly present information, facilitates and persuades others in a group and one-on-one forum.

7.     Judgement & Decision Making: Ability to use appropriate judgement and confidentiality in selecting procedures, conducting transactions with other departments, vendors and the public and solving non-routine problems based on experience-based knowledge. 

8.     Leveraging Technology – Effective use of electronic information and associated systems.

9.     Leadership & Influencing Skills – Motivates others through relationship, expectations and approach; develops others, recognizes achievements and completes work objectives, gains others support for ideas, proposals, projects and solutions.

Requirements

Required Education, Training and Experience:

• Graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in urban, regional or transportation planning or a closely related field; and
• Four years of progressively responsible experience in a public planning agency or consulting organization focused on airport, land use and environmental planning processes.
• Or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• A California Class C driver’s license and the ability to maintain insurability under the Authority’s vehicle insurance policy.

Preferred Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:

• Master’s Degree in Urban, Regional or Transportation Planning or a closely related field
• American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Certified Member (CM) certification
• American Planning Association (APA) American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification

The hiring salary for Senior Airport Planner position is $96,448.

Applications will be accepted through June 25, 2024.

Lacking some of the skills or experiences we've listed? No worries! Here at the San Diego International Airport, we're on a mission to cultivate a workforce as dynamic and diverse as the community we serve. While certain roles may require specific qualifications, we understand that talent comes in many forms. Some of our positions may not require specific degrees, and we're always open to individuals who bring a willingness to learn and a commitment to excellence. If you think this could be you, we encourage you to apply, and even if this position isn't the right role for you, we will add you to our database to consider for other opportunities in the future that align with your unique knowledge and skills. There's a chance we have the perfect spot for you to land!

EEO Statement

It is the policy of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, SDCRAA will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Physical & Mental Demands

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this class with reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis and depends, in part, on the specific requirements for the job, the limitations related to disability and the ability of the hiring department to accommodate the limitation. If you need any form of accommodation during the recruitment process, please inform the Talent Acquisition Partner (Recruiter).

Under California Government Code Sections 3100 - 3109, public employees are designated disaster service workers. The term "public employees" includes all persons employed by the state or any county, city, state agency, or public district. Disaster service workers are required to participate in such disaster service activities as they may be assigned to them by their employer or law.

The salary range for Senior Airport Planner : $82,434- $131,894.