Director, Airport Safety

The Allegheny County Airport Authority [ACAA] invites you aboard our mission to create meaningful travel experiences in the aviation industry. As Pittsburgh’s gateway to the world, both Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport serve as beacons of change and connectivity for our region. As a member of our crew, you will directly serve, inspire, and advance our community in significant ways that impact the daily lives of others and the future of our organization. Whether you have a passion for travel, an appreciation for aeronautics and aviation, or an unparalleled love for the city of Pittsburgh, ACAA provides the opportunity for the next chapter of your career to take flight. 

Our culture is one that emphasizes high performance, innovation, and learning. We know that those things only happen when everyone who works in an organization is properly empowered, equipped, and enabled in their roles to make an impact. At ACAA success is a shared responsibility, and we look forward to supporting and developing the unique strengths you could bring to our team.

Job Summary

Under the broad supervision of the Executive Vice President & CDO, is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing safety programs and protocols, conducting safety audits, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. In addition, the incumbent will provide direction to the workplace safety team.

Here is how the Director, Airport Safety will help:   

• Perform other related tasks as assigned or required.
• Provide management oversight for TMP and other capital safety programs and on-site medical services, ensuring safe work environments and creating a culture of relationships and continuous improvement with safety at our two airports.
• Develop and direct procedures, policies, and training to ensure safety performance quality standards are met and maintained.
• Review and accept Contractor Safety Representative qualifications and site-specific safety and health plans.
• Request documentation, review, and approve employee safety orientations and training.
• Oversee a system to document safety across all contractor activities, tracking both leading and lagging indicators: 
  1. Manage and direct safety performance statistics for the TMP and other capital work
  2. Keep senior management well-informed of the H&S program
  3. Monitor safety audits, inspections, JSAs, etc.  
• Lead and facilitate the process for OSHA partnership agreement, whether on the capital side or through a relationship with all safety performance on the airports we serve.   
• Conduct verification of implementation, and conformance to, Contractor’s site-specific H&S plan and documentation.
• Attend Contractor safety toolbox meetings, review JHAs to ensure the content and quality of the meetings are being achieved.
• Distribute proactive safety requirements, regulations, or developments to the representative or designee.
• Facilitate weekly program/project safety committee meetings and project site walks for safety and health observations.
• Facilitate monthly site compliance visits.
• Conduct quarterly owner safety committee meetings to review the process of the OCIP, or with our on-site construction management teams.
• Create a culture of safety for the ACAA team, one that is built on relationships and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the creation and implementation of an ACAA workplace Environmental, Health, and Safety Plan.
• Manage and direct incident investigations.
• Provide coordination with public and regulatory agencies.
• In collaboration with airport operations and other key stakeholders, assist in the creation and implementation of an SMS or Safety Management System Plan for our airfield.
• Performs other related tasks as assigned or required

The successful candidate for the role of Director, Airport Safety will demonstrate the following key competencies needed in our culture:

• Communication – Able to clearly articulate short-term vision, department goals and objectives; Collaborate effectively with peers; Able to communicate policy and strategy to team members. 
• Strategic Thinking – Able to determine short-term outcomes and give guidance on how to meet goals; Able to direct and deliver plans to achieve efficient, on-time results.
• Team Builder – Able to direct and implement project objectives through “one team” approach; Focused on developing team; direct work of team through leadership and accountability; Makes informed decisions. 
• Customer Centricity– Leads team to identify and improve customer experience; Directs and implements improvements that positively impacts most stakeholders.

Qualifications

The following requirements list the minimum education/training/experience required to qualify for this job. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be accepted.

Requirements to apply for the role of Director, Airport Safety are:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental safety/protection, occupational safety, or related discipline. Master’s degree is a plus.
• Seven years of progressively responsible experience in environmental heath and safety management, preferably in the air transportation industry.
• Possess or obtain prior to employment a valid Pennsylvania Class C driver’s license.  Note: license must be maintained throughout employment.
• Preferred: Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification.

We also expect that candidates will demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities in most cases:  

• Requires considerable knowledge of environmental and safety compliance, best practices and training standards.
• Considerable ability to assimilate technical information about environmental issues and act on elements that apply to airport operations.
• Strong knowledge in environmental, safety, health, and legal compliance (OSHA, EPA, MSHA, DOT).
• Understanding of the critical nature of safety in the workplace.
• Strong attention to detail and taking action to meet compliance regulations.
• Ability to keep abreast of trends and related best practices.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Don’t meet every requirement?

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs if they don’t meet every single qualification. As a Smarter Airport, we recognize that talent is not always related job history and skills come from valuable experiences that aren’t always shown on a resume. If you are excited to make a positive change for our region, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for our organization, whether it be this role or another.

Caring For Our Crew

At ACAA, we’ve got you covered. That applies to how we equip, empower, and enable our people to do their jobs. It also applies to our benefits, which are broader and more valuable than what many other employers offer:

• We offer two plan options for healthcare coverage from high-quality insurance carriers, as well as an ACAA-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) that will help offset the cost of many medical expenses.
  • ACAA employees pay almost $1,200 less per year in healthcare payroll contributions than the average employee in other companies, according to market surveys.
  • When HRA funding is included, the health-plan deductibles paid by ACAA employees are about $1,200 lower on average than the costs paid by employees of other companies.
  • ACAA does not require that employees meet a separate deductible for pharmacy expenses before prescription-drug coverage kicks in.
• ACAA’s dental plans (included with healthcare coverage) offer an option covering children’s orthodontia.
• Employees also can take advantage of a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to help pay for health care and dependent care expenses on a pre-tax basis.
• All eligible full-time ACAA employees participate in the Allegheny County Employees Pension Plan, a defined-benefit plan that vests after 10 years of service.
• Employees also may participate in a Deferred Compensation Plan, which allows them to contribute part of their pay on a pre-tax basis into long-term retirement investments.
• A robust Employee Assistance Program (including access to free counselling sessions, financial guidance, and care coordination), life insurance options, a wellness program, and eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program round out ACAA’s exemplary benefits. 

About Allegheny County Airport Authority

Allegheny County Airport Authority, which manages Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Allegheny County Airport (AGC), is committed to transforming Pittsburgh’s airports to reflect and serve the community, inspire the industry, and advance the region’s role as a world leader. 

Pittsburgh International Airport serves nearly 10 million passengers annually on 17 carriers and was named by Fast Company magazine as One of the Most Innovative Companies in the World as well as a finalist in its World Changing Ideas awards, both in 2020. PIT’s first-of-its-kind microgrid – which completely powers the airport campus through natural gas and solar energy – has won numerous awards for resiliency and sustainability. 

PIT is in the midst of an ambitious terminal modernization that will make the passenger experience more efficient and deliver real opportunity for the region. The $1.4 billion new terminal program will construct a smarter, greener airport, inspired by the best of our region. The updated terminal lands in 2025 and will be the first airport terminal in the U.S. to be built from the ground-up post-pandemic, designed and constructed with the highest public health standards in mind.

EEO