Airport Operational Support Lead - Aviation

Title: Airport Operational Support Lead

Division: Aviation

LJA recognizes that our success depends on the quality of the people we hire. We are currently seeking highly talented individuals that take pride in their work, function exceptionally well in team environments, and contribute to the overall success of the company. As a 100% employee-owned company, we promote an entrepreneurial spirit that helps drive the bottom line and the long-term professional and financial success of our employees. With more than 70 office locations, LJA is growing and ready for talented people to help us build our future.

Summary: The crucial support leader serves as the backbone of administrative and operational efficiency for the airport planning and engineering teams. Acting as a dependable guide and resource, this role ensures the seamless execution of critical tasks that enable the teams to focus on delivering exceptional results. This role focuses on streamlining workflows, optimizing resource utilization, and supporting teams across multiple disciplines. The Operational Support Lead acts as a liaison between various departments, ensuring efficiency and alignment in delivering high-quality services to clients. Key responsibilities include overseeing the preparation of high-quality documents, including construction specifications, technical reports, and proposals, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and adherence to industry standards. Track and manage critical deadlines for grant applications and grant administration, projects, proposals, and requests for qualifications (RFQs), ensuring timely and organized submissions. The support lead provides meticulous editorial support, ensuring written materials are completed in a timely manner and polished and professional, while collaborating with technical teams to maintain content accuracy and alignment with client requirements. This role bridges project execution with internal coordination, empowering technical teams to focus on delivering exceptional client outcomes.

General Responsibilities:

• Be the operational backbone for aviation engineering and planning teams, empowering technical staff to focus on high-impact work.
• Lead the preparation and quality review of technical documents, grant applications, RFQs, specifications, and proposals.
• Track and manage critical project, grant, and submission deadlines with precision and accountability.
• Act as a liaison between engineering, planning, marketing, and administrative teams to ensure seamless coordination and aligned priorities.
• Provide editorial support ensuring accuracy, clarity, and professionalism across all written deliverables.
• Develop tools and systems that streamline workflows, document control, and team collaboration.
• Support content development with technical teams to ensure deliverables meet client and FAA expectations.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Aviation Management, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• Certifications or training in project coordination, technical writing, or grant administration a plus.

Required Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Highly organized and deadline-driven with strong project coordination abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, and project tracking tools.
• Familiarity with aviation planning and FAA grant/engineering processes preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Highly organized and deadline-driven with strong project coordination abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, and project tracking tools.
• Familiarity with aviation planning and FAA grant/engineering processes preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment.

Required Experience:

• 5 years of experience in an operational support, project coordination, or technical documentation role ideally within engineering, aviation, or consulting environments.
• Demonstrated experience managing submissions for grants, RFQs, or technical proposals.
• Experience supporting multi-disciplinary teams on infrastructure or aviation projects preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)