AIRPORT DIRECTOR 2026

City of Fayetteville; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Fayetteville invites applications for an Airport Director to lead Drake Field. You will oversee operations, safety, maintenance, and marketing strategies while directing a city-staff fixed base operator.

Lead budgeting, pricing, and revenue growth; manage contracts and grants with FAA/state agencies, and ensure compliance with all applicable regulations. Strong leadership and communication are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum five years of experience managing a revenue-generating operation.
• Experience negotiating leases or commercial contracts.
• Experience with regulatory inspection, safety, or compliance requirements.
• Ability to manage staff to meet customer service standards.
• Ability to obtain Certified Member certification within one year of hire.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Clear communication skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to develop and implement strategies to market the airport.

Responsibilities

• Direct the operation, maintenance, and development of Drake Field airport.
• Develop policies and procedures for efficient airport operation.
• Market the airport to attract users and tenants from local and regional markets.
• Schedule Airport Board meetings and coordinate with the Board on plans and programs.
• Oversee the fixed base operator and set service standards for fuel and customer service.
• Manage airport finances, budgeting, pricing, and revenue growth; report results to Board.
• Prepare grant applications and manage FAA/state grants and reporting.
• Negotiate and enforce leases and contracts with airport tenants.
• Ensure compliance with FAA regulations and state laws and oversee safety programs.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Contract negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The City of Fayetteville is committed to attracting, engaging and rewarding a multi-generational workforce. By offering a total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefits plans and a purposeful work life, the City is an employer of choice focused on serving our community.

Essential Job Duties

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience, consistent with the City’s adopted pay plan.

Safety/Security Sensitive Designation: This is a safety/security sensitive position for purposes of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Note: All City of Fayetteville supervisory positions require the employee to demonstrate leadership competencies by exhibiting appropriate role modeling, and setting proper examples. In addition, all City of Fayetteville positions require the employee to provide good customer service to both internal and external customers, maintain positive and effective working relationships with other City employees (especially members of his or her own team), and have regular and reliable attendance that is non-disruptive. Other essential duties of this position include the following:

1. Perform supervisory responsibilities which may include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the City’s policies and applicable laws.
2. The incumbent is responsible for directing the operation, maintenance, and development of the City’s municipal airport, Drake Field, which includes a city-staffed fixed base operator. Drake Field is a Part 139 certified general aviation airport.
3. Develop policies, plans, and procedures for the efficient operation of the airport.
4. Market the airport by developing and implementing strategic plans to attract users and commercial/industrial tenants from both local and regional/national markets. Partner with the City’s Economic Development team to recruit aviation-related employers and develop airport property.
5. Schedule and conduct monthly Airport Board Meetings, which includes agenda preparation. Work with the Airport Board to develop plans, procedures, strategies, and programs to improve service and facilities at the airport.
6. Manage the fixed base operator as a customer-facing business. Set service standards for fuel, flight line, and passenger services, and track customer satisfaction, fuel volume, and margin.
7. Schedule, cross-train, and deploy staff to match demand, including peak periods and special events, so that based tenants, transient pilots, and corporate operators receive consistent service.
8. Oversee preparation and maintenance of the Airport Master Plan.
9. Oversee the management of fuel and aeronautical supply inventories as directed by the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality for fuel standards.
10. Prepare action items for the Airport Board and City Council. Coordinate action items through the Staff Review process and prepare backup information as necessary.
11. Develop and administer the five-year capital improvement plan for the airport. Prepare applications and present proposals to the FAA for Airport Improvement Program Grant funding to fund airport improvement projects. Prepare applications for Arkansas Division of Aeronautics matching grants. Manage active grants from award through closeout: direct and review the preparation of drawdowns and federal reports, ensure contractor compliance, and provide Finance with the grant expenditure reporting used in the City’s annual audit.
12. Negotiate and enforce lease agreements and other contracts between the City of Fayetteville and Airport tenants. Prepare applications and agreements for review by the Airport Board and approval through the City contract review process and City Council as required.
13. Act as the primary contract administrator on all City contracts pertaining to the operation or the conduct of business at the airport. Act as the primary point of contact for the Department of Defense fuel and FAA Tower contracts.
14. Update and administer the Minimum Standards for Aeronautical Activities, Airport Certification Manual, Emergency Plan and Security Manual as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
15. Ensure compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations, State of Arkansas Laws and Directives issued through the Arkansas Division of Aeronautics and local Fayetteville and Washington County regulations, ordinances, and laws.
16. Oversee the airport’s safety and regulatory programs, including the wildlife hazard management program, firefighting equipment and training shared with the Fire Department, training required by the FAA and vendors, quarterly hangar inspections, and the annual FAA and military fuel inspections. Manage the City’s contract for Part 139 compliance support.
17. Manage the airport’s financial performance. Prepare and monitor the budget; set fuel pricing, hangar rates, and fees; grow aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenue; control operating costs; and report results against financial targets to the Airport Board and City administration. Oversee monthly accounts receivable and payable, and provide monthly financial reports to the Chief Financial Officer.
18. Prepare reports as may be required by the city, state and/or federal government.
19. Represent the Airport in public/private sector meetings and other activities. Participate in regional meetings with NWARPC, NWA Council, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, and other regional business meetings to promote City and regional transportation improvements.
20. Provide assistance as needed to the general public and tenants, and work to successfully resolve complaints, disagreements, or conflicts that may arise in the course of day-to-day operations.
21. Work evenings, weekends, and special events as operations require, and fill operational roles when needed.
22. Perform other duties as assigned.

Secondary Job Duties

1. Secondary duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of five years of experience managing a revenue-generating operation, including pricing, cost control, staffing, and financial reporting, with a minimum of three years of management experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
2. Experience negotiating and managing leases or commercial contracts, including setting rates and enforcing terms.
3. Experience running an operation subject to regulatory inspection, safety, or compliance requirements.
4. Demonstrated record of scheduling and developing staff to meet customer service standards.
5. Must possess or be able to obtain the Certified Member certification through the American Association of Airport Executives within one year of date of hire.
6. Possess a valid driver’s license.
7. Must pass a criminal background check for offenses cited in A.C.A. 21-15-103 and A.C.A. 21-15-111.
8. Effectively communicate with others orally and in writing, often under complex conditions that require good judgment, diplomacy and tact.
9. Possess the ability to develop and implement strategies to effectively market the airport.
10. Must possess public presentation skills to provide presentations to staff, the public, and City Council in a clear, effective manner.
11. Must possess ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with airport users, regulatory agencies, appointed and elected officials.
12. Must be proficient in the use of a computer and software programs. Must be able to effectively operate standard office equipment.
13. Requires the use of mathematics involving practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. May require the use of basic algebraic solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience overseeing federal grants from award through closeout, including reviewing and approving reimbursement requests (drawdowns) and financial reports, and answering for compliance in an audit under the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), is strongly preferred.
2. Experience in aviation, such as a fixed base operator, corporate flight department, airline station, or airport.
3. Knowledge of Part 139 requirements for a certificated airport and of FAA regulations.

Physical Demands

1. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee regularly is required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
2. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate: at times jet engine noise and exhaust are present.

The City of Fayetteville is an equal employment opportunity employer.