Aviation Finance Project Manager- Airlines

All Aviation Jobs; Frisco (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional memberships covered

Continuing education opportunities

Wellness program

Job summary

Garver seeks an Aviation Finance Project Manager with a strong cost management focus to oversee budgets, forecasts, and financial performance for airline and airport capital programs. The role blends analytical modeling with strategic insights for leadership decisions and capital allocation.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years in project controls or financial planning, advanced Excel skills, and experience presenting to executives, with familiarity in aviation CIP contexts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, Aviation Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in project controls, cost engineering, or financial planning.
• Strong experience with cost forecasting, financial modeling, and capital planning.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel.
• Experience preparing executive-level financial presentations and reports.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and maintenance of project budgets, cost baselines, and forecasts for airline and airport capital programs.
• Perform cost tracking, variance analysis, and earned value management (EVM) across multiple projects.
• Develop and maintain cash flow forecasts and funding strategies aligned with capital improvement programs (CIP).
• Analyze cost performance trends and identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Ensure alignment between committed, actual, and forecasted costs.
• Support development of multi-year capital investment plans (e.g., 5-year airport CIP).
• Collaborate with project managers, client finance teams, and other stakeholders to prioritize spending and optimize capital allocation.
• Assist in scenario modeling and financial impact analysis for capital projects.
• Provide financial insights to support executive decision-making and long-term planning.
• Partner with engineering, construction, finance, airline and airport stakeholders to ensure accurate cost data and alignment.
• Support change management processes, including cost impact analysis and approvals.
• Communicate financial performance clearly to non-financial stakeholders.

Skills

Financial forecasting

Excel proficiency

Executive-level reporting

Cost engineering

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, Aviation Management

MBA or advanced degree

Tools

e-Builder

Primavera P6

MS Project

Job description

Position Summary

We are seeking an Aviation Finance Project Manager with a strong cost management focus to support airline and airport infrastructure programs. This role is responsible for developing, managing, and forecasting project costs across complex capital programs, ensuring financial performance aligns with project objectives and organizational strategy.

The ideal candidate brings experience similar to high-level aviation planners - demonstrating expertise in capital planning, financial modeling, and data-driven decision-making, with the ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for stakeholders and leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Management & Financial Oversight

• Lead the development and maintenance of project budgets, cost baselines, and forecasts for airline and airport capital programs
• Perform cost tracking, variance analysis, and earned value management (EVM) across multiple projects
• Develop and maintain cash flow forecasts and funding strategies aligned with capital improvement programs (CIP)
• Analyze cost performance trends and identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions
• Ensure alignment between committed, actual, and forecasted costs

Capital Planning & Program Support

• Support development of multi-year capital investment plans (e.g., 5-year airport CIP)
• Collaborate with project managers, client finance teams, and other stakeholders to prioritize spending and optimize capital allocation
• Assist in scenario modeling and financial impact analysis for capital projects
• Provide financial insights to support executive decision-making and long-term planning

Project & Stakeholder Coordination

• Partner with engineering, construction, finance, airline and airport stakeholders to ensure accurate cost data and alignment
• Support change management processes, including cost impact analysis and approvals
• Communicate financial performance clearly to non-financial stakeholders

Tools & Systems

• Utilize project controls and cost systems such as e-Builder, Primavera P6, MS Project, or similar
• Leverage advanced Excel and data modeling techniques for forecasting and analysis

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, Aviation Management, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in project controls, cost engineering, or financial planning
• Strong experience with cost forecasting, financial modeling, and capital planning
• Advanced proficiency in Excel
• Experience preparing executive-level financial presentations and reports

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting airport or aviation-related projects
• Familiarity with airline and/or airport capital improvement programs (CIP)
• MBA or advanced degree
• Knowledge of GAAP and capital funding structures

Key Competencies

• Financial Acumen
• Analytical Thinking
• Strategic Mindset
• Communication
• Detail Orientation
• Collaboration & Influence

What Success Looks Like

• Accurate and proactive cost forecasting and risk identification
• Insightful financial reporting supporting leadership decisions
• Alignment between project execution and capital planning strategies
• Improved visibility and control over financial performance

Grow With Us

Garver offers its employees programs such as company-paid professional memberships, company support for industry licenses and continuing education opportunities that foster a progressive atmosphere. Garver provides the tools, resources, and environment to develop leaders, stimulate ideas, and accomplish projects. By offering highly competitive salary packages, attractive benefits, and a comprehensive wellness program; Garver walks the talk when it comes to work-life balance.

Founded in 1919, Garver is an employee-owned engineering, planning, and environmental services firm focused on aviation, transportation, buildings, federal, water and wastewater services; surveying; advisory services; and construction engineering and inspection. In the top 100 of Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms list, with more than 1,400 employees, Garver provides an exceptional level of client service that reflects our people-first culture, which has achieved Zweig Group Best Firm to Work For Legacy Status. Learn how Garver invests in people and places they call home at GarverUSA.com.

Garver is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. Our employment practices are based upon an individual's capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by law.