Aviation Project Director

AtkinsRealis USA Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 127,000 - 212,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with vesting

Paid time off

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis USA Inc. in New York, NY seeks an Aviation Project Director to drive growth and manage multi-discipline airport projects from initiation to closeout, including budget control and staff leadership.

The role focuses on program delivery, business development, and client account management, leading design, procurement, and construction phases, managing risks, and ensuring compliance with regulations and quality standards in live operational environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field.
• 12 years' experience including aviation experience.
• Must have a PE or be able to receive one within 6 months of recruitment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, procurement, and construction phases of aviation programs.
• Manage budgets, schedules, and staff across projects.
• Develop and implement Program Management Plans and risk mitigation strategies.
• Build and maintain client relationships and pursue new opportunities in aviation market.
• Coordinate with SMEs, estimators, and procurement staff to compile budgets and proposals.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and quality standards across live operational environments.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Risk management

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Aviation experience

PE license

Budgets

Education

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field

Tools

Microsoft Project

Primavera P6

Job description

Job Description Overview

We are seeking an Aviation Project Director to join our team in New York, NY. The Aviation Project Director will report to the Aviation East Lead, to drive growth and development within the aviation market sector across the New York Metro Area. This role is expected to be the connection between our aviation clients and their upcoming needs. The successful candidate is expected to oversee multi-discipline airport projects from initiation to closeout, managing project lifecycles, budgets, and staff, and acting as a primary client and stakeholder contact. The role requires strong leadership to guide teams, ensure compliance with regulations and quality standards, develop strategy, and secure new business opportunities. Key responsibilities are to lead design and construction phases, manage risk, and ensure successful project delivery in live operational environments.

Your role

The Aviation Project Director is expected to focus on a variety of roles: program delivery, business development, and client account management. The role includes:

Program Delivery

Lead a multi-discipline team through the Design, Procurement, and Construction phases of aviation programs. Create and maintain an attitude of leadership towards the project team with respect to overall management activities to achieve quality programs, while respecting the established budget and schedule objectives. Responsible for planning, monitoring, appraising, reviewing, and delivering aviation programs and the team’s activities in accordance with the goals of the organization. Oversight of scheduling/cost controllers and activities. This person will work with SMEs, estimators, and procurement staff to present accurate project budgets. Meets client’s objectives by preparing Program Initiation and Program Management Plan, executing plan requirements, analyzing variances, initiating corrective actions. Achieve efficiencies by accepting responsibility and accountability for results, exploring opportunities to add value to the organization. Lead, mentor, and manage multidisciplinary project teams, including project managers, and oversee staffing and workload to meet project deadlines. Develop and execute a program evaluation framework to assess the strengths of the program and to identify areas to target for improvement. Interfaces with the Executive sponsors, business leaders and stakeholders to make sure all requirements are captured. Preparing and completing action plans; implementing and reporting on production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; identifying and mitigating project risks, resolving problems to keep projects on schedule and within budget; completing audits; identifying trends; determining improvements; implementing change.

Business Development and Client Account Management

Build client relationships within the aviation marketplace. Develop into being a trusted advisor within the local industry. Tracking potential clients project needs and capital planning programs, specifically large and medium hub airports. Identify new business opportunities, participate in marketing activities, and write proposals to secure future projects. Meeting with clients and developing relationships on coordinated marketing visits. Participate and attend events and conferences. Provide and organize client presentations and lessons learned activities. Coordinate with internal resources and other business lines to promote overall market sector growth with our clients. Engage with local marketplace with MWDBE partners through regular meetings or planned ATKINSREALIS events. Develop business plans for different services offerings, including the digital transformation of our aviation clients. Serve as capture manager on specific project proposals. Engage technical resources to create innovative client responses. Coordinate with legal, project controls, and operational staff for proper vetting of each opportunity. Collaborate with marketing, project manager, and other staff needed for proposal responses. Lead interview and presentations preparations for project opportunities.

About you

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related field. Requires 12 years' experience to include aviation experience. Must have a PE or be able to receive one within 6 months of recruitment. Experience successfully managing large-scale, complex aviation and civil projects. Experience with both design and construction. Proven experience in managing multidisciplinary teams and delivering projects in live operational environments. Strong understanding of project management methodologies, including risk management, and proficiency with project management software.

Rewards & benefits

At AtkinsRéalis, our values—Safety, Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, and Excellence—are more than just words. They are the foundation of who we are and how we work. These principles shape our culture, guide our decisions, and inspire us to create an environment where every team member feels empowered to grow, succeed, and make a meaningful impact. Depending on your employment status, AtkinsRéalis benefits may include medical, dental, vision, company-paid life and short- and long-term disability benefits, employer-matched 401(k) with 100% vesting, employee stock purchase plan, Paid Time Off, leaves of absences options, flexible work options, recognition and employee satisfaction programs, employee assistance program, and voluntary benefits. You can review our comprehensive benefits page here.

About AtkinsRéalis

We’re AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We’re committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people. Find out more.

Additional information

Expected compensation range is between $127,000 - $212,000 annually depending on skills, experience, and geographical location. AtkinsRéalis is an equal opportunity, Drug-Free employer EOE/Veteran/Disability. Please review AtkinsRéalis’ Equal Opportunity Statement here. AtkinsRéalis cares about your privacy and is committed to protecting your privacy. Please consult our Privacy Notice on our Careers site to know more about how we collect, use and transfer your Personal Data. By submitting your personal information to AtkinsRéalis, you confirm that you have read and accept our Privacy Notice. Worker Type Employee Job Type Regular At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world-class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences. Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and technology at local level with our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital. News and information are available at Atkinsrealis or follow us on LinkedIn.