Director of Regulatory Compliance

Exec 1 Aviation; Ankeny (IA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Exec 1 Aviation is seeking an experienced Director of Regulatory Compliance to own and lead all aspects of FAA regulatory compliance under 14 CFR Part 135. You will serve as the primary FAA liaison with the FSDO, maintain and defend the Part 135 certificate, Ops Specs, and MSpecs, and oversee audits, manuals, and training records to ensure ongoing compliance.

Collaboration with Maintenance, Flight Operations, and Safety is essential to integrate compliance across the operation.

Qualifications

• Aviation experience, including leadership in regulatory compliance, safety, or FAA-facing roles at a Part 135 operator.
• Strong ability to draft and revise regulatory manuals and represent the company to the FAA.
• Experience with audits and regulatory compliance across airline operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the company's primary point of contact with the FAA for certification, inspection, and compliance matters.
• Maintain, update, and defend the Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, Ops Specs, and MSpecs.
• Monitor rulemaking and 14 CFR Parts 135 changes; implement policy/procedure updates.
• Represent Exec 1 Aviation during FAA audits and compliance procedures.
• Oversee internal audits, mock inspections, and incident/accident reporting to the FAA/NTSB.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, Flight Operations, and Safety leadership to ensure integrated compliance.

Skills

Aviation regulatory compliance

FAA liaison experience

Policy drafting

Regulatory audits

Job description

Position Summary

Exec 1 Aviation is seeking an experienced Director of Regulatory Compliance to own and lead all aspects of the company's FAA regulatory compliance under 14 CFR Part 135.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory Oversight & FAA Liaison

• Serve as the company's primary point of contact with the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) / Certificate Management Office for certification, inspection, and compliance matters.
• Maintain, update, and defend the company's Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, Operations Specifications (OpSpecs), and Management Specifications (MSpecs).
• Monitor rulemaking and changes to 14 CFR Parts 135 plus related DOT regulations and advisory circulars; assess operational impact and implement required policy and procedure changes.
• Represent Exec 1 Aviation during FAA audits and compliance procedures.

• Oversees the Director of Safety and reviews compliance with the Safety Management System (SMS).

• Maintain, and revise the General Operations Manual (GOM), Drug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program (DAMP) manual, and other FAA-required manuals.
• Oversees the Director of Training and reviews compliance with crew training/currency, drug testing, and duty/rest records to meet FAA retention and audit-readiness standards.
• Maintain document control so manual revisions are properly approved, distributed, and version-tracked across bases.

• Oversees the company's DOT/FAA drug and alcohol testing program (49 CFR Part 40; 14 CFR Part 120).
• Oversee internal audits and mock FAA inspections to proactively identify and remediate compliance gaps before they become findings.
• Be the point of contact for incidents and accidents; manage mandatory reporting to the FAA and NTSB.
• Partner closely with Maintenance, Flight Operations, and Safety leadership to ensure compliance is integrated across the operation, not siloed.

Qualifications

Preferred

• Aviation experience, including multiple years in a regulatory compliance, safety, or FAA-facing leadership role at a Part 135 operator.
• In-depth, current working knowledge of 14 CFR Parts 135.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft and revise regulatory manuals and represent the company to the FAA.
• Prior experience as a Director of Operations, Director of Safety, or Chief Pilot at a Part 135 charter operation.
• Experience with IS-BAO, ARGUS, or Wyvern audit standards.
• Familiarity with charter operations.