Manager, Airport Planning

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 101,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

On-site campus

Competitive benefits

Retirement options

Job summary

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is seeking a Manager, Airport Planning to lead a team driving SAN’s master planning, land use compatibility, and long-range infrastructure efforts. This role demands collaboration, strategic thinking, and strong leadership within a public agency framework.

The successful candidate will guide capacity planning, regulatory compliance, and cross‑agency partnerships while shaping SAN’s growth and community impact.

Qualifications

• Eight years of progressively responsible planning experience in a public agency, airport, or consulting environment, including supervision.
• Graduation from a four-year college with a major in Urban, Regional or Transportation Planning, Aviation Management, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the team: coach, mentor, set priorities and manage performance.
• Shape airport planning: master planning, land use compatibility, regional planning, long-range infrastructure.
• Plan for capacity and congestion: forecast demand, optimize operations, manage utilization.
• Navigate complex requirements: apply NEPA/CEQA and other regulations, balance stakeholder needs.
• Build alignment and partnerships: translate issues for internal and external audiences.
• Drive projects and resources: oversee studies, budgets, schedules, grants, and contracts.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Critical thinking

Judgment & decision-making

Collaboration

Planning & agility

Education

Urban/Regional/Transportation Planning degree

AICP / PTP / AAAE / LEED AP / PMP certifications preferred

Job description

Welcome to San Diego International Airport, where our core purpose is to create an exceptional experience for both our community and visitors from around the world. It extends beyond just flights; we embody the vibrant spirit of San Diego itself—sunny, welcoming, and full of life. We are committed to attracting, fostering, and empowering a team of talented individuals who can deliver our strategic goals:

• Advance Airport Development
• Transform the Customer Experience
• Optimize Ongoing Business
• Cultivate Our Culture

Here, culture starts with each of us. Our workplace is shaped by mindsets that guide how we show up for one another: believing the best in people, collaboration, empathy, listening, and thoughtful decision-making. If you are ready to contribute to a team that values meaningful impact and enjoys the journey along the way.

Why You'll Love Working at SAN:

• Location: The new Airport Authority Administration building, located on the San Diego International Airport campus and near the waterfront, providing stunning views of our runway, San Diego Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the city skyline.
• Hybrid Schedule: This role follows a hybrid schedule with both on-site and remote work. Weekly on-site days are required, based on department needs, to support collaboration and business operations. Remote work flexibility is available on other days as determined by the department.
• Salary: The hiring salary for Manager, Airport Planning is starting at $136,312-$156,759. The full pay range for Manager, Airport Planning is $100,971-$171,652.
• Benefits: You will enjoy 14 paid holidays, 18 – 33 days of vacation (PTO), parental and child care benefits, salary continuance for family & parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement plan options that include a choice between our comprehensive pension plan or a 401(a) defined contribution plan, with the option to add a 457(b) deferred compensation plan and retirement health reimbursement account. You can also take advantage of our annual employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account, designed to support your personal development and growth activities—and much more!
• Wellness: Take advantage of multiple on-site gyms with regular fitness classes, outdoor working areas, fitness discounts for all levels and goals, monthly fruit deliveries, rewards for volunteer time, financial wellness advisors, and a campus with easy access to some of San Diego's best walking trails.
• Application Deadline: August 27, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the closing date.

About the Job:

The Airport Planning, Noise, and Environment department is looking for a Manager, Airport Planning with a collaborative leadership approach to guide the people and planning behind SAN's future growth. This role leads a team of planning professionals while advancing complex work across airport master planning, land use compatibility, capacity and congestion management, environmental review, and long-range infrastructure planning.

The ideal candidate will be a relationship-driven leader who brings out the best in people. They will create an environment where employees feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow, while setting clear expectations and keeping the team connected to shared priorities. Just as importantly, they will bring the planning experience and sound judgment to lead complex work, make thoughtful decisions, and value the expertise and perspectives of the professionals around them.

As America’s busiest single-runway airport, planning at SAN comes with an interesting challenge: thinking big doesn't come with unlimited space.

That reality calls for creative thinking about growth and capacity, an ability to make complex planning issues understandable, and strong relationships that move important work forward. When space is limited, every planning decision matters—and so does developing the people behind them. For a leader energized by complex planning challenges and the opportunity to make a visible impact, this is a chance to shape SAN's future, and an airport experienced every day by millions of travelers across the world.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead & Develop the Team: Coach, mentor, and develop planning professionals while setting priorities, managing performance, allocating resources, and building a collaborative, high-performing team.
• Shape Airport Planning: Lead master planning, land use compatibility, regional air transportation planning, and long-range infrastructure efforts that guide SAN's future growth.
• Plan for Capacity & Congestion: Advance planning for airport capacity, congestion management, operational efficiency, demand forecasting, and airfield and terminal utilization within SAN's unique constraints.
• Navigate Complex Requirements: Interpret and apply federal, state, and local planning and environmental requirements, including NEPA, CEQA, and California Coastal Act requirements, while evaluating regulatory and political considerations.
• Build Alignment & Partnerships: Translate complex planning issues for internal teams, leadership, outside agencies, stakeholders, and the public while navigating sensitive issues and building relationships that move work forward.
• Drive Projects & Resources: Oversee consultants, studies, capital and facilities planning efforts, budgets, schedules, grants, contracts, and funding opportunities to deliver planning priorities successfully.

The Skills We Are Looking For:

• Leadership & People Development — Builds trust, adapts leadership approaches, sets clear expectations, coaches and develops employees, recognizes strengths, and empowers others to perform and grow.
• Communication & Influence — Translates complex information for technical and nontechnical audiences; communicates tactfully and persuasively and facilitates productive conversations across diverse stakeholders.
• Critical Thinking & Evaluation — Analyzes complex information, data, programs, and competing considerations to identify alternatives and recommend solutions aligned with organizational objectives.
• Judgment & Decision-Making — Applies sound judgment to complex and sensitive situations; weighs risks, stakeholder interests, and organizational priorities to make thoughtful, timely decisions.
• Collaboration & Relationship Building — Develops trusted relationships across teams and with external partners; navigates differing perspectives with diplomacy and builds alignment around shared outcomes.
• Planning & Agility — Establishes priorities, allocates resources effectively, coordinates cross-functional work, and adapts plans and approaches as conditions, needs, and challenges evolve.

The Experience You Need to Have**:

• Eight years of progressively responsible planning experience in a public agency, airport, or consulting environment, including work in areas such as airport planning, land use compatibility, environmental planning, transportation planning, or capital development, with at least three years of experience in a supervisory or program management capacity, or any equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in Urban, Regional or Transportation Planning, Aviation Management, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education, Certification, and Licenses:

Designation as an American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Professional Transportation Planner (PTP), American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) or Certified Member (C.M.), LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), Project Management Professional (PMP).

EEO Statement

It is the policy of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, SDCRAA will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.