Manager, Passenger Accessibility - Aviation

City of Philadelphia; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 95,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Impact

Growth

Diversity & Inclusion

Benefits

Job summary

City of Philadelphia is seeking a seasoned Manager, Passenger Accessibility - Aviation to lead Access PHL and advance the airport's accessibility program in line with the ADA and FAA guidance. You will ensure inclusive design across facilities, services, and digital touchpoints, coordinating with multiple departments and partners.

You will manage accessibility assessments, passenger assistance programs, and complaint responses, establishing measurable performance and driving continuous

Job description

Manager, Passenger Accessibility - Aviation

• Full-time
• Compensation: USD 95,000 - USD 115,000 - yearly

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact- The work you do here matters to millions.
• Growth- Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it?
• Diversity & Inclusion- Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits- We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Philadelphia International Airport is the only major airport serving the 9th largest metropolitan area in the United States. It is one of the busiest airports in the country, serving more than 30 million passengers annually. Twenty-seven airlines, including all domestic carriers, offer nearly 323 daily departures to more than 120 destinations worldwide. The airport generates $16.8 billion to the economy and accounts for 106,000 full time jobs.

The Northeast Philadelphia airport is situated on 1150 acres in the northeast part of the City of Philadelphia, PNE is Pennsylvania’s third busiest airport, providing "on call" US Customs, Immigrations and United States Department of Agriculture services to corporate international travel. The Airport averages 215-based aircraft, dominated by single engine aircraft, plus twins, jets, turboprops and helicopters.

Position Summary

The Manager, Passenger Accessibility, oversees and advances the Airport’s accessibility program in accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and applicable Federal Aviation Administration guidance. This role supports ongoing compliance while identifying opportunities to go beyond minimum requirements through inclusive design, innovation, community partnership, and continuous improvement. The Manager ensures accessibility is integrated throughout the entire passenger journey, including facilities, services, communications, digital touchpoints, operational practices, and customer service. This position also leads the development, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of Access PHL, Philadelphia International Airport's enterprise accessibility initiative.

The Manager serves as PHL’s subject matter expert and internal accessibility ambassador; oversees accessibility assessments, passenger assistance programs, and complaint response; and partners with airport departments, tenants, airlines, contractors, concessionaires, City agencies, and disability community organizations. The position is responsible for helping establish Access PHL as a visible, trusted, and nationally recognized commitment to an equitable airport experience.

Essential Functions

• Lead the development, launch, implementation, and continuous improvement of Access PHL, establishing priorities, workplans, performance measures, and cross-functional accountability.
• Coordinate the Airport’s efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under the ADA and other applicable federal, state, and local accessibility requirements.
• Evaluate the end-to-end passenger journey through an accessibility lens, identifying barriers and opportunities across physical, digital, operational, service, and communication touchpoints.
• Partner with Planning, Design and Construction, Facilities, Operations, IT, Risk Management, Marketing, Communications, Guest Experience, Commercial, and other Department of Aviation teams to embed accessibility into planning and decision-making.
• Review new construction, renovations, leased spaces, floor plans, signage, operational changes, programs, and services for accessibility impacts and inclusive design opportunities.
• Manage programs and services supporting passengers with mobility, hearing, vision, cognitive, sensory, hidden disability, language, and other access needs, including the Hidden Disabilities Lanyard Program.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for passenger accessibility questions, feedback, grievances, and complaints; ensure timely, empathetic, well-documented responses and appropriate corrective action.
• Conduct and maintain airport-wide accessibility self-assessments at required intervals; prioritize findings, develop corrective action plans and cost estimates, and track progress through resolution.
• Continually monitor passenger-facing facilities and services in person to identify accessibility issues, document findings, and coordinate timely corrective action.
• Work with airlines, tenants, contractors, concessionaires, passenger assistance providers, SEPTA, and other external partners to clarify responsibilities, promote compliance, and resolve accessibility issues across shared spaces and services.
• Create and support training, education, and awareness initiatives so airport employees, frontline teams, tenants, and partners understand accessibility obligations and disability-inclusive service expectations
• Advance alternative formats, assistive technologies, accessible digital tools, wayfinding solutions, and other innovations that enable people with disabilities to access and participate in PHL programs, activities, and services.
• Establish and maintain relationships with disability advocacy organizations, community leaders, passengers, City partners, and industry peers to gather feedback and ensure Access PHL reflects evolving needs and best practices.
• Develop and facilitate an external accessibility advisory committee or comparable engagement forum to educate partners, gather constructive feedback, and inform program priorities.
• Partner with Marketing, Communications, and Guest Experience to ensure accessibility information is accurate, easy to understand, current, and consistently communicated across the website, social media, maps, signage, digital displays, pre-arrival materials, and other passenger channels.
• Ensure required accessibility notices and contact information are visible and accessible to passengers and employees, and ensure PHL’s accessibility website content remains accurate and current.
• Develop performance measures, dashboards, and recurring reports covering complaints, response and resolution times, assessment findings, corrective actions, training participation, program utilization, passenger feedback, and other indicators of accessibility performance.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data to identify trends, recommend improvements, and communicate progress and risks to leadership and stakeholders.
• Research and benchmark accessibility best practices, emerging technology, and inclusive passenger experience programs at peer airports and within the broader travel