PROJECT MANAGER

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 76,000 - 102,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago's Department of Aviation seeks a Safety and Security executive’s operations lead for ORD and MDW. You will drive priorities, coordinate across stakeholders, and ensure Safety and Security initiatives are executed efficiently and effectively, with concise information flow to leadership.

The role emphasizes program management, cross‑agency collaboration, and regulatory compliance throughout planning, design, construction, and closeout of capital projects at the airports.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 5+ years in project management or coordination.
• Master's degree with 4+ years in project management or coordination.
• PMI PMP or other project management certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides routine and ad hoc executive-level reports.
• Monitors safety and security performance against goals.
• Liaises with stakeholders to represent Security interests for ORD/MDW capital program.
• Plans and manages CIP project review process for Aviation Security.
• Keeps updated with architectural drawings and as-built docs.
• Ensures access control and security camera placement for critical systems.

Skills

Project management

Program coordination

PMP certification

Education

Bachelor's degree + 5 years

Master's degree + 4 years

Job description

# of positions: 1

Starting Salary: $89,112; Grade: BX-18

Thursday, October 15, 2026.

The candidate(s) selected for hire must pass an airport background check and a Security Threat Assessment (STA).

This position acts as the Safety and Security executive’s operational right hand – driving priorities, coordinating across stakeholders, and ensuring Safety and Security initiatives are executed efficiently and effectively. Ensures accurate, timely, and concise information flow to leadership.

Essential Duties

• Provides routine and ad hoc executive-level reports
• Monitors safety and security performance against strategic goals
• Acts as a liaison with internal and external stakeholders to represent Security interest in the ORD and MDW Capital Improvement Program
• Strategically plan and manage the Capital Improvement Program project review process for Aviation Security and communicate Security interests for the capital program to key stakeholders.
• Keeps up-to-date with updated architectural drawing and various as-built documents
• Ensures access portals leading to TSA regulated are identified and are equipped with proper access control hardware
• Ensures security cameras are strategically placed throughout the airport to avoid blind spots while ensuring the architectural drawing account for redundancy for critical security systems.

Additional Duties May Be Required For This Position.

Location: Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) – ORD and MDW Airports – Security Division

10601 W. Higgins Road

Days: Monday thru Friday

Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (on call 24/7)

This position is exempt from Career Service.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's PLUS five (5) years of work experience in project management or program coordination work experience, OR
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree or higher PLUS four (4) years of work experience in project management or program coordination work experience

Desired Skillset

• Background in 49CFR1540, 49CFR1542, and 49CFR1520
• Background in construction engineering
• Background in reviewing architectural, engineering, and security-related plans
• Ability to proactively identify and address security and regulatory compliance requirement throughout the planning, design, construction, commissioning, and closeout phases of capital projects
• A valid State of Illinois Driver's License is required
• Must obtain Basic Airfield Driver (YELLOW) Certification within 90 days of hire

Licensure, Certification, Or Other Qualifications: Project Management Professional (PMP) or other project management certifications preferred

Disclaimer - "Accredited" means any nationally or regionally accredited college, university, or law school where the applicant is enrolled in or has completed an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or Juris Doctorate degree program.

NOTE: You must provide your transcripts or degree at time of processing, if applicable.

Selection Requirements

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a writing exercise as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration.

These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders.

For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/Classification_and_Pay_Plan_2026.pdf

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.