Southeast Aviation Operations Leader

RS H; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

RS&H is seeking an experienced Operations Leader to guide the Southeast Aviation Infrastructure practice, delivering complex airport projects with rigor and accountability. This hands-on role leads a ~40-person team across Mobile, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, and Ft.

Lauderdale, coordinating planning, design, and execution with cross-disciplinary support from planning, environmental, architecture, and other technical teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or an equivalent professional degree.
• Current Professional Engineer license.
• At least 15 years of progressive technical experience in aviation/airfields.
• At least 10 years of leadership and supervisory experience managing technical teams and project delivery.
• Experience delivering aviation or airfield projects as a Project Manager or Project Officer.
• Proven ability to manage project scope, schedules, budgets, quality, and risk.
• Strong client-facing communication skills.
• Ability to lead independently while collaborating across a national organization.
• Experience leading projects for large commercial service airports.
• Experience across aviation planning, aviation and airfield projects, environmental, architecture, and engineering disciplines.
• Established relationships within the Southeast aviation market.
• Proven success strengthening project performance, developing teams, and supporting business growth.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Senior Project Manager or Project Officer for significant aviation projects and programs.
• Lead airport planning and design projects from kickoff through completion.
• Maintain accountability for project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk management, and contract compliance.
• Provide senior technical guidance and establish clear delivery standards that support quality, consistency, and client satisfaction.
• Oversee workload distribution and coordinate resources across disciplines and offices.
• Provide leadership on projects involving live-airfield constraints, complex phasing, multiple stakeholders, and high public visibility.
• Lead the operational and business performance of the Southeast aviation infrastructure practice.
• Monitor financial results, project performance, backlog, staffing needs, and forecast accuracy.
• Identify operational or financial risks and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Partner with Division and Regional Leaders to advance annual business plans, market priorities, and sustainable growth initiatives.
• Balance immediate project and operational needs with the long-term health and growth of the practice.
• Ensure company policies, procedures, and quality requirements are consistently followed.
• Serve as a trusted senior point of contact for airport clients, stakeholders, teaming partners, and community partners.
• Support business development, pursuit strategy, and client relationship activities.
• Strengthen the firm’s presence in the Southeast aviation market while expanding existing relationships and identifying new opportunities.
• Communicate directly and proactively with clients to resolve issues and guide projects toward successful outcomes.
• Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing aviation team.
• Provide direct supervision and mentorship to technical leaders and professionals.
• Establish clear expectations for quality, accountability, collaboration, and project delivery.
• Identify technical and professional development needs and provide coaching, mentoring, and on-the-job training.
• Support workforce planning, talent acquisition, succession planning, and career development.
• Foster an environment in which employees can grow while delivering exceptional work for clients.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Aviation industry experience

Financial management

Strategic planning

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

Professional Engineer license

Job description

RS&H is seeking an experienced Operations Leader to lead the performance, project delivery, and continued growth of our Southeast Aviation Infrastructure practice. This is a hands‑on leadership role for a technically strong aviation professional who takes pride in delivering complex airport projects with rigor, clarity, and accountability. The Southeast aviation infrastructure team includes approximately 40 professionals, based in Mobile, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale, with additional support from planning, environmental, architecture, and other technical teams across the firm.

Why Join RS&H?

This is an opportunity to lead complex, highly visible airport work while shaping the continued growth of our Southeast aviation practice. As an employee-owned firm, RS&H offers the resources and reach of a national organization along with meaningful leadership responsibility, technical influence, and the ability to make a lasting impact.

About The Role

The Operations Leader will oversee operational and financial performance, serve as a Senior Project Manager or Project Officer on significant projects, develop a high-performing team, and strengthen relationships with airport clients throughout the Southeast.

Responsibilities

Project Delivery and Technical Leadership

• Serve as a Senior Project Manager or Project Officer for significant aviation projects and programs.
• Lead airport planning and design projects from kickoff through completion.
• Maintain accountability for project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk management, and contract compliance.
• Provide senior technical guidance and establish clear delivery standards that support quality, consistency, and client satisfaction.
• Oversee workload distribution and coordinate resources across disciplines and offices.
• Provide leadership on projects involving live‑airfield constraints, complex phasing, multiple stakeholders, and high public visibility.

Operational and Financial Leadership

• Lead the operational and business performance of the Southeast aviation infrastructure practice.
• Monitor financial results, project performance, backlog, staffing needs, and forecast accuracy.
• Identify operational or financial risks and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Partner with Division and Regional Leaders to advance annual business plans, market priorities, and sustainable growth initiatives.
• Balance immediate project and operational needs with the long‑term health and growth of the practice.
• Ensure company policies, procedures, and quality requirements are consistently followed.

Client and Market Leadership

• Serve as a trusted senior point of contact for airport clients, stakeholders, teaming partners, and community partners.
• Support business development, pursuit strategy, and client relationship activities.
• Strengthen the firm’s presence in the Southeast aviation market while expanding existing relationships and identifying new opportunities.
• Communicate directly and proactively with clients to resolve issues and guide projects toward successful outcomes.

People Leadership

• Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing aviation team.
• Provide direct supervision and mentorship to technical leaders and professionals.
• Establish clear expectations for quality, accountability, collaboration, and project delivery.
• Identify technical and professional development needs and provide coaching, mentoring, and on-the-job training.
• Support workforce planning, talent acquisition, succession planning, and career development.
• Foster an environment in which employees can grow while delivering exceptional work for clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or an equivalent professional degree.
• Current Professional Engineer license.
• At least 15 years of progressive technical experience within aviation, airfields, or a closely related discipline.
• At least 10 years of leadership and supervisory experience managing technical teams and project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience delivering aviation or airfield projects as a Project Manager or Project Officer.
• Proven ability to manage project scope, schedules, budgets, quality, and risk.
• Strong professional judgment and client-facing communication skills.
• Ability to lead independently while collaborating effectively across a national organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading projects for large commercial service airports.
• Experience working across aviation planning, aviation and airfield projects, environmental, architecture, and engineering disciplines.
• Established relationships within the Southeast aviation market.
• Demonstrated success strengthening project performance, developing teams, and supporting business growth.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

The Team

Joining our Aviation team means an opportunity to explore your potential and apply your diverse skills to serve the large and small airports of the aviation industry as a trusted advisor. You can do this in a collaborative and team-oriented environment among other driven professionals. Service areas include airfields, buildings, facility planning, environmental planning, and environmental stewardship & resiliency. Join RS&H to define and master challenges, advance professionally, and build strong and lasting relationships.

The Company

Employee‑owned, RS&H is one of the nation’s leading architecture, engineering, and consulting firms, with associates who work hard every day to create tomorrow together. We offer an exceptional journey from start to future. Our integrated teams translate experience into insight, turn challenges into opportunities, and build relationships that are as strong as the buildings and infrastructure we deliver together. We attribute our success to our unwavering commitment to our core values: integrity, accountability, curiosity, and teamwork.