Director – Aviation Program Manager

Job Description

Turner & Townsend are currently seeking an experienced Director – Aviation Program Manager to support the growth and delivery of our aviation portfolio across the Northeast, with a primary focus on the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

This role blends business development, strategic client advisory, and integrated program delivery leadership, leveraging the full Turner & Townsend platform to support major aviation capital programs from planning through execution and operations. The candidate will play a key role in strengthening client relationships, winning new work, and ensuring successful delivery of complex infrastructure programs in live operating environments.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Client Engagement

• Lead business development and client engagement activities across the Northeast aviation market
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with airport authorities, airlines, and key stakeholders, particularly within PANYNJ
• Drive growth at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and across the broader regional aviation portfolio
• Lead and support pursuits, including capture planning, win strategies, teaming, proposals, and interviews
• Identify opportunities to expand Turner & Townsend’s service offerings across program/construction/asset management, and advisory services
• Represent the firm in client meetings, industry events, and aviation forums
• Maintain a strong understanding of client priorities, capital programs, procurement pipelines, and funding strategies

Infrastructure Program Delivery

• Provide senior leadership across the full lifecycle of aviation infrastructure programs, integrating program and cost management, construction management, asset management advisory, and capital planning expertise
• Lead the successful delivery of complex airport programs, including terminals, airside/landside infrastructure, utilities, and enabling works from strategic planning through execution and operational readiness
• Implement best-in-class program management and controls frameworks across scope, schedule, cost, risk, governance, and performance management
• Oversee program controls and digital delivery, enabling data-driven decision-making and transparent reporting at the executive level
• Integrate construction delivery capabilities to support constructability, phasing, sequencing, and execution within live airport environments
• Align capital program strategies with driven asset lifecycle planning, ensuring investments deliver long-term operational performance and value
• Support portfolio optimization aligning development, commercial, and investment considerations
• Advise on and implement appropriate delivery models (Design-Bid-Build, CMAR, Design-Build, P3), aligned with client objectives and risk strategies
• Ensure seamless integration of capital programs within active airport operations, including stakeholder coordination, operational continuity, and readiness planning
• Champion innovation across digital delivery, sustainability, resilience, and asset performance
• Provide oversight for safety, quality, compliance, and risk management, and serve as a senior escalation point for complex delivery challenges

Leadership and Team Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing, multidisciplinary aviation team
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and professional development aligned with growth objectives
• Contribute to business planning, revenue forecasting, and aviation market strategy
• Collaborate with U.S. and global leadership to drive consistency, innovation, and best practices across the aviation portfolio
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture aligned with Turner & Townsend values
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in program management, PMO leadership, or program controls for major capital programs.
• Proven experience in aviation, transportation, or large infrastructure delivery.
• Strong expertise in governance, program controls, reporting, and risk/change management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to present to executive audiences.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with airport authorities, FAA programs, or federal capital delivery.
• Background in design‑build, CMAR, progressive design‑build, or multi‑prime delivery environments.
• Familiarity with enterprise PMO systems, cost management platforms, and scheduling tools.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, PgMP, CCP, PSP, or equivalent.
• Professional Engineering (PE) License in NY/NJ or able to get reciprocity within 60 days of employment.
• Reside in the NY Metro area.
• Per client requirements, only US citizens may be considered for this opportunity. 

Additional Information

The salary range for this full-time role is $230K-$250K per year. Ranges are determined by role and level and represent a good faith effort to provide a fair and equitable salary. This range is a reflection of base salary only, not of a total compensation package.  Please note Turner & Townsend reserves the right to pay more or less than the posted range, depending on candidate’s experience and qualifications. 

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs* 

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change. We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance. 

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community. 

Turner & Townsend does not accept any speculative or unsolicited CV’s that have been sent to our internal recruitment team or hiring managers from agencies outside of our preferred supplier list. Any speculative or unsolicited CV’s will be treated as a direct application. 

It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time. 

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It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time. 

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.