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 airport is a dynamic place to work. It is the only major airport serving the 8th largest metropolitan area in the United States and is one of the busiest airports in the country. The City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation oversees both Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Northeast Airport (PNE), the city’s general aviation reliever airport. The airport system operates through the Aviation Fund, which is an enterprise fund of the City of Philadelphia and is completely self-sustaining using no local taxpayer dollars to operate. Learn more about the airport at www.phl.org.

Our Mission: Proudly connecting Philadelphia with the world

Our Vision: World-class global gateway of choice

Our Values:  

    •    People First - Our employees, stakeholders and passengers

    •    Respect - To ourselves, our customers and our environment

    •    Integrity - We hold ourselves responsible for what we do, say, and think

    •    Diversity – Purposefully Inclusive and accepting of all

    •    Excellence - We hold ourselves to the highest standards of service, innovation, and efficiency

Philadelphia Airport has won numerous awards for quality, diversity, and innovation:

• 2021 Civil Rights Advocate and Partner Award – FAA
• 2021 Leon C Watkins Guardian Award – ACI-NA
• 2021 Diverse Business Leader of 2021 – Kathy Padilla – Philadelphia Business Journal
• 2021 Advocate of the Year Award – City of Philadelphia Office of Economic Opportunity MEDWeek
• 2021 Philadelphia Aviation Project Award - March of Dimes Annual Transportation, Building and Construction awards
• 2021 Honorable Mention Balchen-Post Award for Excellence in the Performance of Airport Snow and Ice Control - NEC-AAAE

2019 Best Overall Program Award at Airport Experience Awards

The Director of Safety Management Systems will assist in delivering and developing critical Safety Management Systems (SMS) policies, practices and key performance indicators in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements, Advisory Circulars (ACs) and any pertinent Orders for the City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Will help track incidents and near accidents as well as investigate hazards and analyze trends to develop safety programs that mitigate risk.

Essential Functions

• Program Management: Exercise independent judgement to troubleshoot and mitigate multifaceted/multijurisdictional safety concerns and evaluate accidents/incidents.  
•  Ensure compliance with existing Safety controls throughout the airport system, at construction sites and by airfield stakeholders. 
• Triage, collect, manage, and evaluate airfield hazards, incidents/accidents, near misses, issues and practices. 
• Prepare Root Cause analysis reports of accidents.
• Develop mitigation and corrective action plans for identified hazards and root causes and coordinate and monitor maintenance response and mitigations with necessary stakeholders.
• Attend stakeholder safety meetings and present recap of safety incidents. 
• Respond to airfield incidents, evaluate effectiveness of safety reporting measures, coordinate effective mitigation measures, support and attend risk assessments. 
• Make recommendations for improvements to stakeholder safety programs.
• Coordination of Construction projects, Construction Safety phasing, project proposal summaries and ensure accurate and complete submittal of documentation to FAA.
• Support Safety Training awareness efforts, review safety curriculum, support safety communications, alerts and notifications.  Share safety and hazard trends and issues by providing situational awareness.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Broad-based knowledge of airport and airline operations, and SMS theory, design, application, and implementation. Thorough knowledge of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 139, CFR Title 49 part 1542, associated FAA ACs, the Airport Certification Manual, National Incident Manual Systems (NIMS), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 14, Labor & Industries requirements, and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Aircraft Fueling requirements.
• Critical thinking and decision-making skills. Strong analytical, problem solving, information processing and correlation skills.
• Strong interpersonal, writing, collaboration, communication, and information delivery skills.
• Skilled in process mapping, management, and analysis.
• Ability to present ideas and concepts to large audiences, industry groups, regulators, working groups and panels in a logical and reasoned manner.
• Ability to interpret and apply safety, risk, legal, airport operations, and airline standards and practices.
• Ability to balance and weigh multiple objectives and priorities. Ability to support and influence outcomes.
• Ability to qualify for, understand and comprehend airfield, airline and ground handler standards and practices and FAR 139.303 training & qualifications.
• Ability to perform and effectively assess system threats and errors, identify root causes and perform incident investigations and forensics.
• Ability to effectively manage, analysis, and interpret data to discern and identify trends and associations.
• Must be well spoken and able to interface with multiple stakeholders under stressful situations. Must have an understanding and familiarity with safety and risk management practices.

Work-Life

The Department of Aviation supports a robust work-life balance. Working hours are 37.5 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Our team is currently hybrid with both virtual and in-office days. The in-office requirement is 15 hours per week – essentially two days – or as otherwise needed, based on business needs, such as in-person hearings or client meetings. Staff can opt to come into the office each day if desired.

• Bachelor’s degree in aviation, business, or a related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in an airfield operating environment at a public, private, or military airport/flight operations facility.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a resume.

Salary Range: $85,000 - $95,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx