Chief Pilot

Job Description

Position Summary

The Chief Pilot is responsible for overseeing flight operations, ensuring the safety and efficiency of all flights, managing flight crews, and maintaining compliance with aviation regulations and company policies. This role requires strong leadership, extensive aviation experience, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to align aviation operations with corporate goals and objectives.

The position leads pilot and flight attendant performance, training, operational standardization, regulatory compliance, budget management, vendor coordination, and continuous improvement while promoting a culture of safety, professionalism, precision, and exceptional customer service across the flight department.

Key Responsibilities:
Safety and Regulatory Compliance

• Promote and sustain a culture of safety within the aviation department.
• Ensure all flight operations comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, company policies, the Aviation Operations Manual, standard operating procedures, and other relevant authorities.
• Lead and support Safety Management System initiatives, risk management practices, and incident, accident, hazard, and occurrence reporting processes.
• Participate in the Emergency Response Plan as a member of the Aviation Huddle Group.

Flight Operations Leadership

• Oversee and manage all flight operations to ensure safety, efficiency, service, and compliance with company policies and aviation regulations.
• Lead pilots, flight attendants, and Assistant Chief Pilots in the execution of safe, reliable, and customer-focused flight operations.
• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Aviation and senior management to align aviation operations with corporate goals and objectives.
• Supervise and manage Assistant Chief Pilots.
• Facilitate and support positive communication channels across the flight department.

Training and Crew Development

• Recruit, train, supervise, coach, and develop pilots and flight attendants.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing coaching, training, and development.
• Ensure all pilots maintain required certifications, qualifications, training records, and operational readiness.
• Manage and monitor the development, implementation, and effectiveness of approved flight crew training programs.
• Strengthen leadership continuity, pilot onboarding, and professional development across the flight department.

Operational Excellence and Precision

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve standard operating procedures for flight operations.
• Stay current on industry trends, advancements, and best practices, recommending and implementing changes to enhance operational safety and efficiency.
• Collaborate with the Scheduling Team in assigning crews and troubleshooting crew changes when flight operations dictate.
• Coordinate with Scheduling, Maintenance, and flight operations stakeholders to support efficient and reliable aircraft utilization.
• Drive consistency, discipline, attention to detail, and sound operational decision-making across flight operations.

Customer Service and Passenger Experience

• Ensure a high level of customer service for corporate clients, passengers, and internal stakeholders.
• Address and resolve issues or concerns related to flight operations in a timely, professional, and service-oriented manner.
• Foster a safe, seamless, discreet, and professional passenger experience.
• Build trust with internal customers, passengers, company leadership, and cross-functional partners.

Administrative and Leadership Support

• Manage the pilot training budget and ensure training investments support operational readiness and compliance.
• Optimize resource allocation to support cost-effective, reliable, and efficient operations.
• Monitor and control operational expenses in partnership with aviation leadership.
• Maintain vendor contracts necessary for flight operations.
• Maintain accurate operational records, pilot records, training documentation, and required compliance documentation.
• Support audits, inspections, regulatory reviews, internal projects, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Role Model and Professional Standards

• Set the standard for professionalism, safety, precision, accountability, and service throughout the flight department.
• Lead by example and consistently reinforce expectations for disciplined, compliant, and ethical operations.
• Model integrity, preparation, respect, and sound judgment in interactions with passengers, peers, flight crews, company leadership, and external partners.

Core Competencies:

Accelerate Impact

• Challenges old ways and tries more efficient approaches.
• Balances workload, urgency, and business needs.
• Sets clear priorities and removes barriers.
• Models disciplined execution and accountability.
• Drives department-wide results by leading safe, reliable, compliant, and efficient flight operations.
• Prioritizes work that strengthens operational performance, crew readiness, customer service, and alignment with business goals.

Be Inclusive

• Encourages idea-sharing and respectful debate.
• Ensures everyone feels heard and included.
• Promotes collaboration and resolves conflict fairly.
• Recognizes team contributions and customer impact.
• Builds trust across Flight Operations, Maintenance, Scheduling, passengers, and company leadership by listening, respecting different perspectives, and creating an environment where team members feel valued and supported.

Communicate Effectively

• Communicates expectations, priorities, and feedback.
• Creates open dialogue and constructive feedback.
• Shares accurate information to keep alignment.
• Uses facts and stories to guide and influence.
• Communicates clearly, professionally, and proactively in both routine and high-pressure situations.
• Ensures expectations, safety priorities, operational changes, and follow-up actions are understood by the right people at the right time.

Develop Self and Others

• Creates and acts on a development plan.
• Supports team growth plans and careers.
• Solicits feedback and provides coaching.
• Recognizes strengths and celebrates wins.
• Models continuous learning and develops pilots, flight attendants, and Assistant Chief Pilots through coaching, feedback, training oversight, performance management, and reinforcement of high professional standards.

Embrace Change

• Adjusts plans quickly as demands change.
• Guides and supports the team through change.
• Encourages new ideas and smart risks.
• Models resilience during uncertainty.
• Responds positively to evolving business needs, operational priorities, procedures, and technologies.
• Helps the team adapt while maintaining safety, precision, service, and consistency.

Non-Flying Contribution Expectations

When not assigned to flight duty, the Chief Pilot is expected to dedicate approximately 10-20 hours per week of non-flying time to leading the aviation department at the highest level. This time should be focused on strategic and operational leadership, safety, compliance, training, customer service, budget management, workforce planning, and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen the overall performance of Flight Operations.

• Lead department priorities, operational planning, and execution of flight operations objectives.
• Review and improve procedures, training materials, pilot readiness, and operational documentation.
• Advance safety initiatives, risk management practices, and proactive reporting culture.
• Coach pilots, flight attendants, and Assistant Chief Pilots while reinforcing expectations for professionalism, precision, service, and accountability.
• Contribute to projects, audits, process improvements, vendor management, budget oversight, and cross-functional coordination with Scheduling and Maintenance.

Required Qualifications

• Current FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.
• Current FAA First Class Medical Certificate.
• Minimum 5,000 total flight hours, including 3,000 hours as Pilot-in-Command.
• Minimum of 10 years' experience in aviation operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Must hold a type rating for at least one of the types of aircraft operated.
• Qualified in accordance with the Constellation Leasing LLC training program to act as Pilot-in-Command on one of the aircraft types.
• Ability to be away from home for extended periods of time to support domestic and international operations.
• Valid U.S. Passport and valid Driver's License.
• Ability to reside within one hour of Rochester International Airport (KROC).
• Ability to successfully complete background investigation and pre-employment drug screening.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Company Operations Manual, training manuals, standard operating procedures, company check pilot manual if applicable, and the provisions of civil aviation regulations and standards necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position.
• Must have attended approved simulator training in the jet aircraft the pilot is type rated in within the previous 12 months.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred qualifications of one of the following: bachelor's degree, associate degree in Aviation Management, or NBAA Certified Aviation Manager certification.
• Gulfstream G280 and/or GVII type rating(s) preferred.
• International Flight experience preferred.
• Experience in IS-BAO and/or Safety Management System (SMS) environments preferred.
• Previous flight instruction experience and/or possession of a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate preferred.

Role Theme
Lead flight operations with safety, precision, accountability, and service while aligning aviation performance with business objectives.

Chief Pilot Role Statement
The Chief Pilot leads flight operations by overseeing safe, efficient, compliant, and customer-focused aviation services; managing pilots, flight attendants, and Assistant Chief Pilots; maintaining operational standards and regulatory readiness; managing training and operational resources; and aligning department performance with corporate goals and objectives. The role sets the standard for safety, professionalism, precision, accountability, and service across the aviation department.

#LI-NW1

Location
Rochester, New York

Additional Locations

Job Type
Full time

Job Area
Aviation

The salary range for this role is:
$285,500.00 - $386,200.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. Our compensation is based on cost of labor. For remote locations or positions open to multiple locations, the pay range may reflect several US geographic markets, including the lowest geographic market minimum to the highest geographic market maximum. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, the prevailing minimum wage for the location, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, any collective bargaining agreements, and business or organizational needs. At Constellation Brands, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401(k), and any other benefits to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or any other form of compensation that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Equal Opportunity

Constellation Brands is committed to a continuing program of equal employment opportunity. All persons have equal employment opportunities with Constellation Brands, regardless of their sex, race, color, age, religion, creed, sexual orientation, national origin or citizenship, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics), marital status, gender (including gender identity or gender expression), familial status, military or veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related conditions (or any other group or category within the framework of the applicable discrimination laws and regulations).