Airport Development Program Director

Airport Development Program Director

EOE Statement Our employee owners come to MJ for the variety of project work and stay for the people they work with on those projects! Our people set MJ apart and drive our success for our clients. MJ provides an inclusive environment and rewards employee owners' hard work. Our culture of innovation and collaboration fosters creativity and encourages employees to do their best work.

MJ is an Equal Opportunity Employer - all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.

Applicants who wish to apply for an open position with MJ who require reasonable accommodation in order to complete the application process may contact MJ's Human Resources Department at View email address on click.appcast.io to request assistance.

Category Aviation

Description

At McFarland Johnson (MJ), you’ll own your future. We're a 100% employee-owned firm with 80 years of experience delivering innovative engineering, planning, environmental, technology, and construction solutions that make a lasting impact on the clients and communities we serve.

Certified as a Great Place to Work, our employee-owners describe MJ's culture as collaborative, people-focused, and supportive. Join us, and help shape the future of infrastructure together.

About the Role:MJ seeks anAirport Development Program Director to help our Aviation clients in the region expand their terminal capacity to meet this growing demand.

TheProgram Director will embed with Airport leadership to help implement more than $500M in capital improvements over the next five to ten years. In this capacity, the Program Director will oversee the delivery of multiple concurrent airside and landside design and construction projects in a growing small hub airport environment.

TheProgram Directorwill lead and supervise a team that acts to augment the owner’s staff and in-house capabilities, ensuring comprehensive program/project management and construction oversight from planning through design, procurement, and construction. Services to be supervised may include project management, construction management, Resident Project Representative (RPR), project controls, scheduling, cost estimating, inspection oversight, quality assurance and/or commissioning services.

This role requires proactive communication and effective collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Owner’s leadership and staff; the Owner’s architects, designers, construction contractors, and tenants; as well as state and federal agencies, to promote projects that are completed on time and within budget and in compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements. The position encompasses client management, strategic planning, staffing and resource management, project financials, training, QA/QC oversight, performance reporting and on-site services in partnership with airport operators and key stakeholders to deliver airport projects on time and within budget.

The Upstate region of South Carolina is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains bordering Georgia and North Carolina. The region acts as an economic hub between Charlotte and Atlanta and has attracted many financial institutions, multinational corporations, advanced manufacturers and institutions of higher learning to locate their regional or national headquarters there. The Upstate is also home to a large amount of private-sector and university-based research activity to support the automotive, life sciences, plastics, and photonics industries.

As a top national market for economic development, the region’s demand for air passenger and cargo services continues to grow

Key Responsibilities:

• Represent the Owner and MJ by providing comprehensive program oversight of all capital projects assigned to the team.

• Provide day-to-day oversight of the MJ team and promote proactive communication and collaboration between the MJ team and Owner leadership and staff.

• Plan, define and document program goals and intended outcomes, based on Owner objectives and airport plans.

• Collaborate with Owner to institute project controls capability to forecast, measure and document the financial and operational performance of Owner’s engineering designers and construction contractors, individually at a project level and collectively at a program level.

• Collaborate with Owner to establish programmatic and project-level KPIs and ensure proper tracking and analysis of project performance data to measure financial and operational progress and forecast upcoming activities.

• Participate in internal and external meetings and support effective coordination and collaboration between the Owner, regulatory authorities, the engineering designers and construction contractors to anticipate and overcome challenges to the timely and cost-efficient completion of assigned projects.

• Implement risk identification and mitigation strategies to reduce delays or disruptions to projects and the program.

• Draft project scopes, schedules and budgetary-level cost estimates to help fund and award design projects.

• Lead and oversee design project management and ensure Owner and constructability reviews are performed of the engineering consultants’ project design phase packages.

• Accountable for overseeing assigned design and construction projects are executed in accordance with owner policies and procedures; contractual, regulatory and quality requirements; and approved project schedules and budgets. Depending on the urgency or volume of projects, the Program Director may need to manage some projects personally.

• Manage MJ team staff to provide effective administration and oversight of design and construction projects through close monitoring and detailed record-keeping of individual projects and the overall capital improvement program.

• Oversee coordination with contractors and construction management, administration and inspection activities of construction projects, (including daily/weekly reporting, submittals and RFIs, pay applications, materials testing, change orders etc.) to fulfill contract compliance, quality, safety, and documentation standards.

• Support Owner to create and/or update operational dashboards to report program and project status and highlight updates.

• Liaise between the owner and various project teams to communicate, coordinate and implement change management strategies and activities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in construction/program management, Architecture, or Engineering or related field from an accredited college.

• Minimum 15 years of program/project management experience, including prior experience as an Owner's Representative or Project/Program Manager for airport projects of at least $100M in construction value.

• Familiarity with FAA regulations and advisory circulars (AC 150) and related design, construction, quality management, safety and environmental standards and requirements.

• History of leading project teams to deliver projects in collaboration with Owner and key stakeholders.

• Demonstrated experience in planning, monitoring, and controlling scope, risks, schedules, and budgets/costs.

• Experience in developing and presenting detailed reporting of progress, performance, and status.

• Experience with various project delivery methods including Design-Bid-Build, Design+CMAR, Design/Build, and Progressive Design/Build alternative delivery.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Teams, Outlook) and experience working with MS Project, Primavera P6 Scheduling, and Project Management Information Systems (PMIS) as an end user.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Thorough knowledge of aviation design and construction industry practices and regulations.

Nice-to-haves:

• Previous Experience as an Owner's Representative or Project/Program Manager for public agency programs exceeding $500M and airport projects exceeding $200M.

• Familiarity with Upstate SC aviation design and construction market

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to regularly access secure airport facilities, active construction sites, and project locations.

• Ability to observe and evaluate work in progress, attend on-site meetings, and perform field oversight duties associated with active aviation design and construction projects as needed.

• Must be able to comply with airport security requirements and obtain and maintain any required airport access credentials.

Benefits & Perks:

• Performance-based incentive compensation plan/bonus structure.

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision coverage.

• Generous Paid Time Off, including Parental Leave.

• Fully funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

• 401k match.

• Ongoing technical training and professional development opportunities.

Join Us and Make a Difference:

At MJ, we believe that employee-owners are more committed to delivering quality services. Be a part of a company that values your contribution and invests in your future. If you are passionate about structural engineering and looking for a career growth opportunity,apply todayand become a part of our innovative team dedicated to engineering excellence and client satisfaction.

Position Requirements

Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time

Shift -not applicable-

City

State

Keywords

Pay Range

Exempt/Non-Exempt Non-Exempt

Open Date 5/13/2026

This position is currently accepting applications.