Director, Aviation Security & Emergency Preparedness

Port of Seattle•SeaTac, WA

10h

About The Position

As the Director, Aviation Security and Emergency Preparedness, you will provide senior leadership and strategic oversight of the Airport’s aviation security functions, while ensuring emergency preparedness programs are effectively coordinated to support operational resilience and continuity during incidents and major disruptions, in alignment with Aviation Division and Port goals and priorities. You will communicate strategies and methods for ensuring the security of the Airport, aligning security programs and initiatives with Aviation business plans, operational needs, and regulatory requirements. You will represent Seattle-Tacoma International Airport within the Port, community, region, and nation on aviation security and related emergency preparedness issues impacting airports. You will provide senior leadership, direction, and performance oversight of Aviation Security and Emergency Preparedness staff, ensuring accountability, employee engagement, and effective delivery of programs through subordinate managers. You will oversee the development and maintenance of the Airport Security Plan by assessing evolving threats, risks, and vulnerabilities to the Airport, the traveling public, and critical infrastructure. You will provide strategic oversight and coordination of the Airport’s Emergency Preparedness program, ensuring readiness to respond to, recover from, and mitigate a range of incidents including security events, natural disasters, public health emergencies, and major operational disruptions. You will ensure effective coordination across Aviation departments, the Port, and external stakeholders to align security and emergency preparedness roles, responsibilities, plans, and operational expectations. You will ensure emergency preparedness plans, procedures, and protocols are operationally sound, regularly exercised, and aligned with federal, state, regional, and Port requirements and best practices, and integrated with security and operational response activities. You will ensure the planning and execution of exercises, after-action reviews, and corrective action processes related to security incidents and emergency events, strengthening cross-departmental coordination and continuous improvement. You will provide strategic counsel to Aviation leadership on issues spanning aviation security, emergency preparedness, and public policy. You will leverage relationships with federal agencies, peer airports, and industry organizations to inform decision-making, shape policy outcomes, and strengthen aviation security and preparedness practices. You will also participate in targeted advocacy activities requiring operational expertise. You will strategize, develop, and manage budgets for Aviation Security and Emergency Preparedness in partnership with AV Finance and Budget, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and operational priorities. You will present aviation security and emergency preparedness topics to Aviation and Port leadership, tenants, stakeholders, industry associations, and the broader community. You will serve as a senior Aviation leader during security incidents and emergency events, supporting Aviation executive leadership, interagency coordination, and unified response activities as appropriate.

Requirements

Experienced – You have eight (8) years of experience in airport security/emergency preparedness, three (3) years of experience supervising staff and managing a function.
Committed to Equity – You will apply equity and exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices in all aspects of the work. At the Port of Seattle, equity is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all Port employees.
Demonstrated Leader – You can lead through change, and you improve adversarial situations, and provide coaching, teaching, and mentorship to others.
Strategic Thinker – You can develop and implement strategies that align with overall Port goals and objectives while influencing and leading change throughout the department.
Problem Solver – You can see the big picture and come to a resolution, including crisis management. You take into consideration and balance multiple, sometimes competing, stakeholders’ interests, and can facilitate conversations discussing solutions.
Effective Communicator – You have highly developed communication skills, including written, negotiations, presentation, facilitation, and listening skills.

Nice To Haves

We hope you have a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Public Safety or Aviation Management and/or Certified Member (CM) or Accredited Airport Executive (AAE) with the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), Certified Safety Professional, or International Airport Professional (IAP).

Responsibilities

Provide senior leadership and strategic oversight of the Airport’s aviation security functions
Ensure emergency preparedness programs are effectively coordinated to support operational resilience and continuity during incidents and major disruptions, in alignment with Aviation Division and Port goals and priorities
Communicate strategies and methods for ensuring the security of the Airport, aligning security programs and initiatives with Aviation business plans, operational needs, and regulatory requirements
Represent Seattle-Tacoma International Airport within the Port, community, region, and nation on aviation security and related emergency preparedness issues impacting airports
Provide senior leadership, direction, and performance oversight of Aviation Security and Emergency Preparedness staff, ensuring accountability, employee engagement, and effective delivery of programs through subordinate managers
Oversee the development and maintenance of the Airport Security Plan by assessing evolving threats, risks, and vulnerabilities to the Airport, the traveling public, and critical infrastructure
Provide strategic oversight and coordination of the Airport’s Emergency Preparedness program, ensuring readiness to respond to, recover from, and mitigate a range of incidents including security events, natural disasters, public health emergencies, and major operational disruptions
Ensure effective coordination across Aviation departments, the Port, and external stakeholders to align security and emergency preparedness roles, responsibilities, plans, and operational expectations
Ensure emergency preparedness plans, procedures, and protocols are operationally sound, regularly exercised, and aligned with federal, state, regional, and Port requirements and best practices, and integrated with security and operational response activities
Ensure the planning and execution of exercises, after-action reviews, and corrective action processes related to security incidents and emergency events, strengthening cross-departmental coordination and continuous improvement
Provide strategic counsel to Aviation leadership on issues spanning aviation security, emergency preparedness, and public policy
Leverage relationships with federal agencies, peer airports, and industry organizations to inform decision-making, shape policy outcomes, and strengthen aviation security and preparedness practices
Participate in targeted advocacy activities requiring operational expertise
Strategize, develop, and manage budgets for Aviation Security and Emergency Preparedness in partnership with AV Finance and Budget, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and operational priorities
Present aviation security and emergency preparedness topics to Aviation and Port leadership, tenants, stakeholders, industry associations, and the broader community
Serve as a senior Aviation leader during security incidents and emergency events, supporting Aviation executive leadership, interagency coordination, and unified response activities as appropriate

Benefits

Healthcare – Medical, Dental, and Vision Care with options that work for you and your family.
Paid Vacation – Just about four weeks per year that increases with tenure to rest and rejuvenate.
Paid Sick Leave – At least one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked.
Holidays – More than ten days per year to celebrate with family and friends away from work.
Pension/Retirement Plans – A pension and additional savings plans to prepare for your future after the Port.
Getting to Work – From subsidized parking and a low-cost public transit card to alternative work arrangements giving you an opportunity to work hybrid.
Parental Leave – Six weeks of paid leave to spend with new additions to your immediate family.
Development – From tuition reimbursement, training, stretch assignments and internal internships, we support a learning culture.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – The Port of Seattle values diversity as a source of innovation and strength. We are actively working across the organization to create a culture where all employees – regardless of race, gender, and other identities – succeed and reach their fullest potential.
Work-Life Balance – We provide the resources to help you create habits to be healthy and balanced.
Mission Driven – We are focused together in promoting economic opportunities and quality of life in the region by advancing trade, travel, commerce, and job creation in an equitable, accountable, and environmentally responsible manner.