Director of Safety

Yingling Aviation Inc • Wichita, KS

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Safety leads Yingling's Safety Management System (SMS) and serves as the company's principal safety authority across maintenance, avionics, and line/FBO operations. The direct reporting line to the CEO preserves the organizational independence the safety function requires, while the dotted line to the COO supports day-to-day operational coordination. This is an individual-contributor role: the Director builds and runs the safety program directly and is expected to develop it into a broader function over time.

Requirements

• Experience leading or administering an aviation safety program in a Part 145 repair station, FBO/ground-handling, or comparable regulated environment.
• Working knowledge of SMS principles (14 CFR Part 5 framework) and applicable OSHA (29 CFR 1910) and hazardous-materials requirements.
• Demonstrated proficiency in incident investigation, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action management.
• Ability to influence and hold peers accountable across departments without direct authority, and to communicate candidly with executive leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Formal SMS or aviation-safety training/certification (e.g., a recognized SMS or aviation safety program).
• Experience with safety-data analysis and safety-reporting/tracking systems.
• Familiarity with NATA/ground-safety standards and aircraft fueling operations.

Responsibilities

• SMS ownership. Develop, implement, and continuously improve the company's Safety Management System across the four SMS components — safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.
• Risk management. Operate the hazard-identification and risk-management process: intake, assess, prioritize, and track mitigations to closure.
• Safety assurance. Administer a non-punitive safety reporting system and analyze safety data and trends to monitor performance against defined objectives.
• Investigations. Lead investigations of incidents, injuries, and near-misses; perform root-cause analysis and drive corrective and preventive actions to completion.
• Emergency response. Own the Emergency Response Plan and coordinate periodic drills and reviews.
• Safety promotion. Champion safety culture through communications, recognition, and, in partnership with the Director of Training, safety and SMS training.
• EHS & regulatory. Oversee occupational safety and environmental compliance (e.g., OSHA recordkeeping and 300 logs, hazardous-materials and fuel-handling safety, ground-handling and ramp safety); manage the organization's workers' compensation program by coordinating injury prevention training, assisting with return-to-work initiatives, identifying training needs resulting from workplace incidents, and ensuring required training documentation supports regulatory compliance and claims management.
• Regulatory interface. Serve as the company's primary safety interface with the FAA and other regulators, and support customer and third-party safety audits.
• Governance & reporting. Facilitate the safety committee and provide regular safety-performance reporting to executive leadership.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance and retirement plans.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• A dynamic, supportive team culture that values innovation and collaboration.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed