The Allegheny County Airport Authority [ACAA] invites you aboard our mission to create meaningful travel experiences in the aviation industry. As Pittsburgh’s gateway to the world, both Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport serve as beacons of change and connectivity for our region. As a member of our crew, you will directly serve, inspire, and advance our community in significant ways that impact the daily lives of others and the future of our organization. Whether you have a passion for travel, an appreciation for aeronautics and aviation, or an unparalleled love for the city of Pittsburgh, ACAA provides the opportunity for the next chapter of your career to take flight. 

Our culture is one that emphasizes high performance, innovation, and learning. We know that those things only happen when everyone who works in an organization is properly empowered, equipped, and enabled in their roles to make an impact. At ACAA success is a shared responsibility, and we look forward to supporting and developing the unique strengths you could bring to our team.

Job Summary

The ACAA’s the Director, Employee Experience is responsible for designing and overseeing the full employee life cycle at Allegheny County Airport Authority, ensuring a seamless, engaging, and mission-driven workplace culture.  This role focuses on fostering a positive work environment, enhancing employee engagement, and developing programs that support recruitment, onboarding, development, retention, and offboarding.  Additionally, the role serves as a strategic HR business partner, working closely with department leaders to align priorities with organizational goals.

Here is how the Director, Employee Experience will help:  

Employee Experience & Engagement

• Partner with HR and hiring managers to create a best-in-class onboarding experience that immerses new employees in both aviation and the airport’s mission and values.
• Oversee pre-boarding, orientation, and early engagement programs to support new hires’ transition.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance employee satisfaction, retention, and workplace culture.
• Lead initiatives to improve employee engagement through surveys, feedback mechanisms, and action plans.
• Develop recognition programs and initiatives that celebrate employee contributions and milestones.
• Monitor workforce trends, turnover, and retention metrics to identify and address potential challenges.
• Serve as a key advocate for employees, ensuring policies and programs align with their needs and organizational goals.
• Oversee exit processes, including exit interviews and knowledge transfer strategies.

Performance & Development

• Lead innovative design of continuous learning and professional development, including training programs, mentorship, and leadership development.
• Develop and implement a modernized robust talent review process to identify successors for key positions at all levels of the organization.
• Support performance management processes that intentionally align employee goals with organizational objectives.
• Partner with managers to ensure meaningful career development opportunities that prepare the workforce to be future-ready.

HR Business Partnering

• Act as a strategic advisor to airport leadership, providing insights and recommendations on workforce planning, talent management, and organizational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with department heads to identify and address talent challenges, ensuring alignment with the airport’s mission and operational needs.
• Support leaders in resolving workplace concerns, fostering open communication, and supporting a positive work environment.
• Leverage data and analytics to drive decision-making, identifying trends and opportunities to enhance the employee experience.

Labor & Employee Relations

• Provide strategic direction and counsel on all aspects of labor and employee relations.
• Oversee grievance management, disciplinary processes, and conflict resolution, ensuring compliance, consistency, and risk mitigation.
• Lead the administration, interpretation, and implementation of collective bargaining agreements, support labor negotiations, and serve as a liaison with union leadership to maintain positive working relationships.

The successful candidate for the role of Director, Employee Experience will demonstrate the following key competencies needed in our culture:

• Communication:  Ability to clearly articulate short-term vision, departmental goals and objectives; Collaborate effectively with peers; Able to communicate policy and strategy to team members.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to design and implement programs that align with business goals and workforce needs.
• Team Leadership – Direct and implement project objectives through “one team” approach; Focused on developing team; Direct work of team through leadership and accountability; Makes informed decisions.
• Customer Centricity – Leads team to identify and improve customer experience; Directs and implements improvements that positively impact most stakeholders.

Qualifications

Requirements to apply for the role of Director, Employee Experience are:

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or related field from an accredited four-year college or university (Master’s preferred). 
• 7+ years of progressive experience in HR, employee engagement, or organizational development, including experience in union environments. 
• 4+ years management experience.
• Experience in aviation is highly desirable.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or similar certification preferred.

We also expect that candidates will demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities in most cases:  

• Experience designing and executing employee experience programs.
• Ability to work collaboratively and diplomatically with employees at all levels.
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and consensus.
• Knowledge of employment law and compliance requirements.
• Ability to use data to inform strategy, monitor outcomes, and continuously improve programs.
• Deep understanding of labor relations and collective bargaining agreements.
• Demonstrated ability to partner across departments and influence stakeholders.

Don’t meet every requirement?

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs if they don’t meet every single qualification. As a Smarter Airport, we recognize that talent is not always related job history and skills come from valuable experiences that aren’t always shown on a resume. If you are excited to make a positive change for our region, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for our organization, whether it be this role or another.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands that are described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to feel; talk; and hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms, stand, and walk. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and depth perception. Must be able to understand and speak clearly in English.

CONDITIONS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is seldom exposed to moving mechanical parts that exceed those of standard office equipment. The noise level in the work environment is generally moderate. Subject to remain on duty beyond normal hours or be recalled to duty up to 24 hours per day, seven days a week during emergency situations or other extensive periods.

Caring For Our Crew

At ACAA, we’ve got you covered. That applies to how we equip, empower, and enable our people to do their jobs. It also applies to our benefits, which are broader and more valuable than what many other employers offer:

• We offer two plan options for healthcare coverage from high-quality insurance carriers, as well as an ACAA-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) that will help offset the cost of many medical expenses.
  • ACAA employees pay almost $1,200 less per year in healthcare payroll contributions than the average employee in other companies, according to market surveys.
  • When HRA funding is included, the health-plan deductibles paid by ACAA employees are about $1,200 lower on average than the costs paid by employees of other companies.
  • ACAA does not require that employees meet a separate deductible for pharmacy expenses before prescription-drug coverage kicks in.
• ACAA’s dental plans (included with healthcare coverage) offer an option covering children’s orthodontia.
• Employees also can take advantage of a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to help pay for health care and dependent care expenses on a pre-tax basis.
• All eligible full-time ACAA employees participate in the Allegheny County Employees Pension Plan, a defined-benefit plan that vests after 10 years of service.
• Employees also may participate in a Deferred Compensation Plan, which allows them to contribute part of their pay on a pre-tax basis into long-term retirement investments.
• A robust Employee Assistance Program (including access to free counselling sessions, financial guidance, and care coordination), life insurance options, a wellness program, and eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program round out ACAA’s exemplary benefits. 
• Employees may enroll their children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age in our on-site preschool and childcare center, La Petite Academy, at Pittsburgh International Airport.

About Allegheny County Airport Authority

Allegheny County Airport Authority, which manages Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Allegheny County Airport (AGC), is committed to transforming Pittsburgh’s airports to reflect and serve the community, inspire the industry, and advance the region’s role as a world leader. 

Pittsburgh International Airport serves nearly 10 million passengers annually on 17 carriers and was named by Fast Company magazine as One of the Most Innovative Companies in the World as well as a finalist in its World Changing Ideas awards, both in 2020. PIT’s first-of-its-kind microgrid – which completely powers the airport campus through natural gas and solar energy – has won numerous awards for resiliency and sustainability. 

PIT is in the midst of an ambitious terminal modernization that will make the passenger experience more efficient and deliver real opportunity for the region. The $1.4 billion new terminal program will construct a smarter, greener airport, inspired by the best of our region. The updated terminal lands in 2025 and will be the first airport terminal in the U.S. to be built from the ground-up post-pandemic, designed and constructed with the highest public health standards in mind.

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