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 Director, Strategic Communications is a strategist, collaborator and storyteller responsible for developing and executing strategic communications that cover internal and external communications. This role will lead a team of communicators in development and execution of comprehensive communications plans to elevate the ACAA’s brand with key internal and external audiences and partner with business unit leaders to execute agreed-upon communication strategies, plans, and tactics. The person accepting this position will operate as the Authority’s back-up public information officer (PIO) and a member of the crisis communications team.

Here is how the Director, Strategic Communications will help:  

• Direct the strategic development, implementation, and management of integrated communications strategies across all internal and external stakeholders, including passengers, employees, media, NGOs, customers, investors, community partners, and influencers, among others.
• Serve as back-up Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Director of Public Affairs and as a member of the Authority’s crisis communications team. 
• Manage strategic communications team.
• Collaborate, coordinate, and innovate in delivering strategic, results-focused communication solutions, and create synergy and collaboration across other teams within Communications and Brand
• Lead the ACAA&39;s Speakers Bureau, delivering thorough opportunity assessment, placement, and preparation of speakers at events that will drive ACAA&39;s image, reputation, and business agenda.
• Ensure communications planning and delivery are aligned to optimize impact and drive identified priorities.
• Develop and implement continuous feedback loops. Construct and deploy measurement, analytics, and reporting on the effectiveness of employee communication efforts, including both content engagement and internal channel performance.
• Perform other related tasks as assigned or required.

The successful candidate for the role of Director, Strategic Communications 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

The following requirements list the minimum education/training/experience required to qualify for this job. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be accepted.

Requirements to apply for the role of Director, Strategic Communications are:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, Marketing, English or Communications, or a related field from an accredited four-year college or university. Master’s Degree Preferred.
• Ten to fifteen (10-15) years of related experience in communications, including strategic communications leadership. 
• Three to five years of people management experience. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe applications and software.
• Possess or obtain prior to employment a valid Pennsylvania Class C driver’s license.   Note: license must be maintained throughout employment.

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

• Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques in building effective programs and processes for internal and external communication strategies.
• Proficiency in assessing needs, developing short and long-term communications plans and strategies, and excellent project management skills.
• Previous spokesperson/media relations experience. 
• Proven ability to lead team with strategic direction, provide constructive feedback, solve problems, and build collaboration and teamwork.
• Extensive written and verbal communication skills with proven ability to convey information and ideas to a wide variety of individuals or groups.
• Considerable ability to position stories to drive strategic priorities for the business.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe applications.
• Proven ability to write short to long-form content for various channels under tight deadlines.

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 use hands to finger, handle, or feel; to talk, to stand, sit and walk; reach with hands and arms, climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distant vision.  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 employee is occasionally exposed to wet/and or humid conditions or outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is generally moderate

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Employment is contingent upon the results of a post-offer (initial employment or promotion) physical examination performed by the Authority’s examining physician.

DRUG TESTING

Employment is contingent upon the results of a post-offer (initial employment or promotion) drug screening.  Continued employment may be subject to drug and alcohol testing conducted without advance notice and without individualized suspicion.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

Must pass a thorough investigation, consisting of a criminal history check (including but not limited to the requirements of CFR 1542.209 and 1542.3), verification of prior employment and performance, reference and credentials checks.

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.

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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