JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT 

Ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction among Large Airports in the J.D. Power 2024 and 2025 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, John Wayne Airport (JWA) has been a major cornerstone of Orange County for more than 100 years. Located in beautiful Southern California, we currently serve approximately 11.8 million annual passengers. We strive to provide a superior guest experience to ensure travel is convenient and stress-free. The County of Orange owns and operates the airport and the service area includes more than three million people within 34 cities and unincorporated areas of Orange County and beyond.

As a medium hub airport, we have commercial flights to more than 40 nonstop destinations in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Eleven commercial airlines and two air cargo airlines fly out of the Airport. It is home to nearly 500 general aviation (private, non-commercial) aircraft, representing 60% of total operations, and includes two full-service fixed base operators and one limited use general aviation facility.

• Mission: Connecting People, Places and Opportunities.
• Vision: To be an airport of choice by creating exceptional experiences.
• Core Values: REACH
  • Respect
  • Environmental Stewardship
  • Accountability
  • Collaboration
  • Honesty

To learn more about working at John Wayne Airport, click here.
To learn more about the County of Orange, click here.

DIVISION

The newly reformed Planning and Development Division oversees and delivers the airport’s $700 million Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which includes airside, landside, and terminal renovations, as well as major utility projects and long-term infrastructure planning. The Division is also a key partner in implementing the General Aviation Improvement Program and the Terminal Tenant Concession Redevelopment Program. This team has 28 professionals in a variety of roles. This Division’s functional areas include engineering, A/E design standards, land use and airport planning, environmental compliance, capital project programming, project management, project controls, and construction Coordination and Logistics Management (CALM).

THE OPPORTUNITY

John Wayne Airport (JWA) is establishing a new Project Controls Manager role within the Planning and Development Division. This position will play a key role in shaping and advancing the Airport’s project controls program for the multi-year, $700 million Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

The Project Controls Manager serves as a technical expert responsible for overseeing cost and schedule management, project controls systems, and performance reporting across a portfolio of complex and interrelated capital projects. The role works collaboratively with internal departments and external partners, including County agencies and state and federal entities, to support effective program delivery.

This position leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of project controls policies, procedures, and tools. Responsibilities include evaluating cost and schedule performance, identifying risks and variances, and recommending corrective actions to maintain project objectives. The Project Controls Manager ensures CIP compliance with applicable regulatory and funding requirements, including FAA grant obligations.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in Capital Improvement Program controls in areas such as schedule management, cost accounting/management, construction management, grant management, project management, and/or related engineering field.

This experience must include at least three (3) years of experience in an airport or aviation environment or a comparable complex, secure, and highly regulated capital program environment, and a minimum of one (1) year of supervisory experience.

The ideal candidate must possess and/or demonstrate the core competencies outlined below:

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

• Ability to lead project controls for complex horizontal and vertical capital programs
• Ability to develop and implement project controls procedures, standards, and tools
• Knowledge of funding requirements and program delivery for airport or similarly complex, security-controlled capital projects, including applicable federal, state, regional, and local guidelines
• Knowledge of public agency project and program management principles, including budgeting, cost estimating, scheduling, programming, contract management, and consultant oversight
• Knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local laws, regulations, codes, ordinances, and grant requirements
• Experience with a range of capital project delivery methods (Design-Bid-Build, CMAR, Design-Build, JOC, Progressive Design-Build, etc.)

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

• Ability to supervise, mentor, and evaluate staff and consultants
• Ability to establish and maintain procedures for reviewing and analyzing change orders and related documentation
• Ability to implement frameworks for cost control, progress measurement, and project performance tracking
• Ability to work with project teams to identify risks and develop effective mitigation strategies
• Knowledge of core management practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, evaluation, and staff supervision

ANALYSIS & PROBLEM-SOLVING

• Ability to analyze baseline, look-ahead, and updated schedules, as well as recovery and time-extension requests
• Ability to assess schedule performance, identify risks and critical interdependencies, and recommend corrective actions
• Ability to prepare clear, concise reports, memoranda, and briefings with supporting analysis
• Ability to conduct complex project controls analyses, evaluate alternatives, and develop sound recommendations
• Ability to use project controls systems and software (Unifier PMIS, Primavera P6, MS Project, Power BI, RSMeans, etc.) to support accurate and efficient reporting and analysis

PLANNING & ORGANIZATION

• Ability to develop and maintain dashboards and reports that support monitoring of multiple concurrent projects
• Ability to build and maintain financial models to allocate, track, and forecast project costs
• Ability to analyze cost variances and manage cost-related risks
• Ability to verify cost and schedule data through quality assurance and quality control measures and communicate findings
• Strong organizational, analytical, and strategic planning skills

COMMUNICATION SKILLS | ORAL & WRITTEN

• Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to resolve complex issues, including change orders and claims
• Ability to analyze issues and recommend appropriate solutions
• Ability to engage diverse stakeholders to proactively identify risks and develop solutions
• Ability to communicate complex technical and programmatic information clearly to executives, elected officials, staff, and the public
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Click here to learn more about the minimum qualifications and the physical & mental requirements, as well as the environmental & working conditions for the Capital Projects Manager.

LICENSE REQUIRED

The successful candidate must obtain, possess, and maintain the following licenses:

• The successful candidate must possess and maintain a valid California Driver’s License, Class C or higher, by date of appointment

AIRPORT ACCESS REQUIREMENTS

The successful candidate must clear a background check which includes a Criminal History Records Check (CHRC), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Security Threat Assessment (STA). Airport Access Badge must be maintained and renewed every two (2) years