Job Description
The Regional Airport Relations Manager is responsible for managing and advancing business relationships with airport authorities and key stakeholders across an assigned region, with a primary focus on airport lease agreements, renewals, extensions, amendments, and development initiatives. This role serves as Signature Aviation’s primary business liaison at Tier I, II, III, and Tier IV airport locations, supporting broader network growth objectives and enterprise strategy established by Airport Relations leadership.
This role combines strategic relationship management with hands-on execution, ensuring Signature protects, maintains, and expands its airport footprint while meeting contractual obligations and driving favorable business outcomes. The Regional Airport Relations Manager leads regional airport engagement efforts, supports negotiation strategy, coordinates cross-functional execution, and identifies opportunities for long-term value creation at airport locations.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary regional point of contact for airport authorities, sponsors, and stakeholders, building strong, credible, and collaborative working relationships.
- Represent Signature Aviation at airport meetings, conferences, and industry events, engaging airport leadership up to and including Executive Directors.
- Maintain ongoing engagement with airport partners to support long-term lease stability, positive stakeholder relationships, and alignment on mutual priorities.
- Responsively address and resolve airport-related issues, disputes, escalations, and relationship risks, partnering with internal leadership and subject matter experts as needed.
- Maintain productive working relationships with airport authorities, General Managers, FBO leadership, customers, consultants, brokers, and internal partners.
- Lead and negotiate airport lease renewals, extensions, amendments, and related agreements within the assigned region, ensuring alignment with Signature’s strategic, operational, and financial objectives.
- Initiate renewal and extension discussions by engaging appropriate airport contacts and identifying mutually beneficial terms, service opportunities, and financial outcomes.
- Support lease-related development initiatives, including facility improvements, expansion opportunities, and operational enhancements.
- Monitor contract status and ensure compliance with lease obligations, facility requirements, deliverables, and renewal timelines.
- Maintain accurate documentation of contracts, amendments, letters of agreement, negotiation history, key contacts, and key discussion points within Signature’s real estate, legal, and document management systems.
- Support the preparation of airport proposals, bid submissions, RFP responses, and renewal presentations for assigned locations.
- Coordinate with internal teams to gather required data, approvals, financial inputs, operating assumptions, and supporting documentation.
- Provide updates and recommendations to Airport Relations leadership regarding regional lease status, risks, competitive activity, strategic opportunities, and airport dynamics.
- Support capital planning discussions related to airport opportunities and lease extensions, ensuring projects align with long-term strategy and lease requirements.
- Partner closely with Operations, Business Development, Sales, Revenue Management, Legal, Finance, HR, Procurement, and General Managers to align lease strategies with operational and financial goals.
- Coordinate internal execution plans tied to lease obligations and airport commitments, ensuring consistency across multiple locations.
- Serve as a connector between airport stakeholders and internal teams to ensure a cohesive, responsive, and professional Signature presence.
- Always perform duties with the highest level of ethical and professional conduct, embedding Company values into all work.
- Meet attendance standards and maintain flexibility to travel frequently, including planned and unplanned trips, as business needs require.
- Travel to meetings, conferences and events approximately 70% of the time.
Qualifications
Minimum Education and/or Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred (Business, Aviation Management, Public Administration, Real Estate, Finance, or related field) OR equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in airport relations, aviation operations, commercial real estate/leases, government/public sector affairs, or related aviation business environment.
- Demonstrated experience leading negotiations, managing long-term stakeholder relationships, and supporting contract execution in a regulated environment.
Additional Knowledge And Skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word); ability to create and deliver clear, executive-ready materials.
- Strong business judgment, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret financial drivers and evaluate trade-offs.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills; comfortable engaging with senior airport stakeholders and internal executive audiences.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities across multiple locations simultaneously.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate favorable agreements while protecting long-term relationships and Signature’s strategic interests.
- Working understanding of airport lease structures, airport governance, compliance considerations, and aviation industry trends.
- Ability to influence and align cross-functional partners to achieve outcomes without direct authority.
