Job Type
Full-time
Description
The Aviation Director's role is to lead the strategy, execution, and performance of all air transportation activities supporting ICAT's global freight forwarding and 3PL operations. This role is responsible for ensuring reliable, complaint, and profitable air cargo capacity across scheduled carriers, charter operations, and strategic aviation partners. This role oversees the operational KPIs, hires and manages the team, and is responsible for client satisfaction and operational excellence.
The Aviation Director serves as ICAT's senior aviation authority, aligning airlift strategy with customer requirements, operational execution, financial performance, and long-term growth objectives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Aviation Strategy & Network Leadership
- Develop and execute ICAT's air transportation strategy in support of freight forwarding, expedited, project cargo, and time-critical logistics
- Align aviation capacity planning with customer SLAs, commercial demand, seasonality, and peak-volume events
- Optimize the mix of scheduled air cargo, passenger belly capacity, block space agreements (BSAs), ACMI, and charter lift
- Support new trade lanes, customer solutions, and go-to-market aviation capabilities
Carrier, Charter & Vendor Management- Lead executive relationships with airlines, charter operators, brokers, and aviation service providers
- Negotiate airfreight contracts, BSAs, charter agreements, and ad hoc lift solutions
- Monitor and manage carrier performance, including reliability, cost control, service quality, and compliance
- Serve as escalation point for aviation-related disruptions, recovery planning, and service failures
Operations & Execution Oversight- Partner with operations, gateway, and customer service teams to ensure smooth end-to-end air cargo execution
- Provide aviation expertise during IRROPS, weather events, embargoes, capacity shortages, and geopolitical disruptions
- Oversee charter planning and execution, including aircraft selection, routing, payload optimization, and ground handling coordination
- Ensure aviation decisions consistently support customer commitments, on-time performance, and cargo integrity
Regulatory, Safety & Compliance- Ensure compliance with applicable aviation and air cargo regulations, including TSA, FAA, IATA, ICAO, and international authorities
- Oversee air cargo security programs, dangerous goods compliance, and carrier operating standards
- Act as ICAT's primary aviation liaison with regulators, carriers, and industry organizations
- Partner with internal compliance and security teams to identify and mitigate aviation-related risk
Financial & Commercial Management- Manage aviation cost structures, including linehaul rates, charters, accessorials, and fuel or security surcharges
- Support pricing, quoting, and margin strategy for air freight and charter solutions
- Identify opportunities to improve gross profit through network optimization, carrier negotiations, and modal alternatives
- Contribute aviation insight to budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning
Cross-Functional Leadership- Collaborate with Procurement, Operations, Sales, Security, Compliance, and Technology teams
- Support sales pursuits and key customer engagements requiring customized aviation solutions
- Translate complex aviation constraints into clear guidance for commercial and operations teams
- Educate internal stakeholders on air cargo market dynamics, capacity risks, and opportunities
Team Leadership- Manage staff, including training on SOP changes and new processes, monitoring productivity, handling performance management and disciplinary issues that may arise
- Optimize operations, with a strong emphasis on operational excellence focusing on continuous improvement
- Lead quarterly business reviews with staff: celebrate wins, address gaps, update SOPs
- Leverage technology (TMS, BI dashboards, RPA/BOT tools) to improve efficiency
- Capture lessons learned from service failures to update processes
- Ensure that the department meets operational KPIs and financial goals; including but not limited to:
- ICAT invoicing and variance policies
- Creative solutions for cost savings and improving margins
- Developing and managing the department budget
- Hiring, on-boarding, and training new team members
- Lead team meetings, share the department vision and goals
- Develop and implement opportunities for team growth and development
- Be a leader through actions, communication, and mentoring
- Perform other duties as assigned
Requirements
Qualifications & Skill Requirements- Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree preferred
- 8+ Years of experience in aviation, air cargo, freight forwarding, or logistics
- 5+ years of leading others
- Deep understanding of global air cargo operations, airline networks, and charter markets
- Strong knowledge of aviation and air cargo regulatory frameworks
- Proven experience managing airline and charter relationships
- Proven commercial, financial, and analytical skills
- Proven track record of building relationships and gaining credibility with customers and vendors
- Proven analytical and problem-solving skills in a logistics environment
- Preferred qualifications & skills include:
- Experience with charter operations, project cargo, or time-critical logistics
- Familiarity with IATA processes, air waybills, and air cargo security programs
- Prior leadership role within a freight forwarder, 3PL, airline cargo division, or aviation services provider
- Aviation-related certifications or formal aviation education
- Intermediate skills with Microsoft Office products
Key Competencies- Proven ability to lead, mentor and share knowledge with team members
- Ability to plan and effectively set priorities for implementation and meet deadlines
- Excels in meeting deadlines and demonstrates superior time management skills
- Natural ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work setting, strong attention to detail
- Superior communication skills, ability to motivate people and an emphasis on listening skills
- Extremely well organized and detail-oriented; able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously
- Must foster accountability and commitment from the team to achieve department goals
- Ability to relate to and successfully interact across a variety of settings and work well with a broad and diverse workforce throughout the organization
- Proven analytical, problem-solving skills in a logistics environment.
- Ability to work in a time-sensitive environment
- Highly motivated team player with an outgoing and positive work attitude
- Ability to be flexible as priorities shift
- Demonstrated ability to work in a client centric environment
- Consistent in follow-up and follow-through
- Credible with a high level of personal integrity
- Adaptive to ICAT's core values
Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
- Direct supervision and accountability of staff
- Support team in setting and achieving goals and performance objectives
- Coach and mentor team members
- Identify department training requirements and conduct training as needed
- Hold regular individual 1x1 and team meetings.
- Clearly communicate department and individual initiatives / goals
- Develop, monitor and review regularly metrics and goals with team members
- Conduct performance appraisals; provide rewards and execute disciplinary actions/ workplace solutions for department staff
- Accountable for recruiting and hiring process for new hire requirements
- Maintain an environment that allows the team to be part of ICAT's overarching goals and mission
Travel Requirement: Yes, up to 30%
Some travel required (by air and car) to support multi-site national operations.
Salary: $146,816 - $172,725
