Manager, Capital Finance & Grants bei San Diego County Regional Airport Authority

Welcome to San Diego International Airport, where our core purpose is to create an exceptional experience for both our community and visitors from around the world. It extends beyond just flights; we embody the vibrant spirit of San Diego itself—sunny, welcoming, and full of life. We are committed to attracting, fostering, and empowering a team of talented individuals who can deliver our strategic goals:

• Advance Airport Development
• Transform the Customer Experience
• Optimize Ongoing Business
• Cultivate Our Culture

Here, you’ll find a workplace culture that is anchored in our collective mindsets: collaboration, empathy, thoughtful decision-making, active listening, and always believing the best in people. If you are ready to contribute to a team that values meaningful impact and enjoys the journey along the way, we invite you to apply today and help us connect our community to the world. 

Why You'll Love Working at SAN:

• Location: The Project Management Complex or the new Airport Authority Administration building, located on the San Diego International Airport campus and near the waterfront, providing stunning views of our runway, San Diego Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the city skyline. 
• Hybrid Work Schedule: We offer a flexible hybrid schedule, with an opportunity for remote work based on operational requirements, while supporting both in-office collaboration and remote productivity.  
• Salary: The hiring salary for Manager, Airport Finance is starting at $125,078. The full pay range for Manager, Airport Finance is $102,944-$175,006. 
• Benefits: You will enjoy 14 paid holidays, 18 – 33 days of vacation (PTO), parental and child care benefits, salary continuance for family & parental leave, tuition reimbursement, ensure your future with our retirement plan options including our comprehensive pension plan and 457 defined contribution plan. Plus, take advantage of our annual employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account, designed to support your personal development and growth activities—and much more! 
• Wellness: Take advantage of multiple on-site gyms with regular fitness classes, outdoor working areas, fitness discounts for all levels and goals, monthly fruit deliveries, rewards for volunteer time, financial wellness advisors, and a campus with easy access to some of San Diego's best walking trails. 
• Application Deadline: September 25, 2025. Applications will be reviewed after the closing date. 

About the Job:

The Capital Financial Planning Department is seeking a Manager, Capital Finance & Grants with a forward-looking focus on capital projects and grant strategy to help shape the next era of airport development. This role serves as the financial partner to construction, planning, and engineering teams—ensuring multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects, including New Terminal 1 and those beyond, are strategically planned, accurately tracked, and compliant with federal and state requirements. 

Join a high-impact team responsible for securing federal grant funding and managing the $4.5B Capital Budget that drives airport infrastructure improvements. As Finance Manager in Capital Financial Planning, you’ll lead the strategy and stewardship of federal grants—including FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP), Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs), and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—helping secure and manage hundreds of millions in funding for transformative capital projects. You’ll also direct the capital budget process and guide prioritization efforts to ensure alignment with the airport’s strategic plan, supporting initiatives like terminal expansions, airfield upgrades, and other infrastructure investments. 

Rooted in the construction environment, this position translates project scope and progress into clear financial strategies, reporting, and grant funding plans. From managing FAA and state grants to supporting debt strategies and feasibility studies, the Manager, Capital Finance & Grants ensures the airport’s capital program is delivered within Board-approved budgets. 

The ideal candidate will bring budget expertise in large-scale capital and infrastructure programs, strong grant management skills, and collaborative leadership to connect technical and financial teams. This is a unique opportunity to influence transformational projects that will shape the airport for decades to come and directly impact on the region’s growth. 

What You’ll Do:

• Capital Project Finance: Plans, organizes, and oversees the development, prioritization, and monitoring of multi-year construction budgets; analyzes financial projections, and expenditures. 
• Grant Management: Leads FAA entitlement and discretionary grant applications, multiyear passenger facility charge (PFC) financing, compliance reporting, drawdowns, and audit preparation for capital projects. 
• Construction Alignment: Partners with engineers and project managers to translate construction activity into financial forecasts and reports; monitors and analyzes performance against operating and capital budgets. 
• Leadership & Staff Development: Establishes performance requirements, sets professional development goals, and provides coaching, recognition, and rewards to build high-performing teams. 
• Collaboration & Transparency: Builds partnerships across Finance, Engineering, and Construction; prepares clear, detailed reports for leadership, auditors, and regulatory agencies to ensure accountability. 

The Skills You Need:

1. Leadership & Influence — motivates and develops others, sets clear expectations, recognizes achievements, and gains support for ideas and solutions. 
2. Project Management — accurately scopes projects, budgets, and timelines; ensures compliance with laws and regulations; resolves coordination issues to deliver results. 
3. Change Management — translates business needs into solutions, analyzes challenges, advances alternatives, and addresses resistance to support evolving priorities. 
4. Problem-Solving & Agility — evaluates conflicts and situations, generates solutions collaboratively, and adapts quickly to unexpected challenges. 
5. Relationship Building — cultivates strong partnerships internally and externally; communicates and listens effectively to engage diverse stakeholders. 
6. Communication & Diplomacy — presents ideas clearly, gains buy-in, and balances assertiveness with flexibility, discretion, and cultural awareness. 
7. Technology Proficiency — leverages financial and project management systems to integrate data, streamline processes, and inform decision-making. 

Requirements

The Experience You Need to Have**:

• Five years of financial, budgeting and/or accounting experience, at least two of which were in a supervisory or program management capacity, preferably supporting a business unit or any equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.  
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in accounting, finance, business administration or a closely related field. 

Preferred Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:

• Designation as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), or Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO), Project Management Professional (PMP).  

**Don’t meet every requirement? That’s okay. At San Diego International Airport, we value your unique experience and your willingness to learn. Some roles require specific qualifications or degrees, but others don’t—and we're always open to individuals committed to growth and excellence. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply. And if it’s not the right fit, we’ll keep you in mind for future opportunities. We may have the perfect spot for you to land. 

EEO Statement

It is the policy of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, SDCRAA will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Physical & Mental Demands

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this class with reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis and depends, in part, on the specific requirements for the job, the limitations related to disability and the ability of the hiring department to accommodate the limitation. If you need any form of accommodation during the recruitment process, please inform the Talent Acquisition Partner (Recruiter).

Under California Government Code Sections 3100 - 3109, public employees are designated disaster service workers. The term "public employees" includes all persons employed by the state or any county, city, state agency, or public district. Disaster service workers are required to participate in such disaster service activities as they may be assigned to them by their employer or law.