The City of Palm Springs is excited to announce the opportunity for the position of
Deputy Director of Air Service, Marketing & Commercial Development
for the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)!
THE CITY: Palm Springs, located in the Coachella Valley, is known for its luxurious yet relaxed lifestyle. Picture waking up to fresh air, surrounded by palm trees, and enjoying stunning mountain views. This city offers a perfect blend of nature and modern living for both residents and visitors. Palm Springs is ideal for families, offering numerous parks, gardens, and nature reserves for leisurely activities and wildlife encounters. With a wide range of attractions and events, there’s always something fun for everyone in the family. To see the exciting things going on visit the Engage Palm Springs website. The City of Palm Springs is committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, from policies to inclusive healthcare, and making people of various backgrounds feel welcome and supported. To view our recent Human Rights Campaign, visit the Municipal Equity Index (Download PDF reader) website.
THE POSITION: This position serves under the general and administrative direction of the Director of Aviation; manage, supervise, and coordinate the activities and operations relating to air service operations, marketing, and business development for the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP); coordinate assigned activities with other divisions, departments, outside agencies, and stakeholders; provide highly responsible and complex professional assistance in support of airport business development and to the Director and other City staff in areas of expertise; and perform related duties and assignments as required.
THE AIRPORT: As the only commercial service airport in the Coachella Valley, PSP serves millions of enthusiastic travelers every year. Located just minutes from downtown, the airport is owned and operated by the City of Palm Springs. Through a dozen different airlines, PSP offers nonstop flights to more than 30 destinations and one-stop travel possibilities to over 300 cities worldwide. To see all the exciting things going on at PSP visit the Progress PSP website!
As a member of the City's unclassified service, this is an "at-will" position and serves at the discretion of the City Manager.
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Essential Functions:
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Establish and implement integrated airport strategic plan for business development including air service operations, concessions, general aviation, air cargo, real estate, non-aviation, commercial and industrial business development opportunities, and land planning for airport future growth.
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Develop, coordinate, and implement marketing and public relations programs designed to identify and capitalize on current and new business relations and opportunities to maximize service, utilization, and revenue.
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Develop and execute comprehensive brand strategies that align with city and airport objectives, enhancing the PSP brand and market positioning.
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Manages the air service incentive policy and monitors regulatory compliance related to commercial air service.
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Establish and oversee processes for marketing, completing, and awarding airline incentive programs and business development opportunities, including preparation of requests for proposals.
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Develops and implements short- and long-term strategies to maximize non-aviation revenues, including advertising, sponsorships, and terminal commercial opportunities.
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Develops and monitors annual advertising sales revenue goals for the customer experience and advertising functions.
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Analyzes non-aviation revenue sales trends, customer service data, and shortfall reports to identify revenue improvement opportunities and optimize services, concessions, and advertising performance.
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Develop and coordinate community outreach plans, programs, and special events; foster community engagement with aviation businesses, community organizations, tenants, customers, and local tourism partners.
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Coordinate the negotiation of new business opportunities with current and prospective tenants of the airport including terms and conditions, development plans, investment, and financing.
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Seeks and nurtures cooperative marketing and public relations relationships with partner organizations, airlines, chambers of commerce, economic development groups, and tourism organizations.
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Performs and coordinates ongoing market analysis to support the expansion and retention of air service; identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the existing and potential route network.
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Communicates relevant and timely market data to airline network planners to support their decision-making; acts as liaison between airline representatives, the Airport Executive Team, and the tourism organization.
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Create tailored marketing presentations to retain and build air service through data and economic support information.
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Represent the airport at networking and business events and airport industry trade shows; initiate and maintain strong and productive client relationships, management strategies, and tactics to ensure opportunities for continued growth are maintained.
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Assist in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards for the Department; train staff; review recommendations and actions of staff and resolve Department issues and concerns.
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Monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; make recommendations on staffing levels and process improvements.
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Assist in the development and coordination of the Department budget; approve, track, and monitor expenditures required.
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Oversees customer experience program; provides support and direction for all guest services programs and functions, including volunteer programs, passenger amenities, and terminal wayfinding initiatives, and ensures continuous improvement in service delivery; devises new strategies, identifies development initiatives, and establishes performance expectations and standards for guest services staff.
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Directs the marketing and public relations division on the development of campaigns and programming to enhance the overall passenger and visitor experience.
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Serves as the primary airport spokesperson and Public Information Officer for all news media inquiries; develops and trains staff for backup spokesperson responsibilities; schedules and coordinates press conferences, public announcements, and community presentations as needed.
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Develops and manages a system for handling news media inquiries and responses, ensuring timely and effective distribution of news releases, while also responding to and resolving internal and external concerns, questions, and public information requests with professionalism and efficiency.
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Maintains and updates the Crisis Communication Plan and trains staff appropriately.
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Conduct a variety of organizational studies, investigations, and operational studies; recommend modifications to assigned programs, policies, and procedures as appropriate; prepare and create proposals, make presentations, prepare and present staff reports, and other necessary written and oral correspondence.
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Ensure, monitor, and implement compliance with all Federal and State laws, rules, regulations, and other compliance programs.
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Participate in citywide programs and initiatives as assigned; meet with City staff and provide guidance on assigned programs; serve as staff on a variety of boards, commissions, and committees.
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Attend and participate in professional group meetings; stay abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of marketing, communications, and air service development.
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Provide responsible technical administrative assistance to the Director of Aviation as required.
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Performs other duties and responsibilities as required.
Minimum requirements must be clearly demonstrated on the application to be considered; however, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to compete further in the selection process. Experience requirements must be demonstrated in the "Work Experience" section of the application; other sections of the application will not be used to determine experience qualifications. (One year of work experience is the equivalent of 12 months of full-time work. "Full-time work" means at least 36 hours of work over a period of one week or 1,872 hours of work over a period of at least 12 months.) Qualifications noted as "desirable" or "preferred" are not included as part of the minimum requirements.
Experience:
Five (5) years of increasingly responsible aviation experience, of which three (3) years of experience in the last ten (10) years are directly related to air service development, airport business development, or airport marketing and communications is required.
Training:
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Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in airport operations, business administration, public administration, or a related field, or any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities is required.
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A Master’s degree in airport operations, business administration, public administration, or a related field, is desirable.
License or Certificates:
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Possession of a valid California driver license with a satisfactory driving record is required.
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Possession of an Airport Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) Badge, which is approved through the Federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is required.
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Certified Member (C.M.) or Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.) – American Association of Airport Executives or International Airport Professional (I.A.) through Airports Council International preferred.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The following work environment and physical conditions described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.
Environmental Conditions: Office and airport field environment with exposure to computers and other office equipment; travel from site to site; may have exposure to noise, dust, smoke, fumes, gases, inclement weather conditions; may be exposed to emergency situations.
Physical Conditions: Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting, walking or standing for prolonged periods; light and moderate lifting pulling, pushing, kneeling, bending; communicate in person and by telephone; operate standard computer.
A completed application, cover letter, resume and supplemental questionnaire are required by the closing date and time. As a candidate for the position, you will want to be sure your application accurately reflects your skills and abilities as they relate to the position to achieve maximum opportunity. Applications will be reviewed carefully and only those who appear to have the best qualifications will be invited to continue in the selection process.
Minimum requirements must be clearly demonstrated on the application to be considered as this information will be used to determine minimum qualifications. Experience requirements must be demonstrated in the "Work Experience" section of the application; other sections of the application will not be used to determine experience qualifications.
Resumes and other documents may be submitted, however, they will not be used to determine minimum qualifications, please do not use phrases such as "see attached" or "see resume" as they will not be considered. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to compete further in the process. Minimum requirements must be met at the time of application submission unless stated otherwise.
The selection process: The anticipated selection process for this position will include the following (dates are subject to change):
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Application Review - (qualifying)
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Oral Board Examination - tentatively scheduled for the week of July 27, 2026.
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Selection Interviews - tentatively scheduled for the week of August 24, 2026.
Candidates must successfully pass each stage of the selection process above in order to continue to the next step. This process may be modified or changed depending on the number of qualified candidates.
Please remember to submit all your application materials by the closing date and time. Incomplete or applications received after the closing date and time cannot be considered. All information on the application is subject to investigation and verification.
For more information on completing your application materials, click here.
If you are ready to join the exciting Team Palm Springs and you meet the requirements detailed above, please click the apply button. For more information, contact Human Resources at:
The City of Palm Springs
3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
www.palmspringsca.gov
760-323-8215
Applications will be accepted until July 17, 2026, at 4:00pm. The City of Palm Springs reserves the right to accelerate or extend the "Closing Date" of open positions at any time, dependent upon the number of applications received.
No offer of employment will be extended unless approved by the City Council in accordance with the California Code of Regulations, Title 2, §570.5, regarding the CalPERS Publicly Available Pay Schedule (PAPS). Effective July 1, 2026, this position will be classified under the “Executive and Elected” salary schedule, specifically within Table “EX2,” Range “64.” Progression in the selection process, including interviews or conditional offers, is contingent upon City Council approval and full compliance with all applicable requirements, including those set forth by CalPERS.
The City of Palm Springs is an equal employment opportunity employer, and we encourage all persons to file applications. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, family or marital status, disability, medical condition or pregnancy, genetic information, religious or political affiliation, or veteran status.
Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, City of Palm Springs Employees, in the event of a disaster, are considered disaster service workers and may be asked to respond accordingly.
