Deputy Airport Director, Innovation & Technology

Deputy Airport Director, Innovation & Technology (Technology Services Deputy Director)

This recruitment is open to the public. The open eligible list established through this recruitment will be used to fill a current vacancy within John Wayne Airport and may be used to fill any future vacancies in other agencies throughout the County of Orange. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and or lower classifications.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as the recruitment will close on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm (PST).

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and the successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

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

As technology continues to rapidly change in airports, JWA is looking to develop the Innovation & Technology Division to ensure JWA is seen as a leader when it comes to an end user’s experience, cyber security, service reliability, and strategic upgrade. This Division plays a unique and critical role in the Airport’s operations.

The Innovation and Technology Division of John Wayne Airport includes Technical Services, IT Project Management, Operations, Service Desk/CUPPS, and Security Teams. This Division provides 24/7 support for airport operations, including building automation, access control, security cameras, baggage handling systems, servers, applications, hardware infrastructure, network infrastructure, end-user support for JWA administrative staff and systems, IT security, compliance efforts, consulting services, and vendor contract management.

Orange County’s John Wayne Airport is seeking a Deputy Airport Director – Innovation & Technology (IT Director). If you have strong leadership/management skills, IT systems knowledge, and airport experience then you may be the ideal candidate for this exciting role! The position will report directly to the Assistant Airport Director while overseeing a team of 19. This is the perfect opportunity for someone who is well‑versed in Common Use Passenger Processing Systems (CUPPS), payment card systems (PCI), baggage handling systems, and building automation and wants to become part of a fast‑paced, progressively innovative executive team, leading innovation and technology at a medium‑hub airport.

This role requires strong relationship‑building skills, as you will regularly collaborate, and sometimes negotiate, with airport business owners, security, airlines personnel, airport staff, and leadership and work often and effectively with other County centralized and decentralized information technology personnel. The ability to provide strategic leadership, change management oversight, and alignment between IT solutions and business needs is critical to the success of this role.

The successful candidate will understand how…