Vice President of Public Safety

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), a growing and forward-thinking airport serving one of the nation’s most dynamic regions, is seeking a strategic and proactive leader to serve as its next Vice President of Public Safety. The Vice President provides executive leadership for the airport’s comprehensive public safety program, overseeing law enforcement, aircraft rescue and firefighting, airport security & traffic control, emergency operations, and communications within a complex 24/7/365 aviation environment.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President ensures operational readiness, regulatory compliance, and coordinated safety and security responses, promoting professionalism, accountability, and ongoing improvement. This position offers the opportunity to shape strategy, strengthen partnerships, and guide multidisciplinary teams in maintaining a safe, secure, and resilient airport system.

About the Department and Position:
Raleigh-Durham International Airport’s Public Safety Department delivers integrated safety, security, and emergency response services essential to the airport’s continuous operations. The department includes airport law enforcement, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF), airport security officers, emergency management, and the Airport Communications Center. The Public Safety Department works in close coordination with federal partners, including the FAA, TSA, USSS, FBI, CBP, as well as state and local agencies, to support regulatory compliance, operational readiness, and coordinated response capabilities within a complex and growing aviation environment.

The Vice President provides executive leadership for the airport’s public safety operations, advancing the organization’s mission, vision, and core values while ensuring safe, secure, and resilient airport operations. The Vice President shapes strategic direction and guides the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of operational plans, policies, and programs that enhance effectiveness across public safety functions. Specific responsibilities include setting operational priorities, allocating resources, overseeing budgeting processes, preparing reports and recommendations for executive leadership, and ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and sound business practices.

The Vice President regularly coordinates with airline leadership, tenants, federal partners, local agencies, and other stakeholders to support safe and efficient airport operations.

Overseeing a workforce of more than 150 employees, the Vice President directly supervises three senior leaders—the Police Chief, Fire Chief, and Director of Emergency Operations/Communications Center—and provides strategic oversight across these operational areas. Because public safety is critical to airport operations, this position is designated as Essential, and the Vice President is required to be onsite during airport incidents, such as emergencies or severe weather events.

In addition, the Vice President establishes policies and standards, oversees performance, and provides leadership during significant incidents or emergencies when executive direction is required.

• Develop a comprehensive Public Safety Strategic Plan by assessing current risks, clarifying shared priorities, and aligning it with the Authority’s vision to guide future public safety initiatives.
• Strengthen collaboration by breaking down operational silos and expanding joint training, coordinated planning, and cross-functional engagement among Police, Fire, and EM teams and organizational partners.
• Evaluate and align resource allocation, operational processes, and service delivery models to support airport growth while maintaining readiness, standardization, and effectiveness.
• Advance emergency management integration and enhance Airport Communications Center capabilities to improve preparedness, resilience, and coordinated response.
• Establish leadership presence through relationship-building, organizational assessment, and implementation of a structured 30-, 60-, and 90‑day transition approach that positions the…