Director of Safety in Wichita, Kansas at Yingling Aviation Inc

The Director of Safety leads Yingling's Safety Management System (SMS) and serves as the company's principal safety authority across maintenance, avionics, and line/FBO operations. The direct reporting line to the CEO preserves the organizational independence the safety function requires, while the dotted line to the COO supports day-to-day operational coordination. This is an individual-contributor role: the Director builds and runs the safety program directly and is expected to develop it into a broader function over time.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• SMS ownership. Develop, implement, and continuously improve the company's Safety Management System across the four SMS components — safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.
• Risk management. Operate the hazard-identification and risk-management process: intake, assess, prioritize, and track mitigations to closure.
• Safety assurance. Administer a non-punitive safety reporting system and analyze safety data and trends to monitor performance against defined objectives.
• Investigations. Lead investigations of incidents, injuries, and near-misses; perform root-cause analysis and drive corrective and preventive actions to completion.
• Emergency response. Own the Emergency Response Plan and coordinate periodic drills and reviews.
• Safety promotion. Champion safety culture through communications, recognition, and, in partnership with the Director of Training, safety and SMS training.
• EHS & regulatory. Oversee occupational safety and environmental compliance (e.g., OSHA recordkeeping and 300 logs, hazardous-materials and fuel-handling safety, ground-handling and ramp safety); manage the organization's workers' compensation program by coordinating injury prevention training, assisting with return-to-work initiatives, identifying training needs resulting from workplace incidents, and ensuring required training documentation supports regulatory compliance and claims management.
• Regulatory interface. Serve as the company's primary safety interface with the FAA and other regulators, and support customer and third-party safety audits.
• Governance & reporting. Facilitate the safety committee and provide regular safety-performance reporting to executive leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Experience leading or administering an aviation safety program in a Part 145 repair station, FBO/ground-handling, or comparable regulated environment.
• Working knowledge of SMS principles (14 CFR Part 5 framework) and applicable OSHA (29 CFR 1910) and hazardous-materials requirements.
• Demonstrated proficiency in incident investigation, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action management.
• Ability to influence and hold peers accountable across departments without direct authority, and to communicate candidly with executive leadership.

Preferred

• Formal SMS or aviation-safety training/certification (e.g., a recognized SMS or aviation safety program).
• Experience with safety-data analysis and safety-reporting/tracking systems.
• Familiarity with NATA/ground-safety standards and aircraft fueling operations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work is performed across office, hangar, and ramp environments, with regular presence in active maintenance and line-service areas. The role involves exposure to aircraft, ground support equipment, fuel operations, noise, and typical shop and ramp conditions, and may require standing, walking, and occasional lifting during audits, drills, and investigations.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance and retirement plans.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• A dynamic, supportive team culture that values innovation and collaboration.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

Except where prohibited by state law, all offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test.

This employer uses E-Verify.