{"id":2531178,"url":"https://alion.io/job/nationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program","title":"Program Director - Airports, Cooperative Research Program","company":{"id":45339,"name":"Nationalacademies","domain":"nationalacademies.org","url":"https://alion.io/company/nationalacademies","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":11,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":138000,"max_usd":258000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":2576},"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Asana","optional":true},{"name":"Microsoft Teams","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-06-10T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-06-10","last_verified_at":"2026-10-21T08:54:00Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":133,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":133},"description":"Job Description Summary:\n** NOTE A COVER LETTER IS REQUIRED FOR CONSIDERATION **The Program Director - Airports, Cooperative Research Program (CRP) provides senior-level leadership and management for a team of professional staff responsible for delivering a complex and diverse portfolio of cooperative transportation research projects. The position combines advanced people leadership, portfolio-level accountability, and hands-on management of high-visibility research projects.\nReporting to the Deputy Director, the Program Director - Airports, Cooperative Research Program exercises substantial independent judgment in managing staff, overseeing project portfolios, resolving complex issues, and engaging with volunteers and sponsors. The role is accountable for ensuring research quality, operational effectiveness, and timely delivery across multiple topic areas, while aligning team activities with division priorities.\nThe Transportation Research Board (TRB), a division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, provides leadership in transportation innovation through objective, evidence-based research and convenes experts from government, industry, and academia to address complex transportation challenges. Within TRB, the Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) is a group of applied research programs-such as the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), and Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP), among others-that develop practical, implementable solutions to current and emerging transportation issues through stakeholder-driven research and collaboration.\nJob Description:\nResponsibilities \nResearch Portfolio Leadership & Accountability\nProvide leadership and oversight for a diverse portfolio of applied transportation research projects spanning multiple subject areas.\n\nManage selected complex or high-profile research projects personally, including contractor oversight and delivery of final products.\n\nEnsure research activities meet TRB and National Academies standards for rigor, relevance, objectivity, and usefulness.\n\nIdentify cross-project risks, dependencies, and opportunities; implement corrective actions as needed.\n\nAdvise the Deputy Director on portfolio performance, emerging issues, and resource needs.\n\nTeam Leadership & People Management\nProvide direct supervision to approximately 5-6 professional staff, including senior-level project managers.\n\nAssign work, set priorities, and balance workloads across the team’s portfolio.\n\nEstablish clear performance expectations and hold staff accountable for results.\n\nConduct performance evaluations and support professional development and succession readiness.\n\nFoster a collaborative, high-performing team culture.\n\nProgram Execution & Strategic Alignment\nTranslate division and program priorities into integrated work plans for the team.\n\nExercise independent judgment in resolving operational, project, and personnel issues.\n\nEscalate only strategic, fiscal, or reputational risks to the Deputy Director.\n\nContribute to program planning, process improvement, and operational decision-making.\n\nGovernance & Volunteer Leadership\nProvide senior-level support to volunteer committees and research panels, including facilitation of discussions and resolution of issues.\n\nNavigate consensus-driven environments involving diverse technical and institutional perspectives.\n\nEnsure compliance with TRB and National Academies governance, ethics, and conflict-of-interest requirements.\n\nSponsor & Stakeholder Engagement\nServe as a primary point of contact for sponsors and stakeholders on assigned portfolios.\n\nLead project-level and portfolio-level briefings, reviews, and follow-up discussions.\n\nAddress sponsor concerns and contractor issues independently within delegated authority.\n\nCoordinate with the Deputy Director on sensitive or high-impact matters.\n\nCommunication & Collaboration\nPrepare executive-ready written materials, including project summaries, briefing notes, and decision memos.\n\nCommunicate clearly and authoritatively with staff, volunteers, contractors, sponsors, and leadership.\n\nCollaborate across CRP teams and TRB units to support integrated program outcomes.\n\nOperational & Administrative Effectiveness\nOversee project tracking, reporting, and documentation for the team’s portfolio.\n\nEnsure effective use of project management systems and collaboration tools.\n\nIdentify and implement improvements to workflows, project management practices, and team processes.\n\nRequirements\nRequired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities\nKnowledge of cooperative or committee-driven research programs and familiarity with transportation research sponsors and policy environments.\n\nUnderstanding of the National Academies’ mission, structure, and culture.\n\nStrong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage complex portfolios and competing priorities.\n\nStrong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.\n\nAbility to negotiate funding and manage high-risk or complex research initiatives.\n\nAbility to train, develop, and support staff.\n\nAbility to operate with substantial independence, sound judgment, and discretion in a complex organizational environment.\n\nAbility to solve complex problems involving significant variety and to serve as a resource to others in resolving issues.\n\nAbility to work effectively in team-based settings and build and sustain collaborative relationships across departments and stakeholder groups.\n\nAbility to perform effectively in complex, high-impact environments with multiple priorities and demands.\n\nMinimum Education/Training Requirements:\nPh.D. in a discipline relevant to transportation, public policy, research management, or a closely related field; or a master’s, or bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline with significant professional experience demonstrating advanced subject matter expertise, leadership in complex projects or programs, and independent research, analysis, or policy development responsibilities.\nMinimum Experience:\nTen years of related professional experience, five of which were in a supervisory capacity. Demonstrated impact on the advancement of science or policy through the successful completion of National Academies’ activities or equivalent outside activities and through effective dissemination of these activities.\n\nSignificant experience managing applied research projects or programs.\n\nDemonstrated experience supervising and developing professional staff in a complex organization.\n\nRequired Licenses, Certification or Registration: None\nAny qualification to be considered equivalent, in lieu of stated minimum, requires the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.\nPreferred Qualifications:\nPossession of an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.), Certified Manager (C.M.), or International Airport Professional (IAP) designation\nOther Details\nSupervisory Responsibilities/Controls\nReports to the Division Director. Independently establishes goals and objectives. Supervises staff.\nMental and Physical Capabilities\nAbility to be visible on camera for meetings when remote.\nAbility to use a computer and applicable hardware/software to perform responsibilities.\nAbility to use multiple technology collaboration platforms, including collaboration tools. Examples: Microsoft Teams, Asana.\nAbility to Focus/concentrate on tasks and multi-task, when needed\nBegin work at the required time, per approved schedule.\nAbility to lift/carry laptop and other mobile devices between work and home.\nAbility to commute to work.\nAbility to travel between National Academies’ facilities and offsite sponsor/partner locations.\nAbility to work in different time zones, when travel is outside of current location, e.g., when traveling internationally.\nAbility to perform work responsibilities onsite, where required.\nAbility to interact in-person with multiple people and large groups.\nAbility to work in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.\nAbility to use a computer and applicable hardware/software to perform responsibilities.\nWork Environment\nHybrid office/telecommute environment; expected onsite percentage 60%. Occasional travel between National Academies’ facilities and to off-site meeting/sponsor locations.\nCompensation & Benefits: An estimated compensation range for this position is $126,880 - $198,250. Compensation offered to the selected candidate will be based on the candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, and work experience, commensurate with compensation of current employees in comparable positions with similar knowledge, skills, and work experience, and subject to budget parameters. Note it is not typical for a candidate to be hired at the higher end of the range. This is a benefits-eligible position. Our Benefits Plan offers competitive and comprehensive benefit options, including medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement and savings benefits, leave benefits such as paid holidays and paid personal leave, transportation subsidies, and education assistance. For more information, please click here.\nEqual Opportunity Employer\nIt is the policy of the National Academies to recruit, hire, transfer, compensate, and promote people in all job categories and to administer all other personnel actions, terms and conditions of employment in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. It is also the institution's policy to recruit, hire, promote, and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and covered veterans who are otherwise qualified.\nDisclaimer\nThe above information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Some functions in this description may be specific to a particular unit of the National Academies and not applicable to other units.\nJob Family:\nPROGEmployee Type:\nEmployeeScheduled Weekly Hours:\n37.5City/State:\nWashington, District of Columbia","description_format":"text","description_chars":10415,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Education assistance","Life insurance","Professional development","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Artificial Intelligence","Education","Transportation & Logistics","Higher Education"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-14T12:48:51Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":6,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.225,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":133,"expected_fill_days":28,"reasons":["conf:6","stale_co","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/nationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/nationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-21T13:53:31Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":19729,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":45339},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=45339"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fnationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fnationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fnationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/nationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fnationalacademies-program-director-airports-cooperative-research-program"}]}