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Community Planner (SMS Coordinator)

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Office Of Airports - Central Region, ACE-630

Summary

This position serves as a community "capacity" planner within the Office of Airports (ARP), Central Regional Airports Division (ACE) and is responsible for providing advice and guidance on various airport and aviation planning activities. This position also serves as the regional coordinator for the Safety and Management System (SMS) program.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/16/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 16, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$113,603 - $176,120 per year

Salary includes 18.97% locality pay for Kansas City, Missouri.

Pay scale & grade
FV J
Promotion potential
NA
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time-to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes - This position is represented by NATCA: Regional ARP Except AEA.
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Announcement number
ACE-ARP-26-KRS-99345
Control number
874384000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to ARP employees in Central Region ONLY.

Duties

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Serves as a subject matter expert and regional resource on airport and aviation planning issues. Provides leadership for highly complex and challenging activities under the minimal direction of a manager or executive. Serves as the regional point of contact for all forecasting and capacity reviews. Utilizes experience and expert knowledge to provide technical advice, guidance and coordination of local, metro and state system airport demand forecasts. Reviews and provides analysis on national forecasts with internal/external stakeholders, including peers, supervisors, senior officials, etc.

Develops the Regional Office (RO) Airports Capital improvement Program (ACIP) and may administer the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) program. Collaborates with regional environmental specialists in the collection of data and develops documents required to meet the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental programs. Provides technical guidance and review of airport sustainability programs. Develops input to the National Plan of Integrated Airports System (NPIAS) and conducts reviews to ensure that FAA requirements are being met during the initial submittal of NPIAS entry/removal requests.

Serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and regional coordinator for the Safety Management Systems (SMS) program. Facilitates Airports Safety Risk Management and works closely with the national Airports (ARP) SMS program manager to review regional safety risk management documents. Ensures data developed through SMS is entered, tracked and analyzed timely and accurately; and provides recommendation for improvements to SMS policies, procedures and/or guidance. Represents the region on SMS workgroups or teams; and in the national coordination of SMS processes. Provides guidance and training to other regional SMEs on policies, and procedures related to SMS.

Reviews and prepares correspondence for review by management. Correspondence may include Congressional responses, briefing papers, approval letters and guidance to sponsors associated with all aspects of airport development. Serves as the liaison for communications with Headquarters. Maintains project status using the Office of Airports database system (SOAR).

Provides advisory and advanced technical guidance to the RO and to the public on all aspects of project implementation including airport planning and programming, airspace, airport design standards, and contract administration. Participates in community activities, such as Advisory Committees, public workshops, and public meetings or hearings. Coordinates public outreach meetings.

Serves as a regional resource for the final review of planning projects and prepares recommendation to management for grant financial completion, including eligible final payment or recovery as appropriate. Provides technical guidance and reviews planning consultant contracts, including determination of reasonableness of cost, to ensure that selection is in accordance with professional services procurement requirements. Reviews project justifications and eligibility analyses to ensure projects are ready for grant funding.

Provides technical review and coordination of off airport submittal for airspace review. Utilizes knowledge of various airport surfaces and approach procedures to provide advice and guidance. Assists environmental protection specialists and airport certification inspectors with the review and approval of wildlife hazard assessments and wildlife hazard plans.

Serves as a regional coordinator for the National Airspace System (NAS). Oversees coordination of Airport Improvement Plan (AIP) projects and related topics within the region and other FAA organizations to ensure the projects are integrated in the NAS in a timely manner.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents).
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.

Qualifications

In addition to the basic education requirement, specialized experience is required.

FV-J level, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-I, FG/GS-13 level.

Specialized experience for the FV-J level includes:

  • Experience developing/approving airport layout plans and providing advisory and technical guidance to the public on airport planning, airspace, programming, airport design standards, contract administration, and/or all aspects of airport project implementation.
  • Experience utilizing Safety Management Systems (SMS) to collect, organize, analyze and report data.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.
This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS.

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Degree: community planning; or related field such as urban affairs, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, sociology, geography, economics, political science, or public administration that included at least 12 semester hours in the planning process, socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, urban and regional economic analysis, and development finance.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in one of the above disciplines, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the above disciplines of which at least 12 semester hours were in the planning process, and socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Federal Aviation Administration

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Agency contact information

Kelsey Schmidt
Phone
1 (816) 329-2671
Fax
1 (816) 329-2656
Email
kelsey.r.schmidt@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
ACE Regional HR Services Division
901 Locust Street, Room 402
AHF-C100
Kansas City, MO 64106
US

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