Job Information
American Airlines Director, Dispatch Operations in Fort Worth, Texas
Intro
Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board!
Why you'll love this job
- The Director, Dispatch Operations provides leadership and oversight for Dispatch to ensure safe, efficient, and coordinated operations across the American Airlines network. The role leads over 500 front line union represented team members, FAA regulatory relationships, and ensures teams are fully prepared to support the scale and complexity of American. This position balances regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and continuous improvement to deliver reliable, safe, and customer-focused outcomes.
What you'll do
This list is intended to reflect the current job but there may be additional essential functions (and certainly non-essential job functions) that are not referenced. Management will modify the job or require other tasks be performed whenever it is deemed appropriate to do so, observing, of course, any legal obligations including any collective bargaining obligations.
Provides strategic direction and oversight for all aspects of the daily Dispatch operation, ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable execution.
Drives operational performance by partnering across the IOC to meet customer reliability, regulatory, and operational excellence goals
Leads and develops a large and highly complex frontline organization through leaders and licensed dispatchers
Establishes, communicates, and manages the goals, objectives and key performance indicators for all dispatch activities, including the ongoing development of scorecards and accountability frameworks.
Ensures that all operations are conducted in accordance with FAA Regulations, American Airlines operations specifications and company policies
Supports the Safety Management System (SMS) processes in accordance with the American Airlines Corporate Safety Management System (CSMS), FAA SMS Regulations (14 CFR Part 5), and all IOSA Requirements
Collaborates with the training team to drive strategy and execution of training for Dispatch to ensure constant readiness of team members to perform successfully.
Collaborates across Customer Experience, Flight, Flight Service, Tech Ops, IT and Safety to continuously improve reliability
Works across product teams on the development and deployment of tools including, but not limited to: FlightKeys and Fusion
Collaborates and partners closely with leaders in Crew Scheduling, Maintenance Routing/Tech Ops, IOC Operations/Bridge leadership, Load Planning, Airport Ops/HCCs and PAFCA to gain alignment and foster continuous feedback and improvement across teams.
Drives sustainable change – from team member readiness, adoption, ongoing accountability and team member involvement strategies that lead to successful, measurable outcomes.
Establishes and maintains open communication and a collaborative relationship with all levels, all workgroups and with union leadership.
Builds leadership depth and succession plans for critical safety-sensitive roles.
Fosters a culture of professionalism, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
All you'll need for success
Minimum Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Aviation, or Technical Field related to Aviation or equivalent experience/training
7 years of progressive leadership experience managing cross-departmental teams
7 years of experience in airline operations, dispatch, load planning, or integrated operations
FAA Dispatcher Certificate
Demonstrated experience working with FAA regulations and compliance requirements
Knowledge of airline operational control, safety programs, and IOC functions
Preferred Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience
Advanced degree in Aviation Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
Experience in a Part 121 airline dispatch or operations control environment.
Proven track record of driving operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.
Skills, Licenses, and Certifications
Demonstrates the highest standards of ethics and integrity.
Strong knowledge of FARs, operational control, and safety regulations.
Demonstrated proficiency with airline operations systems and data-driven performance management tools.
Excellent leadership, coaching, and change management skills.
Ability to influence others through outstanding interpersonal skills, collaboration, and negotiation skills.
Ability to be an action-oriented, process and results-driven leader, with a natural aptitude for engaging team members across multiple workgroups, as well as advocating and managing change.
Ability to motivate front-line leaders and front-line team members to align around operational goals and deliver results through teamwork and individual accountability.
Ability to think strategically, negotiate skillfully, digest complex details, and use sound judgment and initiative in making decisions.
Ability to creatively seek opportunities that will improve the way that things are done, embrace and initiate change, and positively challenge established work practices for the benefit of the organization and customers.
Strong problem-solving, decision-making, time-management, and organizational skills, with the ability to optimize the use of all available resources and deliver on multiple priorities.
Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in adjusting to shifting priorities in a dynamic operational environment, while effectively modeling leadership attributes.
Ability to build and facilitate relationships at all levels of the organization, both internally and externally.
Ability to promote a positive approach to problem resolution.
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with ability to handle complex topics comfortably and to interact effectively with all levels, including regulators, frontline team members, and leaders, both verbally and written.
Ability to work a varied schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays, as needed.
What you'll get
Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer:
Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network.
Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more.
Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need.
401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year.
Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more
Feel free to be yourself at American
From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world.
Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY
American Airlines maintains a continuing policy of nondiscrimination in employment. It is our policy to provide equal opportunity and access for all persons, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or other protected veteran, in all phases of the employment process and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. This policy of nondiscrimination shall include, but not be limited to, the following employment decisions and practices: hiring; upgrading; promotions; demotions or transfers; layoffs; recalls; terminations; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; selection for training, including apprenticeship; and recruitment or recruitment advertising.