Director of Assurance

SkyGrid, a Boeing Company, exists to open the sky for autonomous flight. Based in Austin, Texas, SkyGrid builds ground-based high-assurance third-party services to enable the safe operations and airspace integration of highly automated and autonomous aircraft. SkyGrid also acts as a key operational nexus for advanced air mobility, integrating and managing data, infrastructure, access, and traffic to support seamless and efficient air traffic services. 
SkyGrid is looking for a Director of Assurance to lead our assurance, quality, safety, reliability, maintainability, cybersecurity, and certification efforts. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role ensures our operations and products meet all regulatory and certification standards. 
You will define regulatory strategies, manage relationships with certification authorities and standards bodies, and serve as the company’s primary representative on assurance and compliance. The ideal candidate brings deep aerospace or aviation experience across assurance, certification and safety, with strong knowledge of systems like QMS, SMS, and SecMS, and standards such as AS9100 and NIST 800-53. 
As the owner of all assurance and certification processes, you will partner with Engineering, Operations, and Program teams to define, implement, and enforce standards across SkyGrid and its supply base. This is a senior, high-impact role with significant influence in the rapidly evolving advanced air mobility (AAM) sector. 

Performance Objectives

• Develop and institutionalize QMS, SMS, SecMS within the first year. 
• Fully integrate certification, quality and cyber roadmaps to enable timely product approval 
• Conduct monthly reviews and reports as applicable. 
• Ensure Cyber, Safety, Supplier, and Quality corporate and product assurance is identified and reached. 
• Ensure compliance at the product/program levels. 
• Manage teams and ensure staffing needs are identified. 
• Manage/ report assurance and certification risks and ensure they are escalated for resolution promptly. 
• Streamline and align shared requirements and processes across the organization. 
• Lead SkyGrid to achieve AS9100 certification. 
• Shape the Quality department for future growth. 

Responsibilities

• Develop and coordinate corporate level QMS, SMS, and SecMS.  
• Develop company policies, operating procedures, and work instructions.  
• Ensure audit process exists for compliance at the company and product/program level. 
• Able to understand regulatory standards and decipher the level of compliance required. 
• Identify company and program risks and communicate to relevant parties for timely resolution. 
• Act as a principal contact to regulatory authorities for assurance and certification. 
• Monitor new and novel standards that may be levied on the company or program. 
• Act as a mentor to team members and managers. 
• Hire and manage resources under assurance and certification organizations. 
• Represent the voice of regulators in the company. 
• Working with the PMO, define the processes for supplier compliance and oversight. 
• Represent SkyGrid at industry organizations and events. 
• Establish a robust failure reporting and corrective action system. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM, MBA, or higher. 
• 15+ years of experience working in a highly technical, aerospace-related industry, preferably with a Tier I aerospace OEM, with a minimum of 5 years at the Director level. 
• 10+ years of experience in assurance, quality, safety, reliability and maintainability, cyber securityor certification. 
• Strong leadership and communication skills; can effectively manage teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and participate in regulatory focused discussions.  
• Intimate knowledge of AS9100, Safety, Reliability and Maintainability ARP4761, Cyber Security NIST 800-53 or 800-171, or Certification 14 CFR Part 23, 25, 27 standards. 
• Familiarity with industry-specific quality standards such as AS9100 and ISO 9001. 
• Experience ensuring compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and industry-specific standards, including ITAR and EAR. 
• Ability to analyze complex quality data, identify trends, and implement corrective and preventive actions. 
• Experience with statistical analysis techniques, root cause analysis, and Six Sigma methodologies is advantageous. 
• Professional certifications such as CQE, CMQ/OE, or Six Sigma certifications enhance credibility. 
• A local candidate is preferred, but remote employment will be considered. 
• Must be a U.S. Person. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with emerging trends in quality management and best pr