When most people think about jobs at Goldman Sachs, they probably think about the investment banker pulling an all-nighter on a merger or the wealth manager closing a new account.
Now, the firm is going wheels up on an altogether different kind of role: Someone to help manage its fleet of private jets.
According to a job posting on Goldman’s website, the investment bank is looking to hire an associate to help whisk top executives, like CEO David Solomon, to business meetings and other events using the company’s private aviation. The posting comes as the Wall Street bank moves up its annual headcount-cutting ritual and contemplates potential reductions to its vice president population, among other cost-saving measures codenamed Project Voyage.
According to the listing, the new hire would be based in New York City and receive a base salary of between $100,000 and $160,000. Previously, the post called for a vice president whose salary would have been between $125,000 and $250,000. After BI contacted Goldman about the post, the bank modified the role to the lower-paid associate rank.
“We thank the team at Business Insider for using your 20th article on Goldman Sachs’ corporate aircraft to help us track top talent for this role,” a Goldman Sachs spokesperson said in a statement to BI.
In 2019, the year after Solomon took over as the bank’s CEO, Goldman purchased two private aircraft: a Gulfstream G280 and a G650ER. At the time, the bank determined that owning its jets outright would be more cost-effective than booking private flights through NetJets, a fractional ownership service, as BI has previously reported.
In 2023, the firm scrapped plans to purchase a third plane amid a cost-cutting push and scrutiny over Solomon’s use of the jets. Solomon had used the planes for some personal flights, including visiting his home in the Bahamas, BI’s Dakin Campbell reported at the time.
Earlier this month, Goldman’s board said in a proxy filing that it expects its CEO — and its President and COO John Waldron — to use its jets for personal travel and business.
“The primary use of our corporate aircraft is to facilitate business,” the firm said, adding: “Our CEO and COO are expected to use our corporate aircraft, including for personal travel, for security reasons, as well as to maximize the efficiency of their travel time and their availability for firm business.”
The new associate will be part of the corporate aviation integrated services team within the executive office, a division that encompasses units like marketing, corporate communications, and some philanthropic and public-facing programs. It’s helmed by Russell Horwitz, the bank’s chief of staff.
So… does the gig sound like one for you? Before you buckle up your seatbelt and tap the intercom for a glass of Champagne, it’s important to know that this role appears to be based on the ground — not in a plush leather recliner in the air, enjoying a view over the wings.
According to the job post, this associate will be focused on tasks such as assuming “operations & financial oversight of the firm’s executive aviation program, including business owned aircraft & fractional aircraft interest.” The person will assemble reports, perform some bookkeeping activities, and develop policies and procedures relating to the aviation program. They’ll also “assist with all aviation operational matters,” like ensuring planes are available when execs need to hop a ride.
The ideal candidate should have at least five years of experience working in a “business aviation team environment,” the post added.
Here are a few other attributes the bank is looking for:
- Be an “enthusiastic, hardworking” member of the team who is “able to work well under pressure”
- Top-tier communications skills
- Know how to work your magic in Microsoft Excel and creating original presentations
So if you don’t mind the logistical work and have a sense for what it takes to keep the trains (or planes) running on time — then, who knows? The sky might just be the limit.
Reed Alexander is a correspondent at Business Insider. He can be reached via email at ralexander@businessinsider.com, or SMS/the encrypted app Signal at (561) 247-5758.
