Category Specialist, Special Services

Finnair Plc; Vantaa; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Finnair plc is seeking a Category Specialist, Special Services to join our Category Lead/Specialist team. You will take end‑to‑end responsibility for the Special Services category, ensuring a seamless customer experience across the journey.

The role requires governance, subject matter expertise, and close collaboration with Medadesk, Special Assistance teams, and contact center partners to support high‑volume cases and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• At least two years of hands-on experience in airline customer service.
• Ability to drive initiatives, solve problems, and continuously improve processes in a dynamic environment.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, collaboration, presentation, and training skills.
• Knowledge of aviation-related laws, regulations, and operational procedures.
• Excellent written and spoken Finnish and English.
• Analytical and quality-oriented mindset with experience in service quality monitoring and root cause analysis.
• Experience with Salesforce is highly valued.
• Knowledge of the ARDWeb reservation system and the ability to interpret flight bookings.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field is considered an advantage.
• Experience in operations, process development, policy implementation, and coordination routes is considered an advantage.
• Medical or wellness backgrounds are considered beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Own the Special Services category, including processes, policies, training, quality management, reporting, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous development.
• Act as the business owner and subject matter expert for Special Services‑related development initiatives and projects.
• Manage customer experience, disruption, feedback, and claims policies and processes related to Special Services, ensuring compliance with operational requirements and regulations.
• Provide expert support to Customer Care Support team, particularly Medadesk, and coordinate and develop the Special Assistance operations of FBS and contact center partner.
• Drive continuous improvement by monitoring category performance and customer experience metrics, identifying trends and root causes, and implementing corrective actions.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to prevent disruptions and claims while ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements, customer rights regulations, and industry standards.

Skills

Communication

Stakeholder management

Collaboration

Presentation

Training

Microsoft 365

Salesforce

ARDWeb reservation system

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree (advantage)

Tools

Salesforce

ARDWeb reservation system

Microsoft 365

Job description

Finnair is a diverse community of professionals who work ambitiously with a big heart and commitment. A strong safety culture is our priority and at the core of our everyday work, never taking it for granted. We are committed to doing our share in solving the climate challenge by determinedly following our science-based pathway to decarbonize our operations. We find meaning in our purpose: With our heart in Finland, we make every journey better today and tomorrow. Our values – Always safe, Customer at heart and Stronger together – guide us in everything we do.

You will be part of the Support, Claims and Feedback team, one of the four teams within Customer Care. Working closely with colleagues across the organization, you will also collaborate with the other Customer Care teams: Customer Service Operations & Development, Disruption Customer Care and Passenger Rights & Dispute Resolution. All in all, Customer Care brings together more than 300 colleagues supporting customers before, during and after their journey.

We are now looking for a CATEGORY SPECIALIST, SPECIAL SERVICES to join our Category Lead/Specialist team. In this business-critical expert role, you will take end‑to‑end responsibility for the Special Services category, ensuring a seamless customer experience throughout the customer journey.

As the key point of contact across stakeholders, you will provide subject matter expertise, ensure consistent governance, and drive the continuous development of Special Services processes, policies, and operations. You will work closely with the Special Assistance teams handling high‑volume cases and with Medadesk, which manages the most complex cases. Acting as the final escalation point for the most challenging situations, you will drive the development of Special Assistance operations and ensure effective, consistent ways of working across all teams. Your area of responsibility covers customers with disabilities, assistance services, medical clearances and medical devices, travelling with children and pets, deportee travel, codeshare and wet lease operations, and discrimination‑related cases. You will also take part in the Accessibility Working Group and Wet lease Working Group. Overall, you will act as Finnair's subject‑matter expert for Special Services, providing guidance across the organization on customer experience, operational processes, policies, and regulatory requirements.

Main responsibilities

• Own the Special Services category, including processes, policies, training, quality management, reporting, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous development.
• Act as the business owner and subject matter expert for Special Services‑related development initiatives and projects.
• Manage customer experience, disruption, feedback, and claims policies and processes related to Special Services, ensuring compliance with operational requirements and regulations.
• Provide expert support to Customer Care Support team, particularly Medadesk, and coordinate and develop the Special Assistance operations of FBS and contact center partner.
• Drive continuous improvement by monitoring category performance and customer experience metrics, identifying trends and root causes, and implementing corrective actions.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to prevent disruptions and claims while ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements, customer rights regulations, and industry standards.

Our expectations

• At least two years of hands‑on experience in airline customer service.
• Strong ability to drive initiatives, solve problems, and continuously improve processes in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, collaboration, presentation, and training skills.
• Knowledge of aviation‑related laws, regulations, and operational procedures.
• Excellent written and spoken Finnish and English.
• Analytical and quality‑oriented mindset, with experience in service quality monitoring, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Perseverance and resilience in handling challenging feedback and ad‑hoc cases.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft 365.
• Experience with Salesforce is highly valued.
• Knowledge of the ARDWeb reservation system and the ability to interpret flight bookings.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field is considered an advantage.
• Experience in operations, process development, policy implementation, and coordination routes is considered an advantage.
• Medical or wellness backgrounds are considered beneficial.

The collective agreement for this position is FINTO 08.We offer a hybrid working model that combines office and remote work. The role is performed during regular office hours, with approximately three office days per week.

Our people are key to our success and the foundation that makes Finnair unique. We are committed to creating a safe work environment where all our people can thrive and succeed.

We cherish diversity and strive to employ people with different backgrounds and experiences, to bring together multiple views to foster our business success.

According to our employee survey, respecting diversity is at a high level in our work community. You are welcome to join Finnair as your authentic self.

Finnair is a network airline, specialising in connecting passenger and cargo traffic between Asia, North America and Europe. Finnair is one of the oldest operating airlines in the world, celebrating its centenary in 2023.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do – Finnair intends to reach carbon neutrality latest by the end of 2045.

Customers have chosen Finnair as the Best Airline in Northern Europe in the Skytrax Awards for 12 times in a row.

Finnair is a member of the oneworld alliance. Finnair Plc’s shares are quoted on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.