Country Manager Philippines

International Air Transport Association (IATA); Makati; On-site; PHP 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

International Air Transport Association (IATA) seeks a seasoned leader to represent the organisation in the Philippines. You will lead the country team, manage relationships with airlines and government stakeholders, and drive IATA’s agenda across aviation policy, safety, finance and sustainability.

You will liaise with the Asia-Pacific Regional Leadership Team, delivering global priorities at a local level and mentoring a cross-functional team of professionals.

Qualifications

• University degree required; advanced degree asset.
• Minimum of twenty years of professional experience with at least five years in a similar management role.
• Proven experience in leading teams with an exceptional talent for building relationships and managing projects.
• Well-developed negotiation and lobbying skills, and high cultural intelligence.
• Entrepreneurial flair with commercial acumen; experience in sales and marketing is an asset.
• Sound knowledge of information technology systems and their applications in aviation and finance sectors.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Fluency in English and Filipino is essential; other languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead, guide and mentor the Philippines country team to deliver IATA’s agenda.
• Build relationships with airlines’ senior management and provide value to members and the aviation sector.
• Raise awareness of the air transport industry among leaders and key decision-makers; work with government officials and legislators.
• Monitor and report on aviation-related activities and provide recommendations to leadership.
• Collaborate with regional and divisional teams to deliver global priorities for airports, passengers and cargo operations.
• Liaise with regulators and service providers to ensure communications align with policies.
• Identify and deliver business development opportunities promoting IATA’s products and services locally.
• Support recruitment, hiring and training; ensure policy adherence.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Communication

Cultural intelligence

Commercial acumen

Team building

Education

University degree in Business Administration or Political Science (advanced degree asset)

Job description

Why you will love working here

At IATA, we represent over 350 airlines worldwide, striving to make aviation safer, smarter, more sustainable, and inclusive.

• Our Values are not just words on a page - they are the energy behind everything we do: ONE IATA - We collaborate across teams, TRUSTED - We do the right thing, INNOVATIVE - We make tomorrow better, INCLUSIVE - We embrace diverse perspectives.
• With over 30,000 courses available, we believe in continuous learning and support your growth in an ever-changing industry.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion are our priorities. We are certified by the Equal Salary Foundation, offering equal pay and family-friendly policies.
• We encourage community involvement through volunteering and strive to make tomorrow better for aviation and our communities. We offer time off so you can support causes important to you.
• We promote work-life balance with flexible work options, including remote and hybrid work, a generous 'work from abroad' policy, and you get your birthday off!

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are our priorities. We are certified by the Equal Salary Foundation, offering equal pay and family-friendly policies.

Employment Type: Permanent

Contract Duration

Why you will love working here

At IATA, we represent over 350 airlines worldwide, striving to make aviation safer, smarter, more sustainable, and inclusive.

• Our Values are not just words on a page - they are the energy behind everything we do: ONE IATA - We collaborate across teams, TRUSTED - We do the right thing, INNOVATIVE - We make tomorrow better, INCLUSIVE - We embrace diverse perspectives.
• With over 30,000 courses available, we believe in continuous learning and support your growth in an ever-changing industry.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion are our priorities. We are certified by the Equal Salary Foundation, offering equal pay and family-friendly policies.
• We encourage community involvement through volunteering and strive to make tomorrow better for aviation and our communities. We offer time off so you can support causes important to you.
• We promote work-life balance with flexible work options, including remote and hybrid work, a generous 'work from abroad' policy, and you get your birthday off!

About The Team You Are Joining

Reporting to the Regional Vice-President, Asia-Pacific, and in liaison with the Asia-Pacific Regional Leadership Team (RLT) and other divisional representatives, the incumbent will act as IATA’s representative in the Philippines and will be responsible for delivering IATA’s mission to represent, lead and serve the airline industry through the achievement of key objectives and the management of activities based out of the Manila field office.

What Your Day Would Be Like

• Lead, guide and mentor the Philippines country team to deliver IATA’s agenda in respect of the country’s key objectives.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with both IATA member and non-member airlines’ senior management, ensuring that IATA’s activities, objectives and policies are clearly communicated and that they provide value to members and to the aviation sector.
• Raise awareness and understanding of the importance of the air transport industry amongst industry leaders and key decision-makers, by maintaining productive relationships with government ministers, senior officials and key legislators. Work closely at all levels in the areas of Transport, Aviation Safety, Finance, Trade, Tourism, Sustainability and Environment.
• Monitor and report on all aviation-related activities, including but not limited to aero-political, economic, environment, finance and infrastructure matters, providing recommendations and opportunities to the RLT and other divisional representatives which are consistent with IATA’s policies and objectives.
• Work closely with the RLT and other divisional representatives, to deliver IATA’s global priorities and activities aimed at enabling the airline industry to operate in a more efficient, safe and secure manner in Airport, Passenger and Cargo operations, providing recommendations and opportunities to the RLT and other divisional representatives that are consistent with IATA’s policies and objectives.
• Liaise and report to the RLT and other divisional representatives, where appropriate, on air navigation, civil aviation safety and other operational/regulatory requirements which impact air navigation service provision and the safe and sustainable operations of IATA’s member airlines.
• Maintain a close working relationship with all air navigation service providers and State aviation safety regulators, whilst informing the RLT and other divisional representatives, and ensuring that all communication is consistent with IATA’s policies and objectives.
• Identify, support and deliver, in conjunction with the relevant members of the RLT, business development opportunities which promote IATA’s commercial products and services, including the areas of Business Intelligence, Finance, Distribution, Consulting, Operations and Training at a local level, to achieve designated targets.
• Work closely with the Asia-Pacific Regional Office, to build and maintain strong, customer-focused stakeholder management with airlines, travel agents and forwarders, by recommending and delivering policies and solutions for IATA Distribution, Payment and Financial Settlement Services.
• Ensure corporate fiscal, legal and regulatory compliance, and perform the necessary fiscal and administrative duties based on the Power of Attorney received from the Corporate Secretary.
• Assist People Performance and Development (PPD) in recruiting, hiring and training, to ensure that employees adhere to company policies and procedures, whilst embracing IATA’s core values.
• Advise Corporate Communications on aviation-related media updates and provide recommendations on press release communications at the country level which support IATA’s objectives, programmes and policy positions.
• Support the organisation of IATA’s events in the Philippines and serve as a facilitator and host for the visits of IATA’s Senior Managers and/or Subject Matter Experts.
• Any ad-hoc tasks or projects, as requested by the Regional Vice-President and/or RLT members or other divisional representatives.

We would love to hear from you if

• You have a university degree in Business Administration, Political Science or any other relevant discipline. An advanced University degree would be an asset;
• Minimum of twenty years of professional experience with at least five years of experience in a similar management role;
• Proven experience in leading teams with an exceptional talent for building relationships and managing projects;
• Well-developed negotiation and lobbying skills, and in possession of a high level of cultural intelligence;
• Entrepreneurial flair, with a strong sense of commercial acumen. Prior experience in sales and marketing would be an asset;
• Sound knowledge of information technology systems and their applications in the aviation and finance sectors;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Fluency in both spoken and written English and Filipino is essential, whilst knowledge of other languages would constitute an advantage.

Travel Required: Y