General Manager

dnata; Inwood (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) and healthcare benefits

Complimentary meals

Job summary

dnata Catering USA is seeking an experienced General Manager to lead a high-volume aviation catering facility. The role requires strategic thought, operational excellence, and strong leadership across production, quality, safety, and customer service to deliver exceptional airline experiences.

You will drive financial performance, manage a large hourly workforce, and ensure compliance with HACCP, FDA, TSA, and USDA standards while collaborating with airline partners, airport authorities, and

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive Operations Management leadership experience, preferably in large-scale food production or inflight catering.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams with P&L responsibility and customer satisfaction focus.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, FDA, OSHA, TSA, USDA compliance and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall operation of the aviation catering facility, including Production, Operations, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Warehousing, Transportation, Purchasing and Customer Service.
• Ensure compliance, safety, quality standards, and exceptional customer service; drive continuous improvement.
• Own P&L, budgeting, cost-saving initiatives, and annual planning; monitor KPIs and optimize labor and productivity.
• Build and guide a high-performing leadership team; align staff with safety, engagement, and dnata values.
• Represent the facility in audits, customer meetings, and external communications with airline partners and regulators.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Operational leadership

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Education

Associate degree in related field

Job description

dnata is one of the world’s largest air services providers. Established in 1959, the company ensures the aviation industry operates smoothly and efficiently in 127 airports. Offering ground handling, cargo, travel, and flight catering services in 35 countries across six continents, dnata is a trusted partner for over 300 airline customers around the world. Each day, the company handles over 1,900 flights, moves over 8,500 tons of cargo, books over 16,000 hotel stays, and uplifts over 320,000 meals.

What We Offer

Comprehensive Benefits Package: Full-time employees are eligible for 401(k) and healthcare benefits including Medical, Dental & Vision

Complimentary Daily Meals: Enjoy FREE breakfast, lunch, and dinner during your shift

Our Mission

• To be the word's most admired air and travel provider

Our Core Values:

• We Are Safe
• We Are Future Thinkers
• We Play To Win
• We Respect Everyone and Work As A Team

We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and operationally driven General Manager to lead, motivate, and inspire the overall performance of a high-volume aviation catering facility within dnata Catering North America. This executive leadership role is responsible for overseeing all aspects of facility operations, including production, food safety, quality assurance, customer experience, financial performance, security compliance, workforce leadership, and continuous improvement initiatives. The General Manager will drive operational excellence while ensuring the facility consistently delivers exceptional service to airline partners, maintains strict regulatory compliance, and achieves financial and operational targets. This role serves as a key business leader responsible for cultivating a high-performance culture aligned with dnata’s Vision, Mission, Values, and “The dnata Way.” This position reports directly to the Vice President of Operations U.S. and maintains close partnership with executive leadership, airline customers, airport authorities, TSA, and regulatory agencies.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead and oversee the overall operation of the aviation catering facility, including Production, Operations, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Warehousing, Transportation, Purchasing, and Customer Service functions.
• Ensure operational efficiency, service excellence, and regulatory compliance while maintaining exceptional product quality and customer satisfaction.
• Drive operational performance through strategic planning, process optimization, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor operational KPIs and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize labor utilization.
• Ensure staffing levels and workforce allocation appropriately support operational demand, seasonal fluctuations, and customer requirements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment between operational priorities, financial goals, and customer expectations.
• Monitor and forecast upcoming operational demand levels and proactively implement scalable staffing and production solutions.

Financial & Business Management

• Maintain full accountability for the facility Profit & Loss (P&L) performance and achievement of annual operating plans and budget commitments.
• Identify operational and financial opportunities to improve profitability, reduce operating costs, and maximize operational effectiveness.
• Develop and execute cost-saving initiatives while maintaining service quality and operational integrity.
• Participate in annual business planning, forecasting, capital planning, and monthly financial reviews.
• Analyze operational performance metrics, labor costs, productivity trends, and expense ratios to ensure financial targets are achieved.
• Conduct benchmarking, scenario analysis, and strategic planning initiatives to improve long-term operational sustainability and growth.
• Ensure compliance with financial governance standards and operational controls outlined within “The dnata Way.”

Quality, Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with all dnata Food Safety Standards, including HACCP, SSOP, GMP, FDA, USDA, TSA, OSHA, and all applicable airline, airport, and governmental regulations.
• Lead all internal and external food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory audits while ensuring timely corrective actions and continuous compliance improvement.
• Maintain exceptional quality standards throughout all operational processes and customer touchpoints.
• Develop, implement, and monitor operational policies, procedures, and quality systems to ensure consistent execution and compliance.
• Ensure all safety, environmental, health, and security protocols are effectively implemented and maintained.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective action planning for operational, safety, or security incidents.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with airline customers, airport authorities, TSA, regulatory agencies, union representatives, vendors, and other external stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary operational representative for the facility in customer meetings, audits, operational reviews, and external communications.
• Drive customer satisfaction initiatives focused on service reliability, on-time performance, responsiveness, and operational excellence.
• Ensure customer issues and complaints are addressed promptly with effective corrective action plans and service recovery solutions.
• Collaborate with internal dnata business units to share best practices and support enterprise-wide operational initiatives.

Leadership & Talent Management

• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing operational leadership team committed to accountability, engagement, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear performance expectations, operational KPIs, and service standards for direct reports and departmental leadership teams.
• Drive employee engagement, workforce development, succession planning, and talent management initiatives in partnership with Human Resources.
• Foster a culture centered around safety, operational excellence, accountability, respect, and inclusion.
• Coach and mentor leaders to strengthen operational capability, leadership effectiveness, and employee performance.
• Promote and support dnata’s reward and recognition initiatives to reinforce a high-performance culture.
• Serve as a role model for professional conduct, safety leadership, customer service, and operational discipline.

Communication, Security & Incident Response

Communication

• Collaborate with TSA, airport authorities, airline partners, management teams, and security agencies regarding security breaches, investigations, and operational concerns.

Security Measures & Controls

• Ensure implementation and oversight of all facility security measures, including access control, employee screening, video surveillance, and TSA security compliance protocols.
• Ensure all threats, security breaches, prohibited items, workplace incidents, and operational disruptions are addressed immediately, investigated thoroughly, and resolved with appropriate corrective action plans.

Success Measures (KPIs)

The General Manager will be measured against key operational and business performance indicators, including but not limited to:

• Profit Margin Performance
• Budget Adherence
• Revenue Growth
• Cost Savings Achievement
• Operating Expense Ratio

Operational & Quality

• Quality Audit Compliance
• Process Improvement Implementation
• Operational Efficiency Metrics
• On-Time Delivery Performance

Safety & Compliance

• Safety Audit Compliance
• Training Completion Rates
• Corrective Action Closure Rates
• Customer
• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
• Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Customer Retention

People & Culture

• Employee Engagement Scores
• Performance Review Completion
• Training & Development Completion Rates

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Associate degree from a two-year college or technical school with a minimum of seven (7) years of inflight catering experience may be considered in combination with relevant leadership experience.

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive Operations Management leadership experience, preferably within inflight catering, aviation hospitality, manufacturing, food production, or large-scale food processing environments.
• Proven success leading complex airline catering operations with responsibility for P&L management, operational execution, and customer satisfaction.
• Experience managing international airline accounts and multi-functional operational teams preferred.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, FDA, OSHA, TSA, USDA, and regulatory compliance standards.
• Experience leading large hourly workforce populations in fast-paced, high-volume operational environments.
• Experience with labor planning, operational forecasting, budgeting, and workforce optimization.

We believe that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to creating a strong workplace and community. At dnata, we’re proud that our workforce is as diverse as the customers we serve. And we’re committed to nurturing your talent with mentoring, volunteer and professional development opportunities. We welcome everyone. Our employee resource groups are one of the many ways we champion diversity and inclusion at dnata. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout their employment without current or future sponsorship from dnata Catering USA.