Senior Airline Customer Account Manager

gategroup; Schiller Park (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

401k with company match

Company sponsored life insurance

Medical, dental, vision plans

Disability insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Discounts

Free hot meals

Job summary

gategroup is seeking an experienced account leader to direct all communications and operations for airline accounts at the Gate Gourmet unit. You will serve as the primary liaison between airline customers and the operations team, ensuring service requirements are met and contracts are fulfilled.

The role reports to the General Manager, requires a Bachelor’s degree and at least five years in sales, marketing, or customer service, preferably in airlines or catering.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in sales, marketing, customer service, or a related field.
• Experience working in the airlines industry is preferred.
• Experience working in catering or food service industry is preferred.
• Experience working with SAP preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees all aspects of account management, including communication with the airline head office, local office where the operational unit is located, and primary account management within Gate Gourmet.
• Ensures compliance with all customer and airline service requirements by maintaining performance on customers as specified in the contract.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with customer and unit management and staff, ensuring clear communication at all levels.
• Monitors communications between back office functions (billing department) and the customer and recommends remedies for disputes.
• Provides account-specific training to Unit management and personnel.
• Ensures that kitchen personnel are trained on all type of customer aircraft and maintains current loading diagrams and configurations.
• Maintains prompt communications with customers and operations staff to resolve issues and develops data related to the account.
• Monitors unit performance and ensures quality service standards, unit hygiene, HACCP, billing accuracy, and inventories.
• Solves problems and makes recommendations based on root-cause analysis at the operations level.
• Serves as the primary contact for day-to-day operational communications with the customer and develops business relationships for issue resolution.
• Acts as the single point of contact with the airline and responds to inquiries.
• Maintains visibility to customer by participating in flight deliveries and interfacing with cabin crew and operations unit.
• Works with the assigned Chef to ensure proper menu specifications and directions are followed.
• Ensures inventories for equipment and liquor meet customer requirements.
• Responds to airline comments or complaints within 48 hours.
• Arranges customer visits including meal presentations at the Operations unit.
• Participates in conference calls, meetings, and workshops pertaining to customer, marketing, Sales, and operations.

Skills

Customer service

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Analytical skills

MS Word

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

SAP

MS Excel

MS Access

PowerPoint

Job description

We’re looking for motivated, engaged people to help make everyone’s journeys better.

The position is responsible for directing all communications and operations for all accounts as they directly pertain to meeting customer requirements and needs. This position reports to the General Manager and is the primary liaison between the airline customers and the Gate Gourmet operational unit.

Annual Salary Range:

$95,000 to $110.000.00 /Per Year

Benefits, US

• Paid time off
• 401k, with company match
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Medical, dental, vision plans
• Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts
• Free hot healthy meals for unit operations roles

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees all aspects of account management, including communication with the airline head office, local office where the operational unit is located, and primary account management within Gate Gourmet.
• Ensures compliance with all customer and airline service requirements by maintaining performance on customers as specified in the contract.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining a positive, professional working relationship with both customer and unit management and staff, establishing a clear line of communication at all levels.
• Monitors communications between back office functions (billing department) and the customer and is authorized to make recommendations to remedy any disputes that may arise.
• Provides account-specific training to Unit management and personnel.
• Ensures that all kitchen personnel is trained on all type of customer aircraft, maintains current loading diagrams and configurations and any other data as it relates to the key accounts.
• Maintains prompt and effective communications with customers and operations staff to resolve issues and is responsible for developing and maintaining data as it relates to the account.
• Monitors unit performance and takes a proactive position in ensuring that quality service standards, unit hygiene, HACCP, billing accuracy, and inventories is maintained at the highest levels and is responsible for performing data trending analysis.
• Problem solves and makes recommendation to the outcome of the root cause at the operations level.
• Serves as the primary contact for all day to day operational communications with the customer as assigned with the ability to develop business relationships which allow for root cause issue resolution.
• Acts as the single point of contact with the airline and should be available on call to respond to customer phone calls, e-mails, and telex inquiries.
• Is externally/internally visible to customer by participating in flight deliveries and interfacing with cabin crew and operations unit.
• Must work with the assigned Chef to ensure proper menu specifications and directions are followed.
• Ensures all inventories for equipment and liquor meet customer requirements.
• Responds to airline comments or complaints in a timely manner with a 48 hour period from the time the comment/complaint was received.
• Responsible for arranging customer visits including meal presentations at the Operations unit.
• Participates in conference calls, meetings, workshops pertaining to the customer, marketing, Sales, operations which pertain to airline issues and content.
• Other Duties: Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned based on business needs.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree is required

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in sales, marketing, customer service, or a related field
• Working knowledge of billing and/or invoicing process and procedures
• Experience working in the airlines industry is preferred
• Experience working in catering or food service industry is preferred
• Experience working with SAP preferred

Technical Skills: (Certification, Licenses and Registration)

• Strong customer service skills.
• Dedication to excellence and a strong work ethic.
• Attention to detail.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma problem solving and analytical skills.
• Proficiency with MS Excel, Word Access and Power point.

• Valid Driver’s License.
• Abilityto obtain Airport Transport Authoritybadge required.
• Ability to obtain Customs Seal for Airport Transport Authoritybadge required.

Language / Communication Skills:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to communicate well with internal and external customers and all levels within organizations

Job Dimensions

Geographic Responsibility: TBD

Type of Employment: Full-time

Travel %: None

Exemption Classification: Exempt

Internal Relationships: Management, caterers, and other company employees

External Relationships:airline customers and their staff

Work Environment / Requirements of the Job:

• Regularly stands, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during shifts of 10+ hours as needed.
• In a normal production kitchen facility there may be physical discomfort due to temperature and noise.
• Must be able to lift, push, pull and move product, equipment, supplies, etc., in excess of twenty-five (25) pounds.

Budget / Revenue Responsibility: (Local Currency)

Organization Structure

Direct Line Manager (Title): General Manager, Unit

Dotted Line Manager (Title, if applicable): N/A

Number of Direct Reports: Varies by unit size (up to 15)

Number of Dotted Line Reports: N/A

Estimated Total Size of Team: varies by unit size

gategroup Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job:

• Thinking – Information Search and analysis & problem resolution skills
• Engaging – Understanding others, Team Leadership and Developing People
• Inspiring – Influencing and building relationships, Motivating and Inspiring, Communicating effectively
• Achieving – Delivering business results under pressure, Championing Performance Improvement and Customer Focus

Demonstrated Values to be Successful in the Position

Employees atgategroupare expected to live ourValues of Excellence,Passion,Responsibility and Respect. TodemonstratetheseValues, we expect toobservethe following from everyone:

Excellence

• We put the customer at the forefront of everything we do, taking time to understand their needs,wishesand desires.

• We constantly learn by giving and receiving feedback,improving fromourmistakesand bettering ourselves.

Passion

• Hospitality, in its purest form, comes down to a single, core principle: care. We do everything with thoughtfulness, attention, and care.

• We have a growth mindset, a resilience that makes usdeterminedto bounce back from failures and setbacks.

Responsibility

• We care about what we do, and we understand the impact we have on others and the planet.

• We always look outforeach other–creatinga safe workplace environment is everyone’s responsibility.

Respect

• Every job matters. We each do our part to ensure our colleagues and our customers succeed in their goals.

• We respect each other’s voices and foster a workplace that supports inclusion and belonging. We are all onegategroup.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

gategroup is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status or other category under applicable law.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

We anticipate that this job will close on: 11/29/2026

If you want to be part of a team that helps make travel and culinarymemories join us!