Strategic Airline Account Lead

Sky Chefs; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 64,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision coverage

Employer-paid life insurance and AD&D

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Free meals

On-site parking

Long-term career growth

Job summary

SkyChefs is hiring an Account Manager in Phoenix to serve as the strategic link between airline partners and internal operations. You will manage key relationships, ensure contract compliance, and drive service excellence across the supply chain.

The role focuses on maintaining accurate billing, inventory par levels, and on-time flight catering through cross-functional collaboration. The ideal candidate has a degree in a relevant field and 3–5 years in a customer-facing or logistics role, with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Hospitality, Aviation, Supply Chain, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 3-5 years of experience in a customer-facing, operations, service, account management, or logistics environment.
• Experience in aviation, airline catering, food service, hospitality, transportation, or supply chain operations is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships, communicate effectively across all levels of an organization, and influence positive outcomes.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail, follow-through, and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Proven experience managing operational costs, including labor, inventory, or product-related expenses, while maintaining service excellence.
• Ability to perform effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced, and time-sensitive environment where adaptability and problem-solving are essential.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other business management systems, with the ability to analyze data and communicate insights effectively.
• Valid driver's license with the ability to travel within operational areas as required.
• Experience working in unionized, highly regulated, or compliance-driven environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned airline partners, building strong customer relationships and acting as the liaison between airline representatives, the Customer Service Center (CSC), and Key Account Managers.
• Ensure accurate account billing, provisioning, and service delivery, maintaining alignment with customer agreements and operational requirements.
• Oversee inventory management and maintain established par levels for customer-specific products, equipment, and supplies to support uninterrupted operations.
• Monitor and validate equipment inventories, ensuring timely and accurate counts while maintaining accountability and operational readiness.
• Drive on-time flight departures by coordinating catering operations and ensuring adherence to airline service standards and scheduling requirements.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to successfully implement airline menu, service, and flight cycle changes while minimizing operational disruption.
• Champion compliance with customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and company policies, including FDA, HACCP, safety, and quality standards, in collaboration with Quality and Operations teams.
• Maintain and update customer specifications, proactively communicating changes and ensuring operational teams are aligned with evolving requirements.
• Monitor customer performance metrics and measurement systems, ensuring operational execution consistently meets or exceeds service expectations.
• Coordinate customer audits, evaluations, and business reviews, distributing feedback to department leaders and driving timely response plans and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Promote a culture of safety and operational excellence by ensuring adherence to airline-specific safety requirements and company standards.
• Manage and analyze flight attendant feedback, service comments, and delay trends to identify improvement opportunities and enhance the overall customer experience.
• Support culinary presentations, menu showcases, and customer-facing events in partnership with the Executive Chef and operational leadership teams.
• Track and report quality performance metrics, leveraging data-driven insights to improve service consistency and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure customer-owned inventory and specialized products are properly managed, maintained, and available to support service commitments.
• Lead and contribute to special customer projects, process improvement initiatives, and strategic programs designed to enhance operational performance and strengthen client partnerships.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Organizational skills

Cost management

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Hospitality/Aviation/Supply Chain

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

SkyChefs is hiring an Account Manager in Phoenix to serve as the strategic link between airline partners and internal operations. You will manage key relationships, ensure contract compliance, and drive service excellence across the supply chain.

The role focuses on maintaining accurate billing, inventory par levels, and on-time flight catering through cross-functional collaboration. The ideal candidate has a degree in a relevant field and 3–5 years in a customer-facing or logistics role, with