Sales and Service Manager

Our client is a global leader in airline catering, retail-on-board and hospitality products and services. They provide passengers with superior culinary and retail experiences, leveraging innovation and advanced technology solutions.

They are headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and deliver operational excellence through the most extensive catering network in the aviation industry, serving more than 700 million passengers annually from over 200 operating units in over 60 countries/territories across all continents with approximately 43,000 employees worldwide.

Responsibilities:

• This position is responsible for overseeing all aspects of account management and Sales & Service functions, including communication with the airline head office and local airport office where the operational unit is located.  
• 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 good, professional working relationship with both the customer kitchen Management & staff, and Corporate headquarter team members, establishing a clear line of communication at all levels.  
• Monitors communications between the Account Services Group including pricing, billing and menu design specification, and Corporate Culinary departments and the customer.  
• Liaises with unit Account Manager to provide account-specific training to Unit personnel as required. 
• Ensures that all kitchen personnel are trained on all type of customer aircraft and have current loading diagrams and configurations.  
• Maintains prompt and effective communications with customers and operations staff to resolve issues.  
• Monitors unit performance and takes a proactive position in monitoring customer quality service standards, facility health and sanitations standards, billing accuracy, and product inventories are maintained at the highest level by the operating unit. 
• Conducts hygiene & performance follow up reviews with kitchen management & staff, while ensuring prompt turnaround response to the customers. 
• Serves as the primary contact for all day to day operational communications working with each designated kitchen Account Manager as well as Account Services Group; communicates 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.  
• Works with the assigned Corporate and kitchen Chefs to ensure proper menu specifications and directions are followed.  
• Works with the designated kitchen Account Manager to ensure all inventories for equipment and liquor meet customer requirements and are reported in the airline systems on time and accurately each month. 
• Responds to airline comments or complaints in a timely manner with a 48 hour period from the time the comment/complaint was received.  
• Arranges customer visits including meal presentations at the Operations unit. 
• Assists Sales & Service Director with customer meal presentation and RFP kick-offs calls and strategy sessions. 
• Participates in weekly conference calls with the Director, Sales & Service to discuss sales issues.  
• Prepares for and delivers regular reviews/reports with the internal and external customers about the activities and results of the project team.  
• Serves as the “voice of the customer” within the project team  
• Champions improvement initiatives on behalf of the project team  
• Responds to customer requests  
• Works with colleagues to identify and implement best practices.  
• Ensures processes and procedures are in place to fulfill all performance and delivery obligations.  
• Ensures proper communication and training in such processes and procedures for the project or delivery teams.  
• Develops excellent business relationships with all customer contacts and identify opportunities to grow business  
• Liaises with the colleagues on all significant account issues  
• Develops along with Operations, standard processes to ensure customer deliverables requirements are met 

Requirements:

Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree or 4 years of equivalent work experience in Sales & Service. 

Work Experience:  

• Minimum 5 years of experience in Sales, airline and/or airline catering required  
• Previous project management experience preferred 
• Experience in a food related industry is preferred with exposure to multi-ethnic cuisines. 
• Experience working with international clients is advantageous to the position. 
• A background in revenue management and/or pricing is preferred but not mandatory.