Airline Operations Manager Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

About us

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States. Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude. Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights.

Position Summary

As an Account Manager, you will serve as the strategic link between our airline partners and internal operations teams, ensuring exceptional service delivery, seamless execution, and strong client relationships. In this highly visible role, you will act as the primary point of contact for key airline customers, aligning expectations, resolving challenges, and driving operational excellence across every touchpoint.

At SkyChefs, you will oversee day-to-day account management activities while partnering closely with operational teams to deliver customized, world-class in-flight catering solutions. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring contract compliance, enhancing customer satisfaction, and identifying opportunities to improve service performance and operational efficiency.

Success in this role requires a proactive leader who can effectively manage budgets, monitor performance metrics, and collaborate across functions to achieve business objectives. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are passionate about building strong client partnerships while delivering exceptional results, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact with an industry leader.

Why You’ll Love Working With Us

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage starting Day 1
• Employer‑paid life insurance and AD&D benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Tuition reimbursement to support your growth
• Free meals and on‑site parking
• Long‑term career growth within a global organization

How You'll Make a Difference

Account Management

• 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.

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Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• 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.