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Director of Transportation & Fleet Operations — Airline Catering

Location: Our Chicago Hub is located in Des Plaines, IL near Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Compensation: $170,000–$180,000 plus 20% annual bonus

Benefits: No waiting period — eligible as of Day 1

Keep one of the world's busiest aviation hubs moving.

We are seeking a strategic, operationally driven Director, Catering Transportation & Operations Planning to lead transportation, dispatch, fleet operations, logistics planning, and airline/ground handling service execution for our Chicago operations. This is a high-impact leadership role for an experienced aviation, airline, ground handling, station operations, fleet, supply chain, or logistics professional who thrives in a fast-paced 24/7 environment where every minute matters — and who is just as comfortable on the ramp as they are in a planning meeting.

You will serve as the critical link between airline operations, catering production, dispatch teams, transportation resources, and station leadership — ensuring the right products reach the right aircraft at the right time, every time.

Why This Role Matters

Every flight departure depends on flawless coordination. As Director, you will oversee the operational planning and execution that drives on-time catering performance, fleet efficiency, safety compliance, and customer satisfaction across a complex airline network. This role requires a leader who splits time between strategic planning and being visibly present on the floor with drivers, dispatchers, and frontline teams — not a purely desk-based planning role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all transportation, dispatch, routing, and catering delivery operations.
• Maintain a consistent, visible presence with frontline transportation, dispatch, and delivery teams — balancing strategic planning with hands-on floor leadership.
• Align catering logistics plans with airline schedules, flight changes, and operational requirements.
• Partner with airline Operations Control Centers (OCC), station leadership, and catering facilities to ensure seamless execution.
• Develop transportation and dispatch strategies that support safety, service, and on-time performance objectives.
• Manage operational planning for daily operations, schedule changes, peak periods, and irregular operations (IROPs).
• Establish processes for fleet utilization, route optimization/route planning, distribution, and labor efficiency across a large-scale, multi-shift transportation operation.
• Lead risk assessments and process mapping initiatives to identify operational vulnerabilities and drive continuous improvement.
• Own safety and DOT compliance performance, with a demonstrated, quantifiable track record of driving down incidents and violations.

  Monitor operational KPIs including:

• On-Time Catering Performance
• Aircraft Service Compliance
• Dispatch Accuracy
• Fleet Utilization
• Service Failures
• Cost per Delivery
• Direct airline communication and escalation protocols during operational disruptions, supporting on-time performance (OTP) and turnaround targets in partnership with station managers.
• Manage third-party transportation partners and service agreements where applicable.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, security, and airline-specific requirements.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• 5-7+ years in airline, aviation, airline catering, ground handling, ramp operations, station operations, fleet operations, supply chain, distribution, or 3PL logistics, with direct leadership of large-scale transportation and dispatch functions. In-flight catering experience strongly preferred; equivalent airport/ground ops, fleet, or logistics experience considered.
• Proven leadership of a large-scale transportation operation — typically 100+ drivers, 40+ commercial vehicles, and support for 200–300+ daily departures. General over-the-road (OTR) trucking experience without this scale or airline/airport context is not a fit for this role.
• Demonstrated, quantifiable safety and DOT compliance track record — able to speak to specific results, not just program oversight.
• Comfortable operating in a “boots-on-ground” leadership style — regularly present with frontline teams, not solely office/planning-based.
• Experience supporting airline operations and understanding flight scheduling dynamics.
• Strong operational leadership experience in a 24/7 environment.
• Experience managing dispatch, transportation, routing, and service delivery functions.

We are an EEO and Affirmative Action Employer of Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.