Delivery Leader - Airline & Travel Operations

Job Description:

Role/Job Title: AGM / AVP (Airline Vertical)

Job Description:

Leads large- scale airline and travel operations for Tier- A global carriers, covering reservations, fares & ticketing, departure control, cargo, customer experience, loyalty programs, and multi- channel contact center environments. Owns strategy, delivery excellence, operational governance, transformation, financial management, and senior client relationship orchestration across complex, multi- LOB travel ecosystems.

Job Responsibilities:

- Hands- on leadership of 400-600+ FTE airline operations spanning Reservations, Ticketing, Reissue/Refunds, Baggage Claims, DCS(Departure Control System), Loyalty/FFP, Cargo CSC, Disruptions (IROP), and Customer Relations.

- Resident industry SME with deep knowledge of Tier- A airline processes, standards, and technology stack.

- End- to- end ownership of operational KPIs, SLAs, customer experience, accuracy, compliance, and service recovery outcomes.

- Drive standardized governance, delivery rigor, and operational maturity across all functional towers.

- Primary strategic stakeholder interface with airline leadership-capable of engaging in high- level business, operational, and transformation conversations.

- Lead proactive & reactive opportunities to expand Travel & Airline delivery footprint, acting as domain SME for pursuits, RFPs, solution design, and commercial modelling.

- Support pricing, workforce design, transition planning, and value- based solutions for new or expanding airline engagements.

- Identify operational risks linked to IATA regulations, DCS dependencies, safety/security protocols, and implement mitigation frameworks.

- Lead transformation initiatives including automation, AI- powered interactions, analytics- led interventions, process modernization, and cost- to- serve optimization.

- Apply Lean/Six Sigma methodologies for efficiency & quality improvement.

- Own budgets, cost levers, productivity targets, KPI efficiency, and P&L contribution for accounts.

- Lead capacity planning, forecasting, rostering optimization, and contact center workforce management for airline-specific requirements.

- Build a robust leadership pipeline-Managers, SMs-ensuring capability depth, succession, and domain strength.

- Drive positive engagement, retention strategy, and performance culture across delivery teams.

Critical Skills:

Management Skills:

- Proven leadership running large airline operations for Tier- A carriers.

- Strong business & financial management skills including P&L ownership and cost optimization.

- Expertise in SLA governance, operational transformation, and end- to- end delivery management.

- Superior communication, influence, and C- suite- level stakeholder management.

- Ability to drive change, solve complex operational problems, and make swift, data- driven decisions.

Airline Domain & Tools Expertise:

Deep, hands-on command of airline reservation, ticketing, and DCS platforms, such as:

- Amadeus Altea (Reservations, Ticketing, DCS)

- Sabre Sonic / Sabre Red 360

- Galileo / Travelport

- Loyalty systems, interline processes, revenue integrity tools

- Strong understanding of IATA standards, fare construction, NDC (New Distribution Capability), GDS workflows, BSP (Billing settlement Processes)/ARC processes, disruptions handling, queuing systems, and schedule integrity.

- Exposure to analytics, automation, speech/interaction AI, and workflow enhancements across airline operations.

Person Specification:

- Mature, seasoned, and highly industry- educated airline leader.

- Strategic thinker with strong customer- centric and solution- oriented mindset.

- Presence and credibility to influence senior airline executives.

- High ownership, integrity, and ability to thrive in dynamic, fast- changing airline environments.

- Capable of representing the organization in global airline forums, CX meetings, and transformation councils.

Experience:

- Bachelor's or Master's in Business Administration, Travel & Tourism, Aviation Management, or related domain.

- 18+ years in the Airline/Travel BPO industry, with 10+ years in Contact Centers or multi- function airline delivery.

- Must have Tier- A Carrier experience (e.g., full- service global airlines) in operations, support functions, or outsourced environments.

- Exposure to both customer-facing and back- office airline operations.

- Must have led large- scale programs, cross- functional delivery teams, and high- value airline transformation initiatives.

- Preferred certifications: IATA, Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.