Air Category Manager

Festive Road • Arlington, VA

10d • $125,000 - $130,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Festive Road is seeking an Air Category Manager to support a client’s Global Category Management Team in developing a best-in-class air travel program. The role focuses on airline category strategy, supplier management, sourcing and commercial analysis, stakeholder partnerships, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will take initiatives from idea through design and completion with minimal oversight, using data and commercial judgment to inform decisions and improve the travel program. The role is office-based in Dallas, Seattle, Arlington, Atlanta, or London, with travel of up to 15%.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in the business travel industry managing airline suppliers.
• Experience working with corporate travel management companies, online booking tools, the travel and meetings supply base, and other travel technologies.
• Strong understanding of the working components of a global corporate travel team and the dependencies and downstream impacts of initiatives.
• Strong understanding of airline data and analytics, airline savings, and related industry acronyms.
• Strong understanding of airline corporate contracting and associated legal processes.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Office and project management tools.
• Strong airline supplier management skills, including relationship management, governance, business planning, contract performance, and SLA/KPI management.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret multiple data sources, identify insights, and use data to support commercial decisions.
• Strong strategic sourcing and procurement skills, using data and analysis throughout the sourcing process.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead through influence.
• Commercial judgment and the ability to assess options, understand commercial implications, and identify opportunities to create value.
• Ability to collaborate across teams, identify synergies, and bring people together around shared outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop business cases, present recommendations, and influence decisions.
• Experience establishing improved ways of working through processes, tools, or technology.
• Ability to prioritize and remain composed in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.

Responsibilities

• Participate in developing category strategy, strategic plans, roadmaps, budgets, and resource plans.
• Use data, reports, and performance metrics to contribute to strategic plans, whitepapers, and business reviews, and to inform decisions and gain leadership support.
• Assess existing contract performance, identify customer service issues, recommend resolutions, and provide data for global airline projects.
• Support sourcing events, from market research and requirements development through implementation.
• Conduct cost and savings analysis, model alternatives, develop decision criteria and cost estimates, and recommend suppliers.
• Build and maintain relationships with preferred airlines and internal Procurement, Legal, and Finance stakeholders; share best practices and support innovation.
• Support the rollout of new technologies with the wider travel team, monitor adoption, and identify improvement opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level