Director, Commercial Planning and Advisory

Vantage Group

3d • $145,000 - $165,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Commercial Planning & Advisory, plays a critical leadership role in supporting the strategic growth and operational excellence of our network locations and partner organizations. Reporting to the Senior Director, Commercial, this role is responsible for leading and delivering advisory services projects, driving initiatives across the network, and ensuring the successful execution of commercial strategies for the airports we own, operate, manage, or support. Key responsibilities include leading and supporting the delivery of commercial advisory services across the Vantage portfolio, with particular focus on airports currently engaged across North America while positioning Vantage’s commercial services in the market, communicating the organization’s value proposition, optimizing existing performance, identifying and supporting new opportunities for growth, and serving as a trusted advisor to internal and external stakeholders. The Director will also lead and deliver executive-level presentations, business reviews, and initiative updates, translating complex analysis and insights into actionable recommendations for senior leadership.

Requirements

• You hold a bachelor’s degree in business, strategy, operations, or related field; MBA or equivalent advanced degree and aviation industry preferred
• At least 10 years of progressive multi-disciplinary airport commercial experience, in the areas of concession management, car parking revenue, and land development.
• Demonstrated ability to provide consulting-style support to leaders, analyze complex business challenges, and develop actionable recommendations that drive commercial and operational outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies and delivery techniques, with the ability to lead complex, multi-location initiatives from planning through execution.
• Ability to identify, qualify, and support new business opportunities, optimize commercial performance, and contribute to revenue growth initiatives.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to use data to inform decisions, track performance, and measure impact.
• Exceptional skills in building, maintaining, and influencing relationships across internal teams, network locations, clients, and external partners.
• Ability to directly create presentation-level documents and reports supporting project deliverables
• Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills, including experience engaging with senior executives, boards, and client stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating in a matrixed environment, thriving in ambiguity, and adapting to evolving priorities and complex organizational needs.
• Aptitude for analyzing complex issues, resolving conflicts, and making informed decisions while maintaining objectivity.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring high performance and sustainable outcomes.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or equivalent advanced degree and aviation industry preferred

Responsibilities

• Concessions Planning, Procurement & Leasing
• Analyze airline service data, passenger demographics, flows, dwell times, and spending behavior to optimize concession locations and offerings.
• Develop long-term commercial plans for retail, food and beverage, and service programs aligned with terminal expansions, redevelopments, or traffic forecasts, including benchmarking projected program space and anticipated revenues.
• Support strategies to increase non-aeronautical revenue.
• Space Allocation & Design Input
• Establish initial concessions program space needs using, in part, a metric-based approach factoring in unique characteristics of an existing or future terminal facility
• Working with client and design team(s), allocating projected concessions space based on facility layout and projected flows through spaces, including determining the type, size, and location of concession units to optimize commercial performance and drive an enhanced guest experience.
• Collaborate with operational teams, terminal planners, architects, engineers, and construction teams to balance passenger amenities with operational efficiency.
• Create and maintain a projected gross sales and revenue database for space programming projects on a per-space basis
• Leasing & Commercial Execution
• Support the end-to-end leasing process for retail, food & beverage, and service concessions, including prospecting, negotiations, financial analysis, and lease execution.
• Work with legal counsel to review proposed operator edits to contract template
• Develop and implement leasing strategies aligned with network location objectives, market trends, and customer needs.
• Prepare and manage requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, expressions of interest, lease agreements, and other commercial documentation for new or renewed concession contracts.
• Ensure systems and processes are in place to monitor lease expirations, renewals, key terms, and portfolio performance, proactively mitigating risk.
• Advisory Services Delivery
• Lead and support the planning, execution, and delivery of Vantage’s commercial advisory services projects across the network, ensuring high-quality outcomes, timely delivery, and measurable client impact.
• Serve as the day-to-day client liaison, maintaining strong relationships and ensuring clear, transparent communication on project progress, milestones, and deliverables.
• Manage project scope, resources, and timelines, ensuring all initiatives align with contractual agreements, client expectations, and organizational priorities.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams, including internal specialists and external stakeholders, to drive project execution, resolve issues, and maintain accountability.
• Identify opportunities to expand advisory engagement scope, enhance client value, and grow the commercial services portfolio.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on strategic initiatives, capital investments, and long-term operational planning, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Lead and deliver executive-level presentations, business reviews, and initiative updates, translating complex analysis into actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
• Business Development & Growth Support
• Support the Senior Director, Commercial in identifying, evaluating, and pursuing new commercial opportunities across non-aeronautical disciplines, including concessions, parking, land development, leasing, and advisory services.
• Leverage professional networks, market insights, data, and industry trends to provide actionable recommendations that drive revenue growth and optimize commercial performance across the network.
• Support efforts to define and identify win strategies that differentiate Vantage from its competitors
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, network operators, concession partners, and other external stakeholders to support ongoing engagement and identify new revenue opportunities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of business development processes, tools, and templates to ensure consistent execution and scalable impact across projects and locations.
• Other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the position may be assigned

Benefits

• In addition to a competitive compensation and benefits package, career progression, and access to a global team of talented professionals, we are growing and offer boundless opportunities to make your mark.

What This Job Offers

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