Director of Concessions Planning

Unison Consulting • Chicago, IL

1d • $125,000 - $150,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Shape what millions of travelers experience before they fly. Every coffee grabbed before a red-eye, every sit-down meal between connections, every last-minute gift bought at the gate is part of an airport's concessions program - and it's one of the biggest levers an airport has to grow non-aeronautical revenue while making the passenger experience better. As Director of Concessions Planning at Unison, you decide how that program comes together. Working alongside our team supporting Chicago O'Hare and Midway, you'll design the concession programs that shape what travelers see, eat, and buy - and the financial models that prove those programs work. When an airport needs to know which mix of quick-serve, casual dining, and retail will maximize revenue and delight passengers, or how to structure a lease that protects the airport and attracts strong operators, your analysis and recommendations are what leadership acts on.

Requirements

• 7+ years planning, developing, and implementing F&B and retail concession programs in large commercial venues (airports, malls, sporting venues, theme parks, or similar).
• A bachelor's degree or higher.
• Real depth in the full lifecycle: vendor solicitation, contract and lease negotiation, infrastructure and space planning, and revenue optimization.
• Strong financial modeling instincts - you can turn assumptions into pro formas and a defensible recommendation.
• A current read on concession trends and consumer preferences, including quick-serve, casual dining, and coffee concepts.
• The communication and presentation skills to advise senior client executives and earn their trust, in writing and in the room.

Responsibilities

• Build the financial models behind concession programs - pro formas, break-even scenarios, cost-benefit analyses, and IRR, NPV, and ROI metrics.
• Design space plans, operator selection criteria, rent structures, and pricing policies that maximize revenue and elevate the passenger experience.
• Own concession planning studies end to end: define the problem, set the methodology, coordinate execution with clients and practice leaders, and deliver polished final reports.
• Shape solicitations and agreements - RFPs, RFQs, Lease and License Agreements - and negotiate terms that work for the airport and its operators.
• Advise airport staff, senior leaders, and public stakeholders through presentations, outreach meetings, and written recommendations.
• Help grow the practice - track consumer and concession-industry trends, spot new opportunities, and strengthen competitive proposals.

Benefits

• real impact on the work
• real space for personal growth
• empowering our people to be innovators
• average employee tenure is close to 20 years
• people come here and build careers
• work alongside principals and senior staff who have held leadership roles at major airports, airlines, and the FAA
• autonomy to own your analysis and shape how the work gets done

What This Job Offers

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