General Manager - Airline Catering/Food Production

LSG Sky Chefs•Denver, CO

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States. Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude. Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights. The General Manager – Airline Catering Operations is responsible for leading the day‑to‑day operations of a medium-to-large‑sized, dynamic Customer Service Center (CSC)/kitchen facility, overseeing approximately 300 employees and managing a $50M P&L at our growing Denver facility. This role ensures strong operational execution across all core functions, including Procurement, Production, Logistics, Human Resources, Finance, Quality, and Customer Service. This leader drives operational performance, supports financial objectives, builds and maintains key airline relationships, and ensures alignment with regional strategies, safety requirements, and compliance standards. Success in this role requires a leader who is both strategic and deeply hands‑on. Someone who is present on the floor, engaged with teams, and consistently involved in day‑to‑day operations to ensure excellence at every level. You will inspire through visibility, lead through action, and partner closely with employees to deliver exceptional results. The General Manager will continue strengthening our performance‑driven culture, enhancing our airline partnerships, and setting a benchmark for service, quality, and innovation within the airline catering industry.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management or related field
Minimum 10 years of operations leadership experience, ideally within large-scale, complex production environments
Hands-on experience managing costs across the supply chain from procurement through production.
Experience leading digitalization projects, such as implementing new systems, automation tools, or data-driven solutions to improve operational performance and customer experience
Working knowledge of lean tools, quality systems, and unionized environments
Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred
Airline or aviation operations industry experience a plus

Responsibilities

Define and lead the CSC’s strategic direction through regular business reviews, alignment with corporate priorities, and competitive benchmarking to strengthen local market position.
Foster strong customer relationships through ongoing engagement, service alignment, and proactive resolution of issues to ensure long-term partnership and satisfaction.
Manage retail operations by executing commercial targets, monitoring performance metrics, and adjusting product assortment and pricing strategies, to ensure site-level profitability and alignment with brand and customer expectations.
Co-lead facility management, investments, expansion, and operational allocation by overseeing infrastructure assessments, evaluating ROI for capital projects, and coordinating with engineering and logistics teams, to ensure capacity readiness and operational efficiency.
Identify opportunities for innovation and efficiency through site-level process improvement initiatives, deployment of lean tools, and adoption of new technologies.
Oversee site-level financial and operational performance through KPI monitoring, root cause analyses, and implementation of corrective measures to meet or exceed targets.
Lead resource planning, cost optimization, and investment prioritization to ensure sustainable, efficient operations.
Ensure resource and investment optimization by leading regional CAPEX planning, workforce planning coordination, and strategic supplier negotiations, to drive economies of scale, reduce costs, and maximize return on investment.
Manage the full regional P&L by consolidating financial performance data, reviewing variances, and implementing corrective actions, to achieve or exceed budgeted financial results while ensuring sustainable operations.
Ensure regulatory compliance and safety by deploying and auditing global standards (GQS, HACCP), and leading preventive campaigns and corrective actions.
Navigate complex labor environments by implementing national and local union agreements, supporting HR in dispute resolution, and maintaining constructive labor relations.
Ensure implementation of national union agreements at the site level by applying collective bargaining terms, supporting training for HR and operational leaders, and addressing labor-related issues in coordination with regional HR, to maintain compliance and effective employee relations.
Build and maintain a high-performing leadership structure by developing direct reports, ensuring robust succession planning, and promoting cross-functional collaboration.
Promote employee engagement through regular communication, structured feedback mechanisms, and actions aligned with engagement results.
Support regional leadership development by identifying talent for mobility and preparing the next generation of leaders through coaching and development plans.
Promote compliance and operational excellence at the site level by coordinating internal audits, supporting external inspections, and executing crisis preparedness activities, to ensure regulatory adherence and mitigate operational risk.