Manager, Air Operations

Grand Circle•Boston, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Grand Circle Corporation is the leader in international travel, adventure and discovery for Americans aged 50+. Headquartered in Boston MA, and with more than 45 offices globally, more than two million Americans have traveled with our award-winning travel brands: Grand Circle Cruise Line, Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Travel. We’re seeking a results-oriented Manager, Air Operations to lead critical air operational activities that support traveler service, operational efficiency, and financial performance. This role serves as the primary point of coordination between airline partners, Air Operations, Call Center, Air Auditing, and regional teams, ensuring timely communication, operational execution, and issue resolution across the organization. Success in this role requires strong airline industry knowledge, attention to detail, analytical thinking, and the ability to drive accountability across multiple teams. This role is less about managing people and more about leading change. Success depends on your ability to influence teams you do not manage, challenge the status quo, build alignment across stakeholders, and turn ideas into measurable operational improvements.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in airline, travel, or air operations.
Strong knowledge of airline ticketing, schedule changes, waivers, refunds, reissues, and ADM management.
Experience working directly with airline partners and cross-functional operational teams.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and travel industry systems, including GDS platforms (Amadeus).

Responsibilities

Lead communication and coordination between airline partners and internal stakeholders.
Manage the distribution and implementation of airline policies, procedures, contract updates, ticketing changes, waivers, and operational initiatives.
Monitor operational trends and recurring issues, identify improvement opportunities, and recommend solutions.
Coordinate airline waivers, fare issues, schedule change implementation, and operational escalations.
Administer airline web portals and ensure timely communication of critical updates.
Support operational efficiency initiatives and identify air savings opportunities.
Own reporting and analysis related to call center air-related errors and operational performance.
Facilitate recurring reviews with call center leadership to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
Partner with Air Auditing to review and reduce preventable ADMs.
Oversee schedule change reporting and ensure timely resolution of traveler impacts.
Ensure airline refund and reissue requests are processed accurately and within established service levels.
Identify and implement opportunities that improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Support operational teams during disruptions and high-impact airline events.