Manager, Disaster Response

Airbnb

4d•Remote

About The Position

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way. The Community You Will Join: When a significant incident impacts, or threatens to impact, our community or company, Global Crisis Management works to coordinate a swift and effective company-wide response to the crisis in order to mitigate harm and best support those affected. Our team is composed of dedicated professionals who possess both a breadth and depth of institutional knowledge striving to always do the right thing in intense, and often ambiguous, situations. The Difference You Will Make: As Manager, Disaster Response within the Global Crisis Management team, you will play a pivotal role in a dynamic team dedicated to mitigating the impact of unexpected events by preparing, acting decisively, and doing what is right for all of our stakeholders. A Typical Day: Team Leadership & Development Lead the daily operations of a team of global Disaster Response Coordinators, ensuring consistent execution, sound judgment, and high-quality output. Coach, mentor, and develop team members through ongoing feedback, performance management, and career development planning. Establish clear expectations, workflows, and quality standards across the team. Identify performance trends and gaps, implementing targeted coaching and training to drive continuous improvement. Foster an inclusive, accountable, and high-performing team culture. Own the design and delivery of team programming, including agendas and content for team gatherings, training, and offsites to drive alignment and growth. Operational Oversight & Quality Ensure smooth day-to-day operations, including disaster queue management, escalation handling, and workload balancing. Take ownership of critical operational tasks while remaining agile in response to emerging needs and shifting priorities. Partner with the Disaster Response Lead to execute team priorities, processes, and tooling enhancements. Lead the team in delivering company-wide and strategic initiatives aligned with organizational goals. Collaborate with Senior Coordinators to refine global operational workflows, driving consistency and excellence across regions. Proactively identify challenges and opportunities, driving improvements to workflows, tooling, and overall operational efficiency, and ensuring effective implementation of solutions. Disaster Response & Cross-Functional Collaboration Apply strong judgment to assess disaster impact and guide response actions, supporting the team in day-to-day response management. Partner closely with the Disaster Response Lead and Regional Senior Coordinators during high-severity and enterprise-wide crises to drive coordinated, global responses. Maintain close, ongoing alignment with Regional Senior Coordinators on response strategy, coverage, and execution. Provide clear guidance and oversight during complex or sensitive situations, ensuring decisions are timely, well-reasoned, and aligned with company priorities. Coordinate execution of high-stakes crisis responses in collaboration with the Disaster Response Lead, managing urgent and nuanced scenarios with precision and care. Build strong cross-functional partnerships (e.g., Community Support, Legal, Public Policy, Communications) to enable effective decision-making and cohesive, end-to-end responses. Individual Development Anticipate global trends and emerging threats, proactively researching their potential impact on Airbnb’s operations and community. Champion learning and development by pursuing opportunities to enhance knowledge, skills, and industry expertise, setting an example for the broader team. Actively contribute to the evolution of disaster response and crisis management practices, positioning Airbnb as an industry leader in global crisis preparedness.

Requirements

A minimum of 8 years in formal leadership and direct supervision roles, with global leadership experience being a strong advantage.
Strong experience in formal coaching, development, and training.
Demonstrated business acumen and ability to align team execution with organizational priorities.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and effectively.
Outstanding attention to detail, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and a track record of reliable follow-through.
Willingness to work weekends and adjust to flexible hours to effectively support a 24/7 team spanning three regions.
Capacity to work unexpected hours during critical situations or emergencies.
Availability to travel occasionally as required.

Responsibilities

Lead the daily operations of a team of global Disaster Response Coordinators, ensuring consistent execution, sound judgment, and high-quality output.
Coach, mentor, and develop team members through ongoing feedback, performance management, and career development planning.
Establish clear expectations, workflows, and quality standards across the team.
Identify performance trends and gaps, implementing targeted coaching and training to drive continuous improvement.
Foster an inclusive, accountable, and high-performing team culture.
Own the design and delivery of team programming, including agendas and content for team gatherings, training, and offsites to drive alignment and growth.
Ensure smooth day-to-day operations, including disaster queue management, escalation handling, and workload balancing.
Take ownership of critical operational tasks while remaining agile in response to emerging needs and shifting priorities.
Partner with the Disaster Response Lead to execute team priorities, processes, and tooling enhancements.
Lead the team in delivering company-wide and strategic initiatives aligned with organizational goals.
Collaborate with Senior Coordinators to refine global operational workflows, driving consistency and excellence across regions.
Proactively identify challenges and opportunities, driving improvements to workflows, tooling, and overall operational efficiency, and ensuring effective implementation of solutions.
Apply strong judgment to assess disaster impact and guide response actions, supporting the team in day-to-day response management.
Partner closely with the Disaster Response Lead and Regional Senior Coordinators during high-severity and enterprise-wide crises to drive coordinated, global responses.
Maintain close, ongoing alignment with Regional Senior Coordinators on response strategy, coverage, and execution.
Provide clear guidance and oversight during complex or sensitive situations, ensuring decisions are timely, well-reasoned, and aligned with company priorities.
Coordinate execution of high-stakes crisis responses in collaboration with the Disaster Response Lead, managing urgent and nuanced scenarios with precision and care.
Build strong cross-functional partnerships (e.g., Community Support, Legal, Public Policy, Communications) to enable effective decision-making and cohesive, end-to-end responses.
Anticipate global trends and emerging threats, proactively researching their potential impact on Airbnb’s operations and community.
Champion learning and development by pursuing opportunities to enhance knowledge, skills, and industry expertise, setting an example for the broader team.
Actively contribute to the evolution of disaster response and crisis management practices, positioning Airbnb as an industry leader in global crisis preparedness.