Operations Supervisor

DO•Detroit, MI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

DO & CO is seeking a self-directed Operations Supervisor to oversee airline catering operations from production and dispatch through final delivery to aircraft. The role coordinates daily activities, supervises teams, monitors flight requirements, and ensures safe, accurate, and timely catering execution within the Airport Operations Area (AOA). The Supervisor works with DO & CO Operations, Catering Dispatch, Delta Air Lines Tower personnel, and other stakeholders to identify operational risks, resolve service issues, support on-time departures, and uphold food safety, quality, and customer service standards. The position oversees operational workflows and team performance, coordinates last-mile aircraft servicing, and supports flight prioritization and charter operations. It also reinforces food safety and ramp safety, maintains regulatory compliance and operational readiness, supports irregular operations and business continuity, and communicates operational updates, incidents, and corrective actions. The role requires proficiency with airline catering systems and Microsoft Office, and flexibility to work varying shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Experience in airline catering, airport operations, logistics, dispatch, transportation, or a related operational environment.
Strong understanding of end-to-end airline catering processes, including production, packing, dispatch, transportation, and ramp execution.
Working knowledge of food safety, HACCP principles, and operational safety requirements.
Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis and decision-making under pressure.
Excellent written and verbal English communication skills and ability to collaborate with frontline employees, company leadership, airline stakeholders, and Flight Attendants.
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, lead teams, and coordinate timely solutions in a fast-paced environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to learn and use operational systems effectively.
Ability to work extended periods on foot and in environments with varying temperatures.
Flexibility to work varying shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays, based on operational needs.
Ability to obtain and maintain required airport security clearances, airport-issued identification badges such as SIDA or AOA, and applicable AOA driving authorizations.
Compliance with applicable TSA, U.S. Customs, and airport authority requirements for airport-related positions, including 49 CFR 1542.209 where applicable.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily airline catering operations, including production coordination, packing, assembly, dishwashing, transportation, logistics, and aircraft dispatch.
Supervise operational workflows and processing times to prevent delays, missing items, and service disruptions.
Lead, train, schedule, and motivate operational team members to maintain productivity and quality standards.
Distribute operational updates and customer specifications to relevant departments and coordinate with production and dispatch teams to ensure flight readiness and compliance with quality standards.
Coordinate last-mile catering activities within the AOA for safe, efficient, and timely aircraft servicing.
Monitor Flight Family for missing items, equipment, or discrepancies and coordinate corrective actions with Catering Dispatch.
Monitor changing operational conditions, establish local priorities, and coordinate flight prioritization to protect on-time departures.
Support Delta Air Lines charter operations and related catering requirements.
Partner with Delta Tower personnel, ramp coordination, and gate operations teams to facilitate catering truck access, reduce gate congestion, and respond to aircraft swaps and other changes.
Support Flight Attendants with catering-related questions, concerns, and last-minute requirements in coordination with operational teams.
Serve as a primary point of contact for catering-related delays and service issues; support root cause analysis, documentation, and follow-up.
Communicate significant operational developments, service risks, and corrective actions to DO & CO leadership and customer stakeholders.
Reinforce food safety, quality assurance, ramp safety, and operational standards across catering activities.
Ensure catering operations comply with applicable airline, airport, TSA, U.S. Customs, food safety, and other regulatory requirements.
Apply working knowledge of HACCP principles and support food safety compliance during delays, gate returns, and irregular operations.
Monitor weather, airport restrictions, and other conditions affecting catering operations, and implement applicable high-wind safety protocols.
Maintain familiarity with business continuity plans and support their execution during disruptions and irregular operations.
Identify operational risks, escalate food safety or service concerns, and coordinate timely corrective actions.
Use Flight Family, IFX, O2P, GP4, and other operational systems to support airline catering operations.
Maintain timely communication among operations, dispatch, production teams, Delta Tower personnel, and other stakeholders.
Maintain situational awareness of daily performance and provide updates, incident documentation, and escalations as needed.
Use Outlook, Excel, and Word for communication, reporting, and operational follow-up.