Principal Catering Operations

Alaska Airlines • Seatac, WA

1d • $122,800 - $184,200 • Onsite

About The Position

The Principal for Catering Operations is the sole subject matter expert in and held accountable to ensuring Alaska and Hawaiian’s catering partners deliver catering requirements safely, on-time and accurately. As an individual contributor, this role defines the long-term strategy for catering at our hubs and outstations and ensures the strategy and operational monitoring aligns with Alaska Air Group performance metrics and requirements for the network.

Requirements

• 7 years of experience in operations management, performance management, supply chain management, supplier performance, safety management or related field.
• Bachelor’s degree or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree.
• Demonstrated ability to drive results when corrective action is needed.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage a large-scale change by utilizing change management best practices.
• Proven supplier management track record.
• Excellent written and verbal skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and Smartsheet.
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule based on business need.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

• Airline catering, food and beverage or hospitality experience.
• Six Sigma or equivalent certifications.
• Strong working knowledge of World Food Safety Guidelines and HAACP compliance.

Responsibilities

• Acts as the lead subject matter expert in internal catering operations polices, procedures and systems and hold catering partners accountable to Alaska Air Group’s requirement and contracted SLAs/KPIs.
• Define long-term strategy for new steady state performance monitoring of catering partners while considering needs of Alaska Air Group’s performance metrics and requirements.
• Independently oversees the catering operations cycle in its entirety for the scope of their portfolio - including KPI tracking and management, kitchen audits, reviews, investigations and risk-based process audits and reports. Responsible for administering follow-up audits and developing recovery plans for failing kitchens.
• Proactively identifies areas of corrective action based on data and collaborates with catering partners on plans to address.
• Influence across company and several levels up on operational changes to support and enhance reliability of catering operation.
• Maintain influential and productive relationships with airline and inflight leaders as well as operational leaders and General Managers at catering partners.
• Responsible for overseeing strategies requiring change management (e.g. menu refreshes, new station startups).
• Leads cross-divisional projects driven by catering changes, including executing effective use of SMS, communications to stakeholders, and effective change management through completion.
• Represents food and beverage team and serves as key point-of-contact to assigned station leaders including AOCS, inflight, maintenance and flight operations.
• Collaborates with airport operations and inflight departments to identify areas requiring corrective action or other opportunities while providing timely follow up.
• Holds caterers accountable to be self-sufficient in managing nuances in the Alaska Air Group operation by setting up processes to do so (e.g. for IRROPS, aircraft swaps, etc.).
• Identifies and executes strategies that both enhance operational performance but also produce cost synergies.
• Leads large-scale business transformation processes that include vendor and real estate changes.
• This role will own the long-term strategy of Alaska Air group Inc’s largest in hub in Seattle.

Benefits

• Free stand-by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air
• Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous 401k match program
• Annual bonus plans
• Generous holiday and paid time off

What This Job Offers

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