Sr. Mgr., Uqonic Lounge Ops, NA

gategroup•New York, NY

8d•$140,000 - $145,000•Onsite

About The Position

Provides strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of airport lounges in the NA Region. Accountable for delivering a consistently exceptional, personalized, and elevated guest experience grounded in a strong hospitality culture, while also achieving operational, financial, safety, quality, and people-performance objectives. With a strong guest-first mindset, leads and develops Lounge Managers and regional support teams, establishing high standards for hospitality, service delivery and operational excellence across all locations. Drives consistency through shared operating standards, best-practice deployment, performance management, and continuous improvement, while empowering local teams to deliver authentic, anticipatory, and personalized service. Serves as a key operational and hospitality partner to clients, airport authorities, and internal stakeholders, ensuring lounge operations meet contractual commitments, brand expectations, and the evolving needs of guests.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a hospitality management related field is desirable.
Six (6) years of equivalent work experience in hotel or restaurant management may be substituted for a degree.
At least 10 years of progressively responsible management experience within a luxury airline, five-star hospitality, premium restaurant, or international hotel environment is required, in addition to education equivalency.
Proven leadership experience in high-end guest services and hospitality operations.
Prior experience managing premium airport lounges or VIP hospitality environments is highly desirable.
Demonstrated success leading multicultural teams with fast-paced, service-driven operations.
Experience in premium customer experience delivery and service excellence standards.
In depth knowledge of luxury food & beverage operations, hygiene regulations, & international safety standards
In-depth knowledge of HACCP and food safety compliance requirements
Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop high-performing service teams
Strong financial acumen including budgeting, cost control, and resource planning
Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Familiarity with lounge management systems and operational reporting tools is an advantage
Fluent in English and local language; additional international languages are considered an asset
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
Ability to lead effectively under pressure within a complex, high-profile operational environment
Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to build trust, influence decision-making, and foster collaboration
Passion for delivering world-class luxury guest experiences with exceptional attention to detail
Highly developed interpersonal skills with the ability to engage confidently across all levels of seniority and diverse cultural backgrounds
Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
Operationally focused with a proactive and hands-on leadership approach
Ability to maintain the highest standards of discretion, professionalism, and brand representation
Excellent organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize competing demands

Nice To Haves

Prior experience managing premium airport lounges or VIP hospitality environments is highly desirable.
Familiarity with lounge management systems and operational reporting tools is an advantage
Additional international languages are considered an asset

Responsibilities

Provides strong leadership in hospitality, food & beverage operations, premium guest services, and multi-site operational management.
Leads NA regional lounge operations teams, drives continuous improvement initiatives, supports business growth, and serves as the key liaison between airline partners, airport authorities, and internal stakeholders.
Ensures consistent delivery of an exceptional lounge guest experience, driving hospitality standards and brand compliance across all locations.
Champion a customer-centric culture that places the guest experience at the center of operational decision-making through establishing, monitoring, and driving continuous improvement of guest-experience standards, service models, and operating procedures.
Analyze guest feedback, satisfaction data, operational trends, and service failures to identify root causes, address emergent issues, and implement sustainable improvements.
Works closely with the Executive Chef for Lounges to foster strong processes and working practices for FOH and BOH collaboration, consistency and success.
Leads pre-opening, transition, and mobilization activities for new lounge openings and contract transitions.
Drives margin improvement through staffing optimization, procurement efficiencies, and operational best practices.
Identifies opportunities for revenue enhancement and cost savings, while maintaining service excellence.
Collaborates with NA Lounge leadership and supporting departments on contract renewals, RFP responses, and commercial negotiations with airline and airport partners.
Ensures full compliance with food safety, sanitation, health regulations and airport operational standards in all aspects of lounge operations.
Oversees audit readiness and compliance across all lounges, including HACCP, health inspections, and internal quality reviews.
Drives quality assurance programs focused on guest satisfaction, cleanliness, presentation, and service consistency.
Ensures compliance with labor laws and regulations, company policies, security protocols, and airport authority regulations.
Builds strong client relationships through operational transparency, performance reporting, and proactive issue resolution.
Participates in business reviews, executive and customer presentations, and strategic planning sessions with key stakeholders.
Collaborates closely with culinary, procurement, HR, finance, and commercial teams to support operational success.
Leads, mentors, and develops Lounge Managers and regional support teams across the NA Lounge network, building high performing teams focused on accountability, engagement, and service excellence.