Business Development Manager – Station Manager Cargo Services
Location: Brussels, On-site
Reporting to: Country Managing Director
About Swissport
We are a global leader in sustainable and responsible airport services provision, renowned for our unwavering commitment to safety, operational excellence, and exceptional service, shaping a future where air travel thrives on reliability, efficiency, and experience.
In 2023, with the support of more than 60,000 colleagues, Swissport provided best-in-class airport ground services for some 232 million airline passengers and handled roughly 4.7 million tons of air freight at 115 cargo centres. Across a global network that is unparalleled in the industry, Swissport served airlines at 286 airports in 44 countries across six continents.
Job Overview
Station Manager Cargo is responsible for overall station performance, combining leadership skills, commercial acumen and the ability to coordinate the support functions that enable Cargo unit to perform. The outcome of your efforts should be a smooth operation that achieves defined productivity levels.
You are the highest local escalation point for customers and other local stakeholders for operational issues. At the same time, you will maintain a longer term, strategic perspective on station performance and needs. You are the first touchpoint for Country MD, cluster heads, and global / cluster support functions on cargo-related questions.
Main Responsibilities
Operational responsibility
* Accountable for all aspects of operational execution at the station level Cargo Business line
* Ensures station operational and financial performance as measured by the relevant KPIs is in line with or exceeds cluster / sub-cluster strategy and objectives
* Accountable for safety in the station; embed QHSE culture in operations in alignment with Cluster, enforces QHSE inspections and audits as required, lead and facilitate investigations, put in place corrective measures
* Implements policies, procedures, and standards from Group / Region, including QHSE, Training and GSE and ensures compliance; identify opportunities for ops. efficiency & process improvement
* Maintains a wider time horizon lens (12 – 18 months) on station strategy and provides input on budget or forecasting processes
Leadership responsibility
* Ensures frontline leadership is effective and capable to perform all responsibilities at their level
* Ensures retention of key talent in the organization
* Responsible for articulating and approving recruitment & training needs in collaboration of Rostering Support, Planning CoE and Training academy
* Serve as direct line manager for BLLs
* Responsible for active Labour Relation management at station level in coordination with HR BP
Commercial responsibility
* Builds and maintains customer relationships at the local level, as well as with local stakeholders such as airports, proactively managing questions or complaints
* Meet with customers on a regular basis to get feedback and monitor satisfaction levels
* Focuses on continuous improvement of quality / productivity and customer retention
* Has an entrepreneurial mindset in scoping for future opportunities at the station in coordination with Cluster Commercial
* Possesses good financial understanding of the P&L; Monitors and analyzes the P&L statements for any variances and take appropriate action
* Provide inputs around local complexities for RFPs
Support functions responsibility
* With support from Business Line Leads and Duty Managers, refines and signs off on centrally provided resource plans based on latest customer schedules, changes in employee availability, or other related events, in order to ensure ability to meet operational targets
* Manage contracted services providers (security, cleaning, porters, staff transport, drivers) to ensure that Swissport standards are upheld and that performance is in line with Standard Level Agreements
* Closely engage with all CoE functions to ensure support services are provided to the station
* Support preparation of country-level regulatory and financial reporting where required together with the country finance team (especially for Country HQs)
Qualifications
* University degree or equivalent, advanced degree in related field or professional certifications are advantageous
Experience
* At least 10 years’ experience in aviation management, majority of years managing cargo business
* A minimum of 3 years’ experience with significant P&L accountability and leadership of large teams
Skills & Competencies
* Demonstrate business acumen, analyzing key performance indicators and focusing on customer
* Display agility, lead and facilitate change
* Excellent working knowledge of business management principles and practices, financial concepts, and key drivers of profitability and operational performance
* Strong managerial, strategic and organizational skills
* Ability to motivate teams to deliver high quality standards
* Ability to establish and maintain positive, professional, internal and external work relationships with all stakeholders and interest groups
* Excellent English, Dutch and French communication skills and ability to communicate and motivate at all levels
* A sense of urgency and a passion for improving the delivery of services with a commitment to continuous improvement
* Personal and professional integrity of the highest level