Position: Account Manager
Location: Flying Food Group LAI
Reports to: Operations Manager
Overview:
Flying Food Group (FFG) is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Account Manager to oversee up to four airline accounts at our Los Angeles (LAI) unit. The Account Manager serves as the primary liaison between the airline clients and our unit, ensuring that all aspects of inflight catering operations meet customer expectations and comply with service-level agreements. This role is essential to maintaining strong customer relationships, ensuring smooth operations, and delivering the highest standards of inflight catering service.
The Account Manager will also be responsible for gathering and analyzing operational data, participating in menu presentations, managing equipment and inventory, addressing customer feedback, and leading day-to-day interactions with our airline clients.
Key Responsibilities:
Customer Relationship Management:
- Serve as the main point of contact for all assigned airline accounts.
- Maintain effective communication with airline representatives, ensuring all customer needs are met.
- Build and sustain strong, long-term relationships with clients, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Facilitate customer feedback processes, ensuring swift and effective resolution of issues.
Operational Management:
- Coordinate daily flight catering services, ensuring timely and accurate fulfillment of airline specifications by creating tags, diagrams, etc.
- Supervise the loading and unloading of catering deliveries, ensuring all equipment, meals, and supplies meet airline requirements.
- Work closely with operations, culinary, and transportation teams to ensure seamless service to our customers.
- Prepare and present regular operational and performance data, analyzing trends and recommending process improvements.
- Ensure accurate delivery of meal counts, menus, and equipment while verifying that orders align with billing.
Menu Management and Presentations:
- Collaborate with chefs, culinary teams, and airline representatives to organize and participate in menu tastings, presentations, and menu reviews.
- Prepare materials for menu presentations and menu cycle changes, ensuring all required information is accurately documented and presented.
- Lead menu review meetings.
- Coordinate with culinary and purchasing & storeroom teams to ensure availability of required ingredients and compliance with airline specifications.
Inventory and Equipment Management:
- Oversee the management of airline material to ensure inventory levels are maintained and items are cleaned, packed, and ready for use.
- Work with the purchasing & storeroom and warehouse teams to ensure that airline-specific inventory levels are maintained and that all equipment meets airline standards.
- Ensure timely and accurate submission of airline inventories without fail.
Data and Reporting:
- Compile operational data and performance metrics, providing detailed reports to management.
- Analyze customer feedback and operational performance to identify trends and areas for improvement.
- Provide recommendations for improving service quality and operational efficiency based on data analysis.
- Assist in developing continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing information flow and data management.
Compliance and Quality Assurance:
- Ensure compliance with airline specifications, food safety standards, and operational protocols.
- Collaborate with the Food Safety and Quality teams to address any audit findings, customer concerns, or regulatory compliance requirements.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with the operations, culinary, purchasing & storeroom, and transportation teams to ensure successful execution of inflight catering services.
- Coordinate with HR and finance on labor management, customer billing, and cost control measures.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in business, hospitality management, or related field (preferred).
- Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in airline catering, hospitality, or a related industry.
- Proven experience in managing customer relationships, operational data analysis, and inventory management.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal teams and external customers.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, demonstrating excellent problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge of inflight catering operations and airline specifications is highly desirable.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and familiarity with inventory management software.
Key Competencies:
- Customer-focused mindset.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Attention to detail.
- Problem-solving ability.
- Analytical thinking.
- Team collaboration.