General Manager – Airline Catering Operations

We’re looking for motivated, engaged people to help make everyone’s journeys better.

The General Manager (GM) is responsible for leading all aspects of a single airline catering unit, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient operations while delivering exceptional customer service and achieving financial and operational targets. This role drives day-to-day execution, people leadership, and continuous improvement in alignment with gategroup’s standards and strategic priorities.

Scope: $80 Million + in revenue, 10+ Airline customers, 400+ FTEs

Annual Hiring Range/Hourly Rate:

• $165K - $175K Per Year

• This position is eligible for incentive pay of 20% of the annual base salary, dependent upon successful attainment of company, team, and individual goals.

Benefits

• Paid time off

• 401k, with company match

• Company sponsored life insurance

• Medical, dental, vision plans

• Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance

• Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans

• Employee Assistance Program

• Employee Discounts

Main Duties and Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership & Execution

• Lead daily operations across all departments including food production, transportation, equipment processing, warehousing, and quality assurance.

• Ensure consistent delivery of customer specifications, on-time performance, and service excellence across all airline accounts.

• Monitor and drive performance against key operational KPIs including labor productivity, food cost, waste, and quality.

• Implement and sustain SOPs, Lean initiatives, and continuous improvement practices within the unit.

People & Culture Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop department managers and frontline teams to drive accountability and high performance.

• Foster a safety-first, inclusive, and high-engagement culture aligned with company values.

• Support hiring, training, and succession planning to build a strong leadership pipeline.

• Ensure compliance with labor agreements and maintain positive employee relations.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with HACCP, FDA, TSA, OSHA, airline specifications, and company quality standards.

• Maintain audit readiness and successfully support customer, regulatory, and internal audits.

• Drive proactive risk management, defect prevention, and corrective/preventive actions.

Customer & Stakeholder Management

• Maintain strong day-to-day relationships with airline customers and local stakeholders.

• Ensure rapid issue resolution, clear communication, and high levels of customer satisfaction.

• Partner with commercial, culinary, and support functions to deliver service excellence and support business needs.

Financial & Business Performance

• Own unit-level financial performance, including labor and food cost control, productivity, and budget adherence.

• Monitor financial and operational KPIs, identifying gaps and implementing corrective actions.

• Support forecasting, reporting, and cost improvement initiatives.

Continuous Improvement & Execution

• Drive Lean/OPEX initiatives to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance operational performance.

• Support implementation of operational systems, tools, and standard processes (e.g., GPS).

• Contribute to local execution of ESG initiatives (waste reduction, energy efficiency, etc.).

• Balance time across people leadership, operational execution, and customer focus in line with business priorities 

Key Success Metrics

• Safety & Compliance: OSHA rates, ramp safety performance, food safety performance, audit results

• Customer: Safety, on-time performance (OTP), service quality, customer satisfaction

• Financial: Labor cost, food cost, productivity, budget adherence

• People: Retention, engagement, training completion, team performance

• Operations: Waste reduction, efficiency, adherence to SOPs

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in high-volume operations (airline catering, food manufacturing, logistics, or similar).

• Strong operational and financial management skills.

• Knowledge of food safety and regulatory requirements (HACCP, FDA, etc.).

• Experience managing diverse teams in a fast-paced, unionized environment preferred.

• Continuous improvement (Lean/OPEX) experience preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in business administration or a related field if preferred

Work Experience:

• Successful track record as a Manager or Assistant Manager in airline catering required.

• 10+ years of experience in in-flight catering or food manufacturing environment required.

• Demonstrated experience with managing financials with budget responsibility required.

• Demonstrated knowledge of Lean manufacturing principles and/or six sigma and continuous improvement methodologies preferred.

• Proven experience successfully managing a team of supervisors and managers required.

• Previous customer service and/or account management experience required.

• Strong track record of innovation and making changes to the operation to further improve the work environment and unit performance

• Labor relations experience is required.

Technical Skills: (Certification, Licenses and Registration)

• Candidate should be comfortable with all levels of employees and have the ability to drive positive program change.

• Must be a Team builder with the ability to lead and motivate a diverse management and hourly staff.

• Must have strong and effective leadership skills

• Excellent problem solving skills, planning and scheduling capabilities managing multiple account requirements

• Ability to effectively manage the operation while maintaining compliance in a heavy regulated environment e.g. FDA, HACCP and security.

• Advanced Microsoft office tool skills (excel, word).

• Knowledge of quality auditing, inspection methods.

• Detail oriented and excellent project management skills.

• Strong organizational skills, able to prioritize responsibilities and multi-task.

• Change Agent.

• Able to obtain an AOA badge and customs seal

Language / Communication Skills:

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with multiple departments and customers

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Job Dimensions

Geographic Responsibility: Unit

Type of Employment: Full-time

Travel %: Up to 25% as required to attend management or leadership team meetings

Exemption Classification: Exempt

Internal Relationships: Unit and leadership employees

External Relationships:10+ Airline customers / Vendors

Work Environment / Requirements of the Job:

• Regularly, stands, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during shifts of 10+ hours.

• In a normal production kitchen facility there may be physical discomfort due to temperature and noise.

• Must be able to lift, push, pull and move product, equipment, supplies, etc., in excess of twenty-five (25) pounds.

• A rotating schedule of 55+ hours per week is typical.

Budget / Revenue Responsibility:$80 Million + in revenue

Organization Structure

Direct Line Manager (Title): VP of Operations or Dir, Business Unit

Dotted Line Manager (Title, if applicable):  NA

Number of Direct Reports: 400+ FTEs

Number of Dotted Line Reports:

Estimated Total Size of Team: Varies by unit 20+

gategroup Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job:

• Thinking – Information Search and analysis & problem resolution skills

• Engaging – Understanding others, Team Leadership and Developing People

• Inspiring – Influencing and building relationships, Motivating and Inspiring, Communicating effectively

• Achieving – Delivering business results under pressure, Championing Performance Improvement and Customer Focus

Demonstrated Values to be Successful in the Position

Employees at gategroup are expected to live our Values of Excellence, Integrity, Passion and Accountability. To demonstrate these Values, we expect to observe the following from everyone:

• We treat each other with respect and we act with integrity

• We communicate and keep each other informed

• We put our heads together to problem solve and deliver excellence as a team

• We have passion for our work and we pay attention to the little details

• We foster an environment of accountability, take responsibility for our actions and learn from our mistakes

• We do what we say we will do, when we say we are going to do it

• We care about our coworkers, always taking an opportunity to make someone’s day better

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required.  Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary.  In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

gategroup is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status or other category under applicable law.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

We anticipate that this job will close on:

04/13/2026

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If you want to be part of a team that helps make travel and culinary memories, join us!