About us
Gate Gourmet, a gategroup company, is the world's largest independent provider of catering and provisioning services for the airline industry. For the past 70 years, we have served over 250 carriers in more than 30 countries. Gate Gourmet combines culinary expertise with the highest standards of food safety and production to deliver delicious, healthy, and affordable meals to over 270 million travelers around the globe.
Job Summary
Studio Ellen is the Gate Gourmet test kitchen dedicated to menu development for United Airlines. The Studio Ellen Hospitality and Commercial Manager will report to the Global Account Director for United Airlines, with a dotted line to the Studio Ellen Dedicated Executive Chef. Responsibilities include leading the planning and execution of all events hosted in and by Studio Ellen on behalf of gategroup, and as a brand ambassador, ensuring guests are welcomed with the highest hospitality standards, displaying gategroup’s expertise and values, and overseeing the complete journey of guests.
Provides support to the Global Account Director to ensure customer satisfaction and compliance with requirements, ensuring the high level of customer service United guests can expect from GG at all locations for the selected projects. In this role, the manager will liaise with different GG locations as applicable, implement required actions to protect GG interests complying with internal governance and policies, and promote excellent communication channel internally and externally.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Coordinates and executes events at Studio Ellen, including planning, set-up and execution, thus ensuring a flawless, professional and high-end guest experience.
- Oversees the complete journey of Studio Ellen guests, ensuring maximum delivery and high-end service.
- Acts as the main liaison to guests, ensuring a personalized interaction, and that all needs and requirements are met and anticipated during event planning and execution.
- Communicates and coordinates the execution of daily logistics to the relevant teams and partners.
- Responsible for budgeting and monitoring hospitality-related event expenses.
- Conducts monthly and post-event cost analyses to the Global Account Director, United Airlines.
- Handles contractors and contracts of external providers, responsible for expenses, and coordinates with the building management company, GG Procurement and Accounts Payable, as needed. Builds a strong customer relationship with United Airlines and provide high level of customer support.
- Acts as interface between Customer and Internal Stakeholders at all GG Locations where applicable.
- Support the development of commercial strategy related to Studio Ellen activities for United Airlines applicable to all GG locations.
- Supports the Global Account Director in thoughtful development of account, relationship, and communication plans, ensuring proper execution of the plans,
- Coordinate input from Pricing, Financial Planning, Operations, and Sales stakeholders in order to provide analytics in development of business cases, and commercial negotiations as required and assigned.
- Supports commercial processes and reporting requirements.
- Conducts and supports ad-hoc analyses on commercial issues as assigned.
- Works with high service standards allowing timely answers to customer’s concerns and needs applicable to all GG locations for United Airlines.
- Channels the client’s needs through a two-way communication, in an efficient and timely manner that allows delivering the service in the agreed conditions applicable to all GG locations.
- Creates regular reports on Customer Key Performance Indicators (KPI) related to Studio Ellen and or as assigned by the Global Account Director.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as with small teams and large groups.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate different stakeholders and to communicate with all management levels.
- Well-organized; Works well under pressure and within tight and ever-changing deadlines.
- Must be able to adjust and/or resolve ever-changing and last-minute arrangements and requests of events/functions.
- Proven experience in guest relations management, hospitality and service.
- Hospitality mindset with a strong attention to detail.
- Solid understanding of hospitality procedures and best practices, especially service.
- Outstanding communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills.
- Problem-solving attitude.
- Impeccable and professional appearance.
- Support and encourage teamwork.
Education and Work Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in hospitality or event management strongly preferred.
- At least five (5) years’ progressively responsible experience in hospitality and/or event management, to include event budget planning; previous experience within a corporate environment a plus.
- Culinary, Hotel Management and event planning and management background is required.
- Able to communicate effectively through both written and oral presentations.
Language / Communication Skills:
- Fluency in English.
- Fluency in other languages would be a plus.
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.