Director, Operations, APAC

Airport Dimensions is part of Collinson, acknowledged as a global leader in customer benefits and loyalty.

Collinson has been enhancing the airport experience for over 30 years, with access to lounges, retail, dining, and spa experiences, offers and more. Creators of the world’s largest lounge membership program, Priority Pass provides access to an extensive global lounge and partner network.

Using their expertise and products to craft customer experiences. Collinson’s range of services helps global brands acquire, engage, and retain choice-rich customers.

Airport Dimensions Overview

Airport Dimensions want travellers to value their time at the airport. They continuously seek ways to open new dimensions in customer engagement - using a mix of enriching physical experiences and innovative digital services. From comfortable lounges to restful sleep pods, from convenient food ordering to contactless collection of duty free, Airport Dimensions help improve the travel experience while critically helping airports maximize non-aeronautical revenue opportunities, retain airlines, and become more competitive.

Airport Dimensions has a rapid growing network of locations at the world’s leading airports across the United States, United Kingdom, Middle East & Asia Pacific.  Under our brands The Club, Club Aspire, Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club, No 1 Lounges and sleep ’n fly, Airport Dimensions provides award-winning hospitality services tailored to the specific needs of passengers and has developed value-added experiences for over 50 airport and airline partners.

Purpose of the job:

• The Director, Operations Asia Pacific establishes and drives the guest experience vision, mission, and corporate strategy across AD’s global network of airport experiences.  Leading a team of partners, the position oversees AD’s ambition to expand within the region delivering the guest experience and operational efficiency needed to operate a successful lounges network.  
• The Director, Operations Asia Pacific is responsible for senior level management of AD’s third-party providers ensuring we are optimizing operational capabilities, fiduciary requirements and delivering on required SLAs.
• This position is responsible for development and oversight of a regional operating budget in excess of $10m (£8M) per annum.  The role will be responsible for establishing improvements in operational performance leading to appropriate customer satisfaction, in-lounge staff engagement and collaboration and improved EBITDA.
• Together with other senior internal and external management, the Director will focus on issues of major significance, setting company goals and developing business strategies, often requiring coordination and collaboration across business units.
• The Director, Operations Asia Pacific is a pivotal position that will facilitate the development of AD’s interests in the region, compliantly, profitably and sustainably setting new standards in a new markets which benefit both AD and shareholder value.

Key Responsibilities:

• Overview the operations of partner entities establishing best practices commensurate with AD operating procedures developing consistency within a global portfolio of operating lounge businesses.
• Work with and influence partners to define guest experience and operations strategy, structure, and processes.
• Review how global systems, tools and other AD propriety material can be best utilised within the region building operational project plans to implement the same within partner organisations.
• Review, develop and implement appropriate training regimes that ensure there is business compliance in all areas that also looks to promote a positive guest and colleague experience within our operating entities.
• Negotiate, manage, monitor and evaluate third-party provider relationships leveraging AD’s global network expansion.
• Set comprehensive goals for operational performance growth and improvement within partners SLA’s that will be monitored and reported against at multiple levels within the stakeholder structure.
• Oversee operations and guest experience financial strategy and ensure budgets and financial allocations are aligned to operational strategic priorities.
• Manage the quarterly and annual budgeting process and P&L responsibilities.
• Monitor performance to proactively identify efficiency issues and propose solutions.

• Working with the AD global team establish operational benchmarks and resources needed to achieve strategic goals, proactively driving improvements as necessary.
• Monitor and report customer engagement performance ratings and implement strategic plans for improvements across AD network.  Play an active role in proposition evolution including menu development and use of technological enhancements that will improve GX and operating efficiency.
• Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
• Work with third-party providers to identify opportunities to support AD’s commitment to sustainability within our operation and guest experience.
• Position will be required to travel within the Asia Pacific Region and globally as required to support AD interests both locally and internationally. 
• Director, Operations Asia Pacific will be responsible for developing, gaining approval for and implementing an appropriate structure that will drive the company ambition to grow in the region supporting global ambitions to become the world leader in the sector.
• Overall, this role will initially undertake a root and branch review of the existing business entities and new ones that will come on stream during the course of the next trading period.  This review will develop an operational plan that will establish AD within the region compliantly, profitably and sustainably.

Knowledge, skills and experience required:

Must excel at strategic thinking, be open to new perspectives and better ways to do things

A creative visionary that can effectively put plans into action and manage innovation

A track record of successful financial operations management

Executive-level communication and influencing skills with the ability to resolve issues, build consensus among groups of diverse internal/external stakeholders, and have proven skill in negotiating and mediating conflict

A minimum of 7 years’ experience in a senior leadership role with hospitality operations and guest experience responsibility

Excellent judgement and creative problem-solving skills including negotiation and conflict resolution skills

Energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive; a leader who can positively and productively impact both strategic and tactical initiatives

Comfortable working in a matrix international management structure

Excellent decision-making skills with the ability to delegate tasks appropriately

Critical thinker with ability to multi-task and balance conflicting priorities

A natural inclination for solving complex problems, implementing solutions and driving change.

Person Specification:

The Director,  Operations Asia Pacific Region is an exemplary leader with superb business acumen and a sound understanding guest experience and operations delivery.  They are strategic with a focus on detail and turn strategic vision into operational and financial success.  They have exceptional communication skills and recognize and demonstrate the value of each individual team member and the importance of a strong team.  The Director has the ability to quickly adapt to new responsibilities and situations.  A leader who can navigate the situation with professionalism and identify solutions to problems quickly.  Finally, a leader who is ambitious and creates pathways for succession in order to progress to new more senior roles within the organisation.