Chief Operations Officer, North America

Chief Operations Officer

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

The Chief Operations Officer of gategroup NA is responsible for defining and implementing the regional operations strategy across North American operations and deploying the group's operational excellence transformation. This involves streamlining operations through unified data and standard processes, ultimately driving efficiency and continuous improvement across regional operations, and positively impacting the overall business. The COO will be responsible for operational excellence, standardization, QHSSE, compliance, operational performance, procurement, and supply chain management. The COO develops plans and drives initiatives for optimizing and standardizing the organization's operations function in alignment with the company's overall business strategy and vision, for the satisfaction of customer requirements, profit and growth objectives, cost control and budgeting, Workforce Management, capital planning, strategic business development, risk, and compliance activities. As a member of the North American Executive Council (NAEC) and the Leadership Team (NALT), this role reports to the President of gategroup NA, with a matrix functional reporting line to the group COO, serving as a single point of contact (POC) for delivering exceptional operational practices across gategroup NA.

Main Duties and Responsibilities :

• Define and implement the regional operational strategy, ensuring it aligns with the overall corporate strategy.
• Oversee operational performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Proactively identify operational process improvement initiatives to optimize efficiency and profitability and seek to transfer best practices across organizations.
• Manage HSSE risks and implement mitigation plans in coordination with corporate standards.
• Implement quality process as aligned with corporate guidelines across the region to build customer loyalty, minimizing waste, rework, and complaints, ensuring products and services are safe and reliable.
• Establish the region's procurement strategy and ensure supply chain resilience.
• Establish and maintain a consolidated KPI dashboard to measure, compare, and understand operational and financial performance across North American operations.
• Deliver on-site audit programs to ensure that the operational activities conform with all applicable rules / regulations and contractual obligations, and identify optimized service delivery.
• Review and leverage all opportunities offered by digitalization and technology to continuously raise the bar and enhance the company's operations in accordance with the corporate guidelines.
• Participate in defining regional operational performance targets and support the development of annual budgets for all North American operational units.
• Contribute to the development of annual strategic plans and set operational targets in alignment with corporate strategy.
• Build, mentor, and lead the COO team, fostering a culture that embodies Gategroup's core values.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and proactive risk management.

Qualifications Education and Certifications :

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred.

Lean Six Sigma for process improvement and efficiency.

ERP system expertise, with a strong focus on data management and analytics.

Work Experience :

15+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations or performance management, ideally within airline catering, aviation, logistics, or large-scale foodservice.

Strong track record of setting and delivering against operational KPIs.

Leadership experience with comparable business models and similar key success factors.

At least 10 years of experience in Operations Management, preferably in the aviation industry.

A proven track record leading a business with a similar size, complexity, and geographic scope.

Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

Competencies :

Strong and demonstrated strategic thinking with the ability to execute.

Proven ability to prioritize and execute across multiple projects simultaneously, while adapting to changing business needs and priorities.

Possess a deep understanding of the company's processes and systems to make informed decisions and provide strategic leadership to operational teams.

Able to manage organizational dynamics, including strategic ambiguity, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced, dynamic setting.

Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to addressing issues and preventing potential impacts on the company.

Demonstrated communication, leadership, and influencing skills, with a track record of effectively engaging diverse stakeholders.

Language / Communication Skills :

Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers, both verbally and in writing.

Ability to manage, lead, and collaborate with multiple managers and project team members.

Job Dimensions :

Geographic Responsibility : North America (US and Canada)

Type of Employment : Full Time

Travel % : up to 50%