Global Account Director (Mississauga)

Job Summary

We are looking for motivated, engaged people to help make everyone's journeys better. Responsible for delivering the strategy, customer service, growth and margin of the Air Canada account worldwide with particular focus on the hub operation in Toronto. Additionally, responsible for growing Gategroup’s relationships with Air Canada and growing the total business.

Main Responsibilities

• Be the main interface for Air Canada, including contract, pricing, service and concept changes as well as business development.
• Deliver and manage the Toronto hub contract in Canada and develop the Air Canada account across the breadth of Gategroup’s portfolio worldwide.
• Lead all bids across the world.
• Be the Air Canada champion within Gategroup worldwide.
• Be Gategroup’s champion within Air Canada.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop commercial strategy for the global account.
• Evaluate market research to generate network and customer strategy recommendations to meet changing market and competitive conditions.
• Ensure that Gategroup delivers its commitments for the hub contract and manage the contract's profitability.
• Monitor and drive all SLAs and KPIs for the account.
• Develop bid strategy, sales approach and negotiating tactics for obtaining new and retaining existing business for the respective global account, taking into account the business and contract objectives.
• Develop Gategroup’s overall position and business volume.
• Develop business case analysis or product strategies with a focus on cross‑brand product offerings in coordination with group companies.
• Engage in contract and pricing negotiations with customers, including developing term sheets, reviewing contract proposals, analysing customer proposals and developing recommended counter‑proposals.
• Establish and maintain relationships with customers, industry influencers, and key strategic partners.
• Monitor adherence to standards for commercial contracts, pricing, marketing collateral and product presentations.
• Manage and develop the team, including performance management and objective setting.
• Constantly look for ways to grow and develop the business through customer insights and feedback.
• Anticipate future customer requirements.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor degree required. A Masters is a plus.
• Experience: 10+ years business development, sales, customer service, airline catering and/or related airline or F&B experience.
• Solid customer presence and experience running global blue‑chip accounts.
• Ability to build broad customer relationships with different hierarchical levels and to communicate verbally and in writing with internal and external persons at all levels of the business.
• Familiarity with RFI/RFQ commercial process.
• Financial skill in order to understand P&L, margin improvement to drive customer profitability.
• Team management experience, both directly and in a matrix.
• Ability to anticipate, analyze and solve practical problems/issues at both a strategic and functional level.
• Ability to work in a culturally diverse and international environment.
• Experience working within teams that span various functions/skills and operate in a matrix.
• Proficiency in MS Office with particular strength in Excel and PowerPoint.
• Language/Communication skills: Fluent in English. French language skills are essential.

Job Dimensions

Geographic Responsibility: Global
Type of Employment: Full time
Travel %: No more than 50%

Internal Relationships

• Commercial Function, Managing Directors, Corporate Development, Culinary Excellence, general organization

External Relationships

Customers, vendors

Budget / Revenue Responsibility

(Local Currency)

Organization Structure

• Direct Line Manager: Chief Commercial Officer, Gategroup
• Number of Direct Reports: 2-3
• Estimated Total Size of Team: 5-10 Gategroup

Required Competencies

• 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

Values and Culture

Employees at Gategroup are expected to live our values of Excellence, Integrity, Passion and Accountability. We treat each other with respect and act with integrity. We communicate and keep each other informed. We collaborate to solve problems and deliver excellence as a team. We pay attention to detail, foster accountability, take responsibility and learn from mistakes. We keep commitments and care for coworkers, striving to make someone's day better.

Legal Notices

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, disability or other grounds under applicable law. The company is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. Candidates will be required to go through a criminal background check.