Director Inflight Base Operations - California
Alaska Airlines
Los Angeles, CA
Full-Time
Alaska Airlines is seeking a highly experienced and motivated aviation leader for the position of Director Inflight Base Operations - California. This full-time position is based in Los Angeles, CA, and is crucial to ensuring superior customer service and operational excellence across multiple Flight Attendant domiciles in California and two airline brands.
Guided by the company's purpose, core values, and leadership principles, the Director Inflight Base Operations - California manages and inspires the Alaska Airlines Inflight leadership team. This role is responsible for overseeing Flight Attendants, ensuring they consistently deliver superior customer service, uphold professional standards, maintain a steadfast commitment to safety, exercise sound judgment, and perform their duties in strict adherence to company policy and the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM).
Key Responsibilities:
- Manages and motivates the Inflight leadership team, focusing on superior customer service, professional standards, safety, and adherence to policies.
- Influences operational outcomes proactively, sets strategic direction, and develops action plans to achieve departmental goals, with a focus on on-time performance, customer service standards, sick leave management, and safety initiatives.
- Cultivates team leadership and development by mentoring direct and indirect reports, fostering career growth, and strengthening the leadership pipeline.
- Supports employee engagement, care, belonging, and opportunities for career succession.
- Champions company and Inflight objectives, effectively managing change initiatives.
- Creates a culture built on trust, support, accountability, and mutual respect within the Inflight teams.
- Leads regular meetings for the Inflight leadership team to ensure consistency and facilitate communication.
- Ensures timely and ongoing communication with Flight Attendants regarding work-rule changes, policies, and company objectives to prevent rumors and address concerns.
- Facilitates effective communication channels between Flight Attendants and supervisory staff.
- Maintains financial objectives through divisional budgeting processes and monthly reviews of base and departmental budgets.
- Possesses and maintains a working knowledge of Flight Attendant procedures, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, and contractual requirements.
- Participates in the Flight Attendant selection and hiring process.
- Partners effectively with other operational groups to achieve overarching company goals.
- Maintains an excellent working relationship with cross-divisional frontline workgroups and Flight Attendant union leadership through collaboration and trust.
Required Qualifications:
- A minimum of 10 years of operational or airline industry experience.
- A minimum of 5 years of experience leading or mentoring teams.
- Demonstrated high energy, positive demeanor, and executive-level presence with excellent written and verbal communication, public speaking, influencing, and motivational skills.
- Proven ability to influence change, initiate actions with strategic impact, and cultivate a high-performance culture.
- Strong interpersonal skills, capable of building collaborative relationships to drive outcomes beneficial to the company, internal teams, and external partners.
- A strong track record of effectively managing teams and developing employees through engagement and mentorship.
- Demonstrated ability to anticipate staff needs and maintain an upbeat, positive, and proactive attitude.
- Experience with contract labor environments.
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 30% of the time.
- A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
- Minimum age of 21 years.
- Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
Preferred Qualifications:
- A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.
- Current or previous Inflight experience.
- A minimum of 2 years of Flight Attendant experience.
Airport SIDA Badge Requirement:
This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain an Airport SIDA badge. Maintaining good standing is mandatory; failure to qualify for or loss of a SIDA badge will result in termination.
Leadership Expectations:
The successful candidate will embody the company's values: own safety, do the right thing, be kind-hearted, deliver performance, and be remarkable. The role requires an innovative, resilient, fact-based, and creative problem-solver capable of thriving in a dynamic, collaborative environment and managing conflict effectively. A professional work ethic and the ability to work effectively with all work groups while addressing issues courageously, directly, and candidly are essential.
Compensation and Benefits:
The expected salary range for this position is $131,350 to $203,600 per year, with actual compensation based on factors such as location, relevant experience, and skillset. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are committed to fair, unbiased compensation and competitive benefits. The total rewards package may include free standby travel on Alaska Airlines & Horizon Air, confirmed travel credits, comprehensive well-being programs (medical, dental, vision), a generous 401k match, quarterly and annual bonus plans, and generous holiday and paid time off.