COUNTRY MANAGER - BAHRAIN

Overview

Overall incharge of the station/country, including Sales, Airport, Security, Cargo, Finance, HR and Maintenance functions and ensure all the activities in the station are aligned with the company’s mission, strategic objectives, policies and meet all legal, Governmental and other requirements and regulations. Administratively manage staff and the station budget, increase market shares and revenues, provide high quality of customer service, extend all the necessary support required in the Airport operations, organize and chair monthly station coordination meeting, liaise with concerned management and stake-holders in the HDQ and provide monthly reports on station activities. Represent Gulf Air as the senior executive in the station/country.

MAIN DUTIES

1. Undertake full responsibility of the station/country, including Airport, Security, Cargo, Finance, HR and Maintenance to ensure the functions of the station run to utmost satisfaction of the respective functional division.
2. Organize and chair a monthly Station Coordination meeting with all functional heads in the station to enhance synergy and team work and send copy of the minutes of such meeting to all concerned management and stake-holders in the HDQ.
3. Manage the station budget and all resources to ensure optimum utilization, control items of expenditure to pre-determine budgetary levels by maintaining a strict cost control policy, in particular commission costs of our GSAs and all other distributions, training and manpower development.
4. Manage service providers and ensure GF receives all services under the contracts with third parties.
5. In the event of flight disruption and operational requirements, extend all necessary support in the Airport, including being personally present at the airport to protect the safety and security of whole operation, including aircraft and passengers and to ensure the flight is released on time or with minimum damage caused to GF prestige.
6. Increase market share and revenues and drive the performance of the business unit, with the objective to ensure the delivery of the customer services, increase market share and focus on high yield premium revenue and contribution.
7. Develop, recommend, implement and monitor the Area or Country Business Plan including business priorities, revenue and cost of sales target and Key Performance Indicators for all commercial activity. Ensure clear and robust activity plans are in place and that the results are closely monitored and analysed to maximize contribution.
8. Formulate a viable marketing or business plan, designed to achieve set objectives, increase market share and revenues at optimal costs.
9. Champion the GF brand values in the area or country of responsibility through all sales and marketing activities, especially promotions and those with media involvement, to ensure strong visibility / communication is maintained within the assigned territory with an aim to increase the regional profile of GF.
10. Continuously explore areas to generate revenue to exceed required targets. Initiate and maintain regular contact with principal officers in government departments and companies, travel organizers, and tour companies to ensure travel where possible is on the services of Gulf Air.
11. Monitor progress against revenue and targets, analyse and comment on the monthly traffic / revenue reports and recommend and implement any changes to existing plans and operating budgets.
12. Liaise with HDQ Commercial Planning and Network Revenue Management Department to identify, review and recommend changes to tariffs or schedules that could improve the area performance.
13. Provide feedback and recommendations to management with regard to product design and specifications, developing alternate routes and destinations, changes in existing destinations, opening and closing of stations, fares, in‑flight products & services and timings to ensure a cutting edge vis‑a‑vis the competitors.
14. Be commercially aware of all issues affecting regional performance including competitor’s activities that could ultimately affect GF business. Monitor and assess their initiatives and costs to take tactical actions and to feed intelligence to the management.
15. Ensure business continuity across the business area by establishing strong partnering relationships across all parts of the Marketing & Sales organization so that the business unit operates seamlessly and is easy for its stakeholders to do business with.
16. Maintain and improve personnel standards of customer services, business sense and positive performance to ensure all available opportunities are capitalized upon.
17. Represent GF as the Senior Executive in the area or country when interfacing or negotiating with Governments, Civil Service, GSAs, Travel Agents, Handling Companies and other organizations in collaboration with Ground Services, Security, Cargo and Engineering.
18. Responsible for safety and security of GF operations, staff, property and assets within the area/country of operation.
19. Develop teamwork, demonstrating shared goals and values. Provide leadership guidance and support to all staff in the station/country. Enable the functional heads in the station to ensure staffs are recruited, trained and motivated to the standards set in the People KPI by recognizing performance. Provide, where appropriate, a succession plan for the station.
20. Exercise effective management of the station staff in terms of selecting, training, motivating, evaluating and disciplining subordinates in appropriate liaison with HR function.
21. Prepare and plan the schedule of annual leave of the functional heads in the station in coordination with concerned functional management in HDQ.
22. Authorized to sign all contracts within the local limit (BD 10,000) in accordance with the GF procurement and BTB regulation.
23. Supervises the preparation of the Department’s annual plans and capital and operating budgets and once approved, controls expenditure and staffing against these plans and budgets.
24. Country Manager (CM) is deputized by the Airport Manager (APM) during his absence and annual leave to ensure the station functions smoothly. CM plans the Annual Leave with the APM in order to prevent their annual leave being overlapped. The approval of the APM’s annual leave is vested in CM in liaison with Manager Outstations.
25. Direct the APM in relation to all legal and Government affairs. APM has the responsibility of complying with local protocol and will report directly to CM in such matters.

Experience

Minimum 10 years’ experience in the field of sales and marketing of which at least 7 years had been in management and supervisory capacity. The jobholder should have adequate background in major airline business processes.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level.
• Must be computer literate, with proven excellent people management and motivational skills, high level of entrepreneurial skill, resilient and culturally sensitive with high communication and motivational ability.
• Must be able to create strong partnering relationships at a senior level with internal and external contacts, including heads of governments, airlines and business associates.