Manager, Operation & Administration Strategy

Recruiter for the role:

Airport Dimensions is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Manager, Operations & Administrative Strategy to join our growing Operations Support and Guest Experience team. This new role will build and maintain strong partnerships acting as the primary connection between Operations and other key business groups and workstreams, driving alignment across budgets, forecasts, and real-time spending. The ideal candidate will bring both financial acumen and operational insight to help streamline processes, improve reporting, and identify opportunities for increased efficiency and cost savings.

This is a full-time, exempt position suitable for candidates with strong cross-functional collaboration skills and a background in budgeting, process improvement, and data analysis.

Key Responsibilities

Maintain centralized documentation and serve as subject matter expert on Operations contracts, including scope, renewal terms, and compliance triggers.

Track and drive forward cross-functional operational initiatives (e.g., vendor contracts, in-lounge bonus programs, engagement projects), ensuring timely execution.

Act as conduit and communication point of contact for all Operations and Guest Experience needs from critical cross-functional stakeholders, including Finance, Procurement, and others supporting commercial strategy.

Navigate competing priorities and influence outcomes without direct authority.

Serve as primary operational partner to Business Development, providing accurate and well-vetted data for new business opportunities.

Support operational reporting and data analysis (e.g., headcount, spend trends, staffing asks) to inform resource planning and strategic decisions.

Compile and present monthly, quarterly, and ad-hoc operational performance reports.

Ensure Ops-related spend complies with financial policy, contract terms, and legal/regulatory standards.

Build and maintain strong partnerships between Operations Support and functional stakeholders, facilitating clear communication on financial matters and priorities.

Job Description

Act as first point of contact for AD Finance when operational inputs are needed, enabling Finance to focus on FP&A, while gathering and validating inputs from the Operations Support team.

Receive, review, and route invoices for Operations Support; validate scope and pricing against contract terms, apply correct coding, and coordinate with Accounting for timely processing.

Own and manage approval workflows for operational expenditures, staffing asks, and contract-related decisions. Monitor approval flows and clear blockers.

Monitor actual spend vs. forecast pacing, flag risks, and support Finance and Ops leadership with timely variance analysis.

Partner with Guest Experience, Procurement, D&C, Accounting, and Business Development teams to ensure alignment on spend, contract execution, and operational priorities.

Provide spend analysis and cost tracking as needed to support access strategy and related initiatives, including airline contracts, pre-book strategy, ancillary sales, and Guest/Employee Experience programming.

Serve as a financial and operational support resource, ensuring commercial and operational teams have the visibility and controls needed to execute their strategies.

Knowledge, skills and experience required:

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, or a related field.

Minimum of 5 years' experience in finance, operations, or administrative planning, with a focus on operational support and financial management.

Proven experience in managing or supporting budgeting, forecasting, and expense tracking processes.

Financial Acumen

Proficient in reviewing and validating invoices, contracts, and budgets; understands GL coding, cost centers, and entity structures.

Comfortable partnering with Finance teams and interpreting budgets/forecasts

Ability to explain budget variances using operational context and insight.

Knowledge of financial compliance standards and ability to ensure spend aligns with policy and contract terms.

Proficiency in using financial and operational software tools (e.g., Excel, financial management software, automation tools) to manage data, track expenses, and generate reports.

Process Improvement and Automation

Experience managing approval workflows and supporting systems like Smartsheet, Excel, or PO platforms.

Comfortable introducing and maintaining operational systems; own related administrative setup and process documentation.

Highly organized and detail-oriented; maintains oversight of in-progress approvals, compliance status, and contract terms

Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and control.

Communication and Collaboration

Proven ability to build trust and credibility with cross-functional partners

-able to coordinate with Finance, Operations Support, Procurement, Accounting, and others.

Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills

Clear communicator who can bridge strategic intent and day-to-day execution.

Proactive in surfacing roadblocks, establishing solutions, raising relevant questions, and driving decisions forward.

Organizational Skills

Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work independently, self-motivate, and manage tasks across teams, ensuring deadlines are met and processes are completed efficiently.

Strong attention to detail, ensuring that financial and operational processes are accurate and compliant.

About us: Our story

Collinson Group is a global leader in driving loyalty and engagement for many of the world’s largest companies. Predominantly through the provision of travel related benefits within a market leading digital travel ecosystem. The group offers a unique blend of industry and sector specialists who together provide market-leading experience in delivering products and services across four core capabilities: Loyalty, Lifestyle Benefits and Insurance.

The group provides unrivalled insight and expertise around affluent consumers and frequent travellers, creating and delivering products and services now accessible to over 400m end consumers.

We have more than 25 years’ experience, with 28 global locations, servicing over 800 clients in 170 countries, employing 1,800 people.

We have been bringing innovation to the market since inception - from launching the first independent global VIP lounge access Programme, Priority Pass to being the first to sell direct travel insurance in the UK through Columbus Direct and creating the first loyalty agency of its kind in the travel sector with ICLP. Today we still invest heavily in innovation to ensure that we continue to deliver superior customer experiences.

Key clients include: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, LATAM, Flying Blue, Accor, EasyJet, HSBC, Chase, HDFC.

Our mission is focused on doing good beyond profit, which for us means we seek out opportunities for our people to share in our success and that we give back to the communities and people within which we work.

Never short of ambition, the success of our business is delivered through the diverse and talented team of over 1,800 colleagues globally.

Equal Opportunities: Our commitment to inclusion

Collinson is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes differences in all their forms including: colour, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodivergence, family status, age, individuals with disabilities and people from all backgrounds, cultures and experiences as we strongly believe this contributes to our on-going success.

We are focused on continually evolving our purpose driven, high performing culture, providing an environment where our people have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and do interesting and meaningful work. Our company values are: Act smarter, Do the right thing, One team and Be insight led. These help guide everything we do internally in terms of how we think, act and interact, right through to how we deliver value to our customers and clients.

If you need any extra support throughout the interview process, then please email us at [email protected]

Reward & Benefits: What's in it for me?

You can look forward to a competitive salary and benefit plan including but not limited to:

• 100% employer paid medical, dental, life & LTD insurance for employees

• 100% match to your 401k deferrals (limited) with 100% vesting at 6 months

• Supplemental Insurance including STD, additional Life

• Priority Pass Membership

• Global Mentoring Program

• Wellness Programs

• Lifestyle Benefits