Senior Manager - Network and Frieghter Strategy

Job Purpose:

• Lead and oversee the development, implementation, and continuous monitoring of strategic programs for the cargo business, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and market dynamics.
• Own all strategically critical aspects of the cargo business, including business planning, performance management, network planning, strategic account development, and execution of special projects. Responsibilities span both short-term initiatives and long-term strategic planning.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Planning & Business Development

• Develop and implement strategic business plans for the cargo division, ensuring alignment with the airline’s overarching goals and vision.
• Conduct in-depth market research and competitive analysis to identify growth opportunities, emerging trends, and network optimization strategies.
• Prepare detailed Annual Operating Plans for the cargo business, analyse route level profitability, understand historic performance, market trends
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and set measurable targets to assess the effectiveness of strategic initiatives.
• Monitor cargo performance against KPIs, identify gaps, and implement corrective actions to drive continuous improvement.
• Evaluate cost-benefit analysis of in-house ground handling versus third party handling for key stations, develop financial models and recommendations to support optimal decision making

Performance Management & Reporting

• Collaborate with stakeholders to design performance dashboards and generate regular reports for senior leadership, offering actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
• Support leadership in preparing business updates and strategic project briefings
• Share project progress, outcomes, and challenges with cargo leaders

Regional Performance Ownership

• Drive business and financial performance for the region including recommending levers fpr tonnage and revenue growth,  suggesting revenue optimisation strategies
• Partner with regional business leaders and act as strategic advisor to provide financial and strategic insights, track performance and drive decision making
• Analyse product mix, weight break-mix, customer mix and performance against market to identify areas of improvement. Partner with sales to identify high potential, high margin and underperforming accounts to improve business mix
• Collaborate with P&RM and Operations for problem solving and supporting business growth, drive customer satisfaction
• Drive decision making for allotments/contracts, analyse allotment/contracts’ performance and provide recommendations on sector wise allotment/contract strategies and choices
• Develop business cases for WB/NB fleet deployment preferences to optimise network level business performance

Freighter Feasibility Evaluation & Strategy

• Scrutinize customer commercials, benchmark market rates, leasing/charter costs and validate pricing structures to evaluate freighter feasibility
• Build and iterate dynamic models to simulate route performance under varying load factors, cost conditions, and regulatory environments.
• Charting network capability required for catering behind demand (WB Belly/ NB Domestic freighter rotation) and trucking/interline alliance for beyond demand
• Identify potential benefits like increased capacity reliability, network level business impact and customer growth

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Execution

• Partner with internal departments—Operations, Sales, Finance, Marketing—to align strategic goals, execute projects, and foster cross-functional synergies.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and bottlenecks across cargo sub functions; lead process improvement initiatives to enhance productivity and streamline workflows.
• Drive transformation efforts by recommending and developing policies and processes for key cargo modernization projects.

External Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic partners, cargo agents, freight forwarders, interline partners, and regulatory bodies.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and foster collaboration to support strategic cargo

Project Management & Strategic Initiatives

• Identify and prioritize critical projects aligned with functional and organizational strategy; manage end-to-end execution to ensure timely and efficient delivery.
• Conduct feasibility studies and evaluate new project proposals for strategic fit and operational viability.

Industry Intelligence & Innovation

• Stay informed on industry trends, regulatory developments, and technological advancements impacting cargo operations and freighter aircraft.
• Leverage insights to inform strategic decisions and maintain competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving market.