Company Alaska Airlines

The Team

Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you.

Role Summary

The Senior Manager of Guest Communications is responsible for creating and executing the strategy to ensure all our travel related communications are timely, relevant, coordinated, personalized, empathetic, and thoughtful. Our brand stands for CARE and how we communicate with our guests is critical to showcase that brand point of difference. Communications range from pre-trip, day-of-travel, delays, cancels, irregular operations, etc. This role also leads two key communication groups including Social Care and Guest Operations. Social Care is responsible for monitoring and responding to guests on our social media channels in a timely manner. This group is often at the forefront of seeing emerging guest issues or brand issues that can be handled proactively. Guest Operations is responsible for monitoring the daily activity of all our flights and understanding how it impacts our guests. This group of agents partners closely with Operations to understand when and what to communicating to passengers particularly for more impactful disruptions (severe weather delays, medical emergencies, diversions, etc.). The ultimate goal is that our guests feel cared for in every communication with Alaska.

Key Duties

• Shape the long-term strategy for all travel related communications, tying to brand and anticipating the action required for all variations of guest contact as it relates to Guest Operations and Social Care.
• Creates and executes an ongoing roadmap for day-of-travel communication improvements.
• Partners closely with operations and technology teams to improve key capabilities and processes that support day-of-travel communications. This includes clearly defining, prioritizing, and implementing improvements.
• Oversees the Social Care Program, led by a Social Care Program Manager that reports into this role.
• Responsible for technology infrastructure, reporting and cross-functional collaboration with Brand and PR.
• Leads the Social Care team ensuring guests are cared for through this 24/7 channel. Through this team, represent our brand of CARE on a broadly visible platform by responding to guests for travel related comments or questions.
• Leads the Guest Operations team, which monitors flights during the day and ensures our guests are taken care of during delays, diversions, cancellations, etc. Determine when and what messages to send to support these scenarios.
• Works closely with the Brand & Advertising and Guest Care teams to ensure guest communications are functionally correct and on-brand; demonstrating care and empathy for how we have inconvenienced guests.
• Steps in during major irregular events to lead our strategy for communicating important information to guests. May also be pulled into represent the company during brand-impacting events.
• Develop people through effective performance management and ongoing feedback, focusing on delegation for stretch assignments, growing and developing the team for capacity and growth, looking at performance across the team, and time management.
• Shape culture of team through action, presence, and reinforcement of behaviors.

Job-Specific Experience, Education & Skills

Required

• 7 years of experience in customer-facing communication or customer experience. PR experience is a plus.
• 4 years of leadership experience with either direct reports or cross-functional leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications or a related field, or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree.
• Action-orientated, drive and passion for change for the benefit of the guest.
• Outstanding communication (e.g., verbal, written) skills, with the ability to present data and conclusions in an organized and concise manner at all levels throughout the company.
• Professional, reliable, passionate, and self-motivated, with an ability to work well under pressure with all groups while addressing people courageously, directly, and candidly.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred

• Experience in PR or leading customer service or other customer facing operations.
• Experience working in the travel industry.

Job-Specific Leadership Expectations

• Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be kind-hearted, deliver performance, and be remarkable.
• Create a diverse and inclusive culture where all employees feel safe, included and they belong.

Salary Range

$129,700 - $207,500 / year

Salary Details

Pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, relevant experience/level and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Horizon employees. Alaska/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate.

Total Rewards

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.

• Free stand-by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines & Horizon Air with high priority status
• Select number of confirmed travel credits provided annually
• Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous 401k match program
• Quarterly and annual bonus plans
• Generous holiday and paid time off

For more information about Alaska/Horizon Total Rewards please visit our career site and view benefits.

Apply by 7:00 PM Pacific Time on 1/23/2023

Employment Type Full-Time

FLSA Status Exempt

Regular/Temporary Regular

Requisition ID 2023-9793

Equal Employment Opportunity We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) employer that is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all qualified applicants and employees and do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information (including family medical history), political views or activity, or other legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. We may use your information to maintain the safety and security of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, its employees, and others as required or permitted by law. People of color, women, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.