Lounge and VIP Hospitality Manager

About the role

We’re looking for a Lounge & VIP Hospitality Manager to join the newly created Transformation & Commercial Strategy team at Edinburgh Airport. This is a senior position that will play a key role in identifying and executing new revenue initiatives, supporting the Head of Transformation & Commercial Strategy to build on the successful Edinburgh Airport commercial model as we move into the next era of growth.

The airport is at a really exciting point in its history as we look ahead to annual passenger numbers increasing to over 20 million by 2030 and even more beyond. To satisfy this growth, the footprint of the airport will expand across almost every area.

The Transformation & Commercial Strategy team will be laser-focused on ensuring that the major capital projects underway to deliver this transformation provide high quality space, in the right place and at the right time, to maximise the offering available to our diverse and growing passenger base. The team will also take the lead on exciting new commercial initiatives.

We’re looking for agile, enthusiastic individuals who are excited about joining a high-performing team with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of an iconic national asset.  This role is primarily based at Edinburgh Airport, with occasional travel as required to support commercial development activities. 

About the recruitment process

The recruitment process will involve an initial informal discussion over Teams followed by two in-person interviews. One of these will include a presentation – a chance for you to demonstrate your enthusiasm for bringing your strategic commercial thinking to support Edinburgh Airport’s growth!  

To support the process, we will also ask you to complete an Insights Discovery profile.

We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process, and supporting diverse ways of thinking and working, so if you require adjustments in the recruitment process, please let us know on your application. You can find out more about our interview process here.

What you’ll be doing

The Lounge & VIP Hospitality Manager will be responsible for leading and optimising the airport’s hospitality and premium passenger services, with a particular focus on lounge operations. The role will be centred on maximising commercial performance, enhancing premium passenger experiences and ensuring lounges are designed and operated to deliver strong revenue, high satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Key responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:

Lounge & Premium Hospitality Strategy

• Lead the development, enhancement and optimisation of lounge offerings to meet evolving passenger expectations and airline requirements
• Provide subject-matter expertise on lounge operations, including layout, service models, food and beverage concepts, staffing structures and guest experience
• Lead on the design, setup, refurbishment and expansion of lounge facilities, ensuring operational practicality and commercial viability are embedded from the outset
• Work with the Head of Transformation & Commercial Strategy to identify, develop and prioritise other VIP offerings at Edinburgh Airport that enhance passenger experience and grow revenue

• Identify and implement opportunities to maximise revenue from lounge operations, including (where relevant) access models, pricing strategies, airline agreements and bundling opportunities
• Collaborate with partners to analyse passenger demand, utilisation, dwell time and yield to optimise capacity, service levels and financial performance
• Work closely with the Commercial Strategic Analytics team to develop forecasts, budgets and performance improvement initiatives
• Support the Head of Transformation & Commercial Strategy to develop and execute a business plan that is ambitious but achievable
• Demonstrate the agility to identify, lead and support on new commercial initiatives that arise in a growing, fast-paced environment

• Oversee day-to-day lounge and hospitality operations, leading operational teams to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality service and premium standards
• Ensure food and beverage offerings, service standards and guest experiences are continuously reviewed and enhanced
• Ensure compliance with aviation security requirements, health and safety standards, food safety regulations and airport operating procedures

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Act as lead point of contact for lounge partners, airlines and other key stakeholders, including developing new relationships where required
• Support contract management and performance of third-party lounge operators, ensuring value, quality and innovation
• Develop a strong internal network, with a particular focus on operational teams
• Work with operational management to lead and develop hospitality teams, promoting a customer-focused, commercially aware culture
• Drive continuous improvement through performance data, passenger feedback and industry benchmarking
• Work closely with the Marketing function and external agencies as required to develop marketing materials that will excite the market ahead of launching new initiatives
• Develop strong external relationships with business partners, stakeholders and peers within the wider Vinci group and with counterparts at other UK and international airports

What we’re looking for

The Lounge & VIP Hospitality Manager role is particularly well-suited to candidates with a background in lounge / hospitality operations, with the ideal candidate ticking most of the following boxes:

• A positive and tenacious attitude with an unwavering passion for success
• Demonstrable experience in lounge or premium hospitality environments, ideally within airports or closely related environments (e.g. luxury hotels / airlines)
• Strong understanding of lounge setup, operating models and revenue drivers
• Proven ability to improve commercial outcomes through pricing, product design, service optimisation and demand management
• Existing relationships with key partners (e.g. airlines / pass providers) and / or the ability to quickly establish strong working relationships
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively across commercial, operational and regulatory environments
• Analytical and commercially minded, with a clear focus on both passenger experience and financial performance
• A natural leader with the ability to inspire large teams outside direct line management
• Demonstrable experience identifying, developing and delivering new business initiatives with a creative eye to bring forward new and relevant ideas
• Highly experienced using full package of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• A problem solver who enjoys finding the solution in every problem
• Educated to degree level or equivalent

If your experience ticks some of the boxes but looks slightly different to what we’ve listed here, we encourage you to still apply. You could add something we didn’t know we needed.