Country Manager-West Africa and Rwanda job at Uganda Airlines

Job Summary:

The Country Manager is responsible for leading the UNACL’s commercial operations in a specific country or region, driving revenue growth, and improving market share. He/ She will oversee all aspects of the airline’s business in the country, including sales, marketing, customer service and operations.

Key responsibilities

1. Market Leadership and Commercial Representation

• Represent UNACL commercially within the assigned country or territory.
• Drive implementation of UNACL commercial strategy and market growth initiatives.
• Maintain strong visibility and market presence within the travel trade, corporate sector, tourism industry, and government environment.
• Identify market opportunities, competitive risks, and commercial growth initiatives.

2. Passenger Sales and Revenue Growth

• Achieve assigned revenue targets, passenger targets, market share objectives, and sales growth objectives.
• Monitor sales performance by route, channel, customer segment, and point of sale.
• Develop local sales plans and tactical market activation initiatives.
• Support route growth, demand stimulation, and commercial performance improvement.

3. GSA Management and Contract Enforcement

• Directly supervise and manage Passenger GSAs and Cargo GSAs within the assigned territory.
• Ensure GSAs comply with contractual obligations, sales targets, reporting requirements, branding standards, customer service standards, and UNACL commercial policies.
• Monitor GSA productivity, trade engagement activities, and market coverage performance.
• Conduct regular GSA performance reviews and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Escalate GSA contract breaches, underperformance, or compliance concerns to management.
• Support onboarding, evaluation, renewal, and termination recommendations for GSA agreements.

4. Travel Trade and Corporate Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain relationships with travel agencies, tour operators, corporate customers, government institutions, NGOs, diplomatic missions, and strategic travel partners.
• Support negotiation and implementation of corporate sales agreements and trade partnerships.
• Promote UNACL products, schedules, fares, and commercial programs within the market.

5. Budget Management and Financial Oversight

• Manage and monitor the approved commercial budget for the assigned territory.
• Control market expenditure related to sales activities, marketing support, trade engagement, GSA support, office operations, and local commercial initiatives.
• Ensure prudent utilization of resources in line with approved budgets and company policies.
• Monitor cost performance and recommend efficiency improvements where necessary.

6. Invoice Approval and Financial Accountability

• Review, validate, and approve invoices related to the assigned territory before submission for payment processing.
• Manage local ticketing office operational costs.
• Ensure invoices align with approved contracts, agreed commercial terms, approved budgets, and confirmed service delivery.
• Monitor local sales reconciliation, remittances, and financial accountability within the market.
• Escalate financial irregularities, unsupported claims, or non-compliant expenditures were necessary.

7. Customer Experience and Market Support

• Monitor customer service standards and passenger experience within the assigned market.
• Support resolution of escalated customer complaints and commercial servicing issues.
• Coordinate market communication during disruptions, schedule changes, route launches, and operational irregularities.
• Work closely with Airport Services and Customer Experience teams to support passenger servicing.

8. Market Intelligence and Competitive Monitoring

• Monitor competitor pricing, schedules, promotions, distribution activity, and market positioning.
• Provide commercial intelligence and market feedback to Head Office.
• Support market analysis, forecasting, and route performance reviews.

9. Commercial Coordination and Operational Support

• Coordinate with Passenger Sales, Revenue Management, Network Planning, Cargo, Brand & Advertising, Commercial Systems, Airport Services, and Finance to support market performance and operational continuity.
• Cost management through value for money.
• Support route launches, schedule adjustments, and commercial projects within the territory.

10. Reporting and Governance

• Prepare and submit sales reports, market performance reports, GSA performance reports, budget reports, and market intelligence updates.
• Ensure compliance with UNACL governance, commercial procedures, and financial controls.
• Maintain proper documentation and market operational records.

11. Station and Airport Operations Oversight

• Supervise and coordinate the performance of the Station Manager and local airport commercial support teams within the assigned territory.
• Monitor station operational performance relating to passenger handling, customer service, disruption management, on-time performance support, baggage service coordination, and airport customer experience.
• Ensure airport operations within the market align with UNACL commercial standards, customer service expectations, and operational procedures.
• Coordinate with Ground Handling Agents, Airport Authorities, OCC/IOCC, and Head Office operational departments on station operational matters affecting commercial performance or customer experience.
• Support irregular operations management and ensure proper local coordination during delays, cancellations, diversions, and passenger disruptions.
• Monitor local airport vendor and handling service performance against contracted service levels and operational standards.

12. Local Ticketing and Sales Office Oversight

• Supervise local ticketing, reservation, and sales office activities within the assigned territory.
• Ensure Ticketing & Reservation Agents comply with ticketing procedures, fare rules, revenue protection controls, cash handling procedures, and customer service standards.
• Monitor daily ticket sales, EMD sales, refunds, and ancillary revenue activities within the territory.
• Ensure proper accountability and reconciliation of cash collections, card payments, mobile money transactions, and bank deposits.
• Review daily sales reports, remittance reports, and ticketing reconciliations from local ticketing teams.
• Escalate ticketing irregularities, revenue leakage risks, sales discrepancies, or non-compliance issues where necessary.
• Support operational supervision, coaching, and discipline of local ticketing and sales staff.

Minimum Qualification and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in: Aviation Management, Marketing, Tourism, Accounting, Commerce, Business Administration, related field or an equivalent IATA Certification.
• A master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Professional Airline commercial or IATA training is highly desirable.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in sales, commercial operations, travel trade management, or aviation market development.
• Full understanding of the designated market and operating environment.
• At least 2 years in sales leadership, GSA management, market management, or country commercial representation.
• Strong experience in travel trade engagement, corporate sales, GDS distribution, and revenue generation is essential.
• Experience working with passengers and GSAs, airport stakeholders, and international commercial markets is highly desirable.

Core Competencies

• Strong commercial and market leadership capability
• Relationship management skills
• Negotiation and influencing capability
• Budget and financial management capability
• Revenue accountability awareness
• Strategic thinking
• Communication and presentation skills
• Customer Service Orientation
• Problem-solving capability
• Leadership and team coordination skills
• Commercial discipline and governance awareness
• Strong understanding of sales, GSA management, corporate sales, market development, and commercial governance is essential.

• Represent UNACL commercially within the assigned country or territory.
• Drive implementation of UNACL commercial strategy and market growth initiatives.
• Maintain strong visibility and market presence within the travel trade, corporate sector, tourism industry, and government environment.
• Identify market opportunities, competitive risks, and commercial growth initiatives.
• Achieve assigned revenue targets, passenger targets, market share objectives, and sales growth objectives.
• Monitor sales performance by route, channel, customer segment, and point of sale.
• Develop local sales plans and tactical market activation initiatives.
• Support route growth, demand stimulation, and commercial performance improvement.
• Directly supervise and manage Passenger GSAs and Cargo GSAs within the assigned territory.
• Ensure GSAs comply with contractual obligations, sales targets, reporting requirements, branding standards, customer service standards, and UNACL commercial policies.
• Monitor GSA productivity, trade engagement activities, and market coverage performance.
• Conduct regular GSA performance reviews and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Escalate GSA contract breaches, underperformance, or compliance concerns to management.
• Support onboarding, evaluation, renewal, and termination recommendations for GSA agreements.
• Develop and maintain relationships with travel agencies, tour operators, corporate customers, government institutions, NGOs, diplomatic missions, and strategic travel partners.
• Support negotiation and implementation of corporate sales agreements and trade partnerships.
• Promote UNACL products, schedules, fares, and commercial programs within the market.
• Manage and monitor the approved commercial budget for the assigned territory.
• Control market expenditure related to sales activities, marketing support, trade engagement, GSA support, office operations, and local commercial initiatives.
• Ensure prudent utilization of resources in line with approved budgets and company policies.
• Monitor cost performance and recommend efficiency improvements where necessary.
• Review, validate, and approve invoices related to the assigned territory before submission for payment processing.
• Manage local ticketing office operational costs.
• Ensure invoices align with approved contracts, agreed commercial terms, approved budgets, and confirmed service delivery.
• Monitor local sales reconciliation, remittances, and financial accountability within the market.
• Escalate financial irregularities, unsupported claims, or non-compliant expenditures were necessary.
• Monitor customer service standards and passenger experience within the assigned market.
• Support resolution of escalated customer complaints and commercial servicing issues.
• Coordinate market communication during disruptions, schedule changes, route launches, and operational irregularities.
• Work closely with Airport Services and Customer Experience teams to support passenger servicing.
• Monitor competitor pricing, schedules, promotions, distribution activity, and market positioning.
• Provide commercial intelligence and market feedback to Head Office.
• Support market analysis, forecasting, and route performance reviews.
• Coordinate with Passenger Sales, Revenue Management, Network Planning, Cargo, Brand & Advertising, Commercial Systems, Airport Services, and Finance to support market performance and operational continuity.
• Cost management through value for money.
• Support route launches, schedule adjustments, and commercial projects within the territory.
• Prepare and submit sales reports, market performance reports, GSA performance reports, budget reports, and market intelligence updates.
• Ensure compliance with UNACL governance, commercial procedures, and financial controls.
• Maintain proper documentation and market operational records.
• Supervise and coordinate the performance of the Station Manager and local airport commercial support teams within the assigned territory.
• Monitor station operational performance relating to passenger handling, customer service, disruption management, on-time performance support, baggage service coordination, and airport customer experience.
• Ensure airport operations within the market align with UNACL commercial standards, customer service expectations, and operational procedures.
• Coordinate with Ground Handling Agents, Airport Authorities, OCC/IOCC, and Head Office operational departments on station operational matters affecting commercial performance or customer experience.
• Support irregular operations management and ensure proper local coordination during delays, cancellations, diversions, and passenger disruptions.
• Monitor local airport vendor and handling service performance against contracted service levels and operational standards.
• Supervise local ticketing, reservation, and sales office activities within the assigned territory.
• Ensure Ticketing & Reservation Agents comply with ticketing procedures, fare rules, revenue protection controls, cash handling procedures, and customer service standards.
• Monitor daily ticket sales, EMD sales, refunds, and ancillary revenue activities within the territory.
• Ensure proper accountability and reconciliation of cash collections, card payments, mobile money transactions, and bank deposits.
• Review daily sales reports, remittance reports, and ticketing reconciliations from local ticketing teams.
• Escalate ticketing irregularities, revenue leakage risks, sales discrepancies, or non-compliance issues where necessary.
• Support operational supervision, coaching, and discipline of local ticketing and sales staff.

• Strong commercial and market leadership capability
• Relationship management skills
• Negotiation and influencing capability
• Budget and financial management capability
• Revenue accountability awareness
• Strategic thinking
• Communication and presentation skills
• Customer Service Orientation
• Problem-solving capability
• Leadership and team coordination skills
• Commercial discipline and governance awareness
• Strong understanding of sales, GSA management, corporate sales, market development, and commercial governance is essential.

• Bachelor’s Degree in: Aviation Management, Marketing, Tourism, Accounting, Commerce, Business Administration, related field or an equivalent IATA Certification.
• A master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Professional Airline commercial or IATA training is highly desirable.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in sales, commercial operations, travel trade management, or aviation market development.
• Full understanding of the designated market and operating environment.
• At least 2 years in sales leadership, GSA management, market management, or country commercial representation.
• Strong experience in travel trade engagement, corporate sales, GDS distribution, and revenue generation is essential.
• Experience working with passengers and GSAs, airport stakeholders, and international commercial markets is highly desirable.