Manager - Cargo Strategy & Transformation

About the Role

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.

Responsibilities

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 for 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.

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.

Qualifications

Tier 1 MBA degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, engineering, or related field, with relevant work experience in aviation.

Required Skills

• Experience of 4-8 years in Strategic Consulting or Corporate Strategy & Transformation roles

Preferred Skills

Prior aviation experience is an advantage