At Sky Team, innovation takes flight like never before. Since we started back in June 2000, Sky Team and our world-class member airlines have built a leading alliance connecting customers across a vast global network of more than 1,080 destinations and 750+ lounges in 180+ countries. We’ve achieved many ‘firsts’ together – Sky Priority, Sky Team Rebooking, The Aviation Challenge to name just a few.

As the world around us changes at lightning speed, our pursuit to create cutting-edge solutions for members and customers is relentless. We want to be recognized as the most customer-centric alliance, anticipating, and fulfilling extended expectations.

We work daily to be a leader in truly advancing travel and mastering cocreation to empower Sky Team members and partners to deliver ever more seamless, innovative, and sustainable experiences to customers worldwide.

Job Scope

Join our dynamic Team Sustainability as the Manager of The Aviation Challenge! Reporting directly to the Director of Sustainability, you will play a pivotal role in driving industry-wide sustainable aviation practices. This is your chance to shape the future of aviation sustainability through innovative strategies and collaborative efforts.

As the Program Manager for The Aviation Challenge, you will lead and refine our sustainability initiative, aiming to accelerate sustainable practices within the aviation industry. You will orchestrate planning, execution, and continuous improvement of the program, leveraging a diverse array of resources and skills.

Key Result Areas / Key Responsibilities

The key result areas and responsibilities for this role are as follows:

• Strategy Development: Continuously evolve the strategy and positioning of The Aviation Challenge to ensure its impact on participants' sustainability goals.
• Coordination of Work Streams: Lead and manage various work streams, fostering collaboration across teams and disciplines to achieve program objectives.
• Process Improvement: Enhance processes and tools to keep the challenge dynamic and aligned with the latest industry standards.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison for airlines, sponsors, knowledge partners, and other stakeholders, ensuring effective collaboration.
• Objective-Driven Management: Ensure the project meets its goals with clear, measurable outcomes, regularly reported to stakeholders.
• Budget Oversight: Manage financial resources efficiently, ensuring expenditures deliver optimal value and stay within budget.
• Event Organization: Plan and execute virtual and physical events to promote knowledge sharing, including the culminating Award event.
• Platform development: Ensure the availability of a well-designed platform to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among airlines and partners.
• Development of adjacent sustainability initiatives: Contribute to the work of the Sustainability team, developing and executing a limited number of adjacent initiatives.

Desired Outcomes:

• Strategic Alignment: Enable and promote environmentally sustainable practices and industry-wide collaborations.
• Efficiency and Innovation: Drive improvements and innovations, setting a benchmark for sustainability in aviation.
• Effective Communication: Maintain clear and continuous communication with all partners and participants, ensuring that the challenge’s objectives and achievements are well understood and supported.

Must have:
Authorization/availability to reside and work legally in The Netherlands on a full-time basis.(note: this position does not offer relocation assistance).

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

• Key skills, knowledge & experience
  • Outstanding project-, and time management and prioritization skills
  • Intercultural sensitivity and multicultural awareness
  • Connector and people person with an unconventional, innovative mindset
  • Energetic and inspiring attitude
    
• Stakeholder management & relationship building
  • Proven track record in multi-stakeholder initiatives
  • High level of confidentiality and discretion
• Personal characteristics
  • Eager to work in a dynamic (office) environment.
  • Resilient, flexible, and adaptable to changing circumstances. Be patient.
  • Reliable, accurate and show professionalism.
  • Curious and proactive, with a hands-on, results-driven approach.
  • Creative thinker with a professional ability to suggest improvements.
  • Strong networking and relationship-building skills
• Technical skills
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, video conferencing, and project management tools (e.g., Asana)
  • Ability to lead website development
  • Excellent written and verbal English communication skills
  • Analytical skills to analyze data and trends
  • Problem-solving abilities to address challenges effectively
  • Leadership skills to inspire and guide teams
  • Fundraising experience to secure sponsorships
  • Public speaking skills for presenting at events
• Topic/job related knowledge
  • Understanding of sustainability metrics
  • Understanding of aviation
  • Knowledge of sustainable aviation technologies and innovations.
  • Knowledge about transformations
• Educational Background:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability, Marketing, Business Administration, or related fields

Sky Team will offer you a complete salary package that includes unique benefits:

• A challenging role at a unique employer in the Netherlands
• Salary: a competitive monthly gross salary depending on your experience
• Vacation pay: 8% of gross annual salary
• Vacation days: 27 vacation days for one year
• Birthday leave: additional PTO (1 day) on or around your birthday
• Public holiday exchange: exchange Dutch bank holidays with any bank holiday culturally significant to you
• Pension plan: everything you need for a good retirement
• Equipment: laptop, phone or e-sim
• Home office: create and equip your home office with our support.
• Travel allowance: travel allowance for public transport, bicycle, and car
• Discounted travel: reduced airfares after 6 months of your start date
• Learning environment: free access to Linked In Learning, Lunch & Learn sessions, and the opportunity to surround yourself with highly skilled colleagues
• Work from anywhere: flexibility to work from anywhere in the world (duration of max. four weeks)
• Hybrid way of working: we offer flexibility to work from home
• Fun events: potluck parties, monthly after work get-togethers, BBQs, annual summer/winter events, and more appealing team activities throughout the year

Application procedure:

Within a few weeks, we will assess your profile for this position, and should there be a match, we will contact you via email about the potential fit. If your skills and experience align with our needs, here is what you can expect:

• Preliminary chat with the Recruiter (Virtual).
• First Interview: You'll receive an invitation for a first interview in-person at our office in Amstelveen.
• Second Interview & Case Study: You'll be invited to a second round of interviews at our office in Amstelveen if the first interview goes well. This stage may also include a case presentation, providing you with an opportunity to showcase your problem-solving skills and industry acumen. On very rare occasions, there might be a follow-up third/final Interview.
• Email Job Offer: Upon successful completion of the interviews, we'll present a job offer to you via email.
• Contract/Offer: Finally, with much excitement, we'll prepare a comprehensive employment contract formalizing your new role at Sky Team.

Sky Team strives to provide the safest and most seamless customer journey of any global airline alliance. Our members work together to connect millions of passengers safely and seamlessly through an extensive global network. It is an esteemed international organization that brings together different cultures and backgrounds, all united by our passion for the airline industry. In addition to our focus on the passage side of aviation, we also focus on cargo.
At Sky Team, we know the importance of a fresh perspective. With members spread across five continents and different time zones, we are flexible and agile, focused on delivering services that create synergy. Our headquarters is a hotbed of innovation and creativity, allowing us to adapt quickly to the rapidly changing airline industry.

Sky Team's headquarters in Amstelveen represents more than 21 different nationalities. Our employees come from many different backgrounds and reflect the diversity of our member airlines. We are passionate about diversity and embrace an inclusive, non-discriminatory work community where we celebrate our differences and share our successes and hard work to contribute to member value.