Assistant Manager - GDS Travel

The Assistant Manager – GDS Travel is responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of travel services teams, ensuring the delivery of high-quality reservation, ticketing, and customer support services through Global Distribution Systems (GDS). This role oversees operational performance, drives service excellence, manages client relationships, and develops high-performing teams while ensuring compliance with airline policies, client requirements, and industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage daily operations of GDS Travel teams, ensuring service level agreements (SLAs), productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction targets are consistently achieved.
• Lead, coach, and develop Team Leaders and travel consultants through regular performance reviews, coaching sessions, and career development initiatives.
• Monitor operational performance using key performance indicators (KPIs) and implement action plans to improve efficiency and service quality.
• Oversee travel operations, including airline reservations, ticketing, reissuance, exchanges, refunds, schedule changes, fare calculations, and itinerary management.
• Ensure compliance with airline policies, client requirements, travel regulations, and organizational standards.
• Manage customer and client escalations, ensuring timely resolution while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance, Training, Workforce Management, and other support teams to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze operational reports, identify trends, and recommend process improvements to enhance productivity, accuracy, and customer experience.
• Support client implementations, business transitions, system enhancements, and process updates.
• Prepare and present operational reports, business reviews, and performance updates to senior leadership and clients.
• Optimize resource utilization, workforce planning, and staffing to meet changing business demands.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Tourism, Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in travel operations, airline reservations, or travel BPO/shared services.
• At least 2 years of experience in a supervisory or leadership role managing travel operations teams.
• Hands-on experience with Global Distribution Systems such as Amadeus, Sabre, or Travelport (Galileo/Apollo).
• Strong knowledge of airline reservations, ticketing, fare construction, exchanges, refunds, and travel industry standards.
• Experience managing client relationships and operational metrics is highly preferred.

Required Skills

• Leadership and people management
• GDS expertise (Amadeus, Sabre, or Travelport)
• Airline reservations and ticketing operations
• Performance and operations management
• Client and stakeholder relationship management
• Customer service and escalation management
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Process improvement and change management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment

Success Measures

• Consistent achievement of SLA, productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction targets
• Reduction in booking, ticketing, and operational errors
• Improved team engagement, performance, and retention
• Timely resolution of customer and client escalations
• Successful implementation of operational improvements and business initiatives
• High compliance with airline, client, regulatory, and organizational standards
• Positive client feedback and achievement of business performance goals