Head of NRO & Commercial Steering

Job description / Role

Synopsis

As Head of NRO and Commercial Steering, you will lead a cross-functional team to develop and implement Etihad's network revenue optimization (NRO) and commercial steering strategy. Act as the central coordination unit within the Revenue Commercial Division liaising with other commercial and operational functions.

Accountabilities

• Strategic oversight of commercial planning: Lead the development and execution of the Country Commercial Plans (CCPs) ensuring alignment with broader divisional goals.
• Performance reviews: Oversee performance reviews with key stakeholders (RM, Sales and EDML) through designated forums and provide strategic recommendations to optimize progress and ensure alignment with CCPs objectives.
• Annual commercial objectives: Lead the creation of annual commercial objectives by coordinating with cross-functional teams to define measurable targets. Ensure clear communication and alignment of these objectives across the commercial division, driving business performance.
• New routes process and performance: Manage and oversee the end-to-end process of new route launches, collaborating with RM, Sales, and EDML to address risks and opportunities. Anticipate and remove roadblocks in Open for Sale (OFS) activities and frequency changes, ensuring smooth execution and maximizing revenue.
• Revenue optimization strategies: Oversee the implementation and tracking of revenue optimization initiatives, ensuring alignment with commercial goals and identifying opportunities for incremental revenue generation across all key markets.
• Communication of publication plans: Oversee the communication of the publication plans across the division ensuring all teams are in readiness to support ad-hoc and planned publications.
• Process and buy-in: Lead the creation, refinement, and implementation of end-to-end commercial processes to drive efficiency across Sales, EDML, and Revenue Management. Work closely with key stakeholders to secure buy-in for new processes, strategies, and deliverables, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and supporting scalable growth through successful execution.
• Executive-level presentations: Design and deliver high-impact, industry-leading presentations for the commercial leadership team.
• Capacity strategies: Strategize with RM heads to develop capacity strategies optimizing connecting and point-to-point flows for local peaks.
• Network peak calendars: Construct network peak calendars and manage/monitor network peaks with RM regional teams with calendarized reviews for all peaks and measure performance.
• Route strategies: Collaborate with RM teams to build route strategies to introduce/implement new routes/frequencies to the network, measure performance, and update senior leadership.
• Network performance monitoring: Continuously monitor network performance for incremental revenue opportunities. Identify and highlight CMI opportunities to RM teams and measure performance.
• Capacity changes: Monitor capacity changes, update RM teams, and identify if competitor capacity changes create any opportunity for Etihad.
• Implementation of network changes: Manage the implementation within RM of any network changes made and ensure regional RM teams take required actions on forecasts and pricing strategies to achieve revenue assumptions.
• Business case reviews: Lead review of business cases created by network planning for structural and seasonal cases with regional RM teams and Sales.
• Revenue assumptions process: Establish and maintain process within Revenue Management to ensure revenue assumptions are accurately formulated, accepted, approved, and tracked jointly with RM heads.
• Network Planning negotiations: Negotiate and challenge any Network Planning or Operations assumptions and provide alternative assumptions.
• Operational capacity restrictions: Implement any operational capacity restrictions in advance to prevent sub-optimal optimization.

Education & Experience

• Minimum Bachelor's degree, preferably in Business or Engineering (post-graduate qualifications an advantage).
• Minimum of 12 years' experience within commercial functions at reputable airlines.
• Minimum of 8 years' experience leading strategic functions at a reputable airline, with a proven ability to manage cross-functional projects with a high degree of interaction and communication across all levels in the organization, and to engage, motivate, and develop a high-performing team.

About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world's leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Together with Etihad's codeshare partners, Etihad's network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty program, and more. All this ties into Etihad's ambitious Journey 2030 strategy. The airline plans to double its fleet size and triple the number of customers over the next six years as it sets out to be the airline everyone wants to fly!

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About the Company

Etihad Airways is the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates. The airline was set up by a Royal Decree in July 2003, with Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, as its hub. Etihad started commercial operations in November 2003.

With Etihad, everyone who flies with us is welcomed as our guest.

This simple credo illuminates everything we do, from big things like making sure that our fleet is one of the most advanced in the sky, to small touches like letting you choose the films you watch.

Were proud to be the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates. At the crossroads between Europe and Asia, our home reflects our commitment to bringing the world closer together - as does our highly cosmopolitan staff.