Assistant Director, Concessions & Business Development

Position Summary

The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) owns and operates one of the nation’s largest airport systems, including Minneapolis-St Paul International (MSP) and six general aviation airports. The MAC’s airports connect the region to the world and showcase Minnesota’s extraordinary culture to millions of passengers from around the globe who arrive or depart through MAC airports each year.

MSP Airport is frequently recognized as one of the nation's leading airports. MSP Airport earned the No. 1 ranking in customer satisfaction among mega airports*(33 million or more passengers per year) in the J.D. Power 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. MSP achieved the highest customer satisfaction ratings for each of the seven airport dimensions that form the basis for the overall award.

Position Description

RELATIONSHIPS

Supervisory – Reports to the Director, Concessions & Business Development

Supervises - Managers of Food & Beverage, Retail, and Operations

Organizational – Extensive contact with MAC legal, finance, airport development, facilities, community engagement, strategic marketing and communications, risk management, public safety, environment and airside operations staff. Regular contact with all MAC departments

External Business – Contact with airport tenants, airport community professionals, perspective tenants, external organizations and officials, other airports, suppliers, contractors, bidders, general public and members of the press

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND FUNCTIONS

Concessions and Business Development Management and Planning

Concessions Management

• Monitor and report overall concessions’ performance and profitability.
• Monitor industry and external business trends, tenant mix, etc., and coordinate actions necessary to add, modify or delete concessions or business concepts.
• Represent MAC concessions interests related to terminal facility planning.
• Provide leadership in marketing efforts to support and promote concessions.
• Work with the Director, Concessions & Business Development on the Strategic Partnership Program and Advertising Program
• Oversee the preparation and development of lease documents related to Requests for Proposals or Requests for Qualification submittals.
• Conduct pre-proposal conferences and related meetings with potential and existing tenants and related clients.
• Author, prepare and present memoranda recommending lease approvals and related actions to MAC Senior Management and Commissioners.
• Coordinate the preparation, execution, and transmittal of special reports regarding policy or project decisions and MAC concessions program related duties and projects.
• Prepare and verbally present issues to various staff committees and related MAC departments.

Lease Management

• Direct staff in the oversight of existing leases, the development of leases related to competitive bid processes and the development of concession operational policies.
• Perform and manage all aspects of MAC’s concession RFP process as assigned by the department Director.
• Negotiate business contract terms related to lease development, amendments, and renewal.
• In conjunction with the department Director, determine appropriate actions to be taken in the event of tenant/operator, lease/agreement violations and/or default, and oversee the resolution of any such matters.
• Provide oversight for department leases and ensure timely renewals and continued compliance with provisions and terms therein.
• Oversee the concessions department’s utilization of MAC’s property management system (Enterprise One) and Sales Force for overall lease management in conjunction with MAC Finance.

Budget Management

• Work with the Director, Concessions & Business Development on the annual budget process and ensure annual department budgets support strategic initiatives
• Work with the finance team to ensure ongoing tracking and forecasting
• Provide MAC’s Budget Manager with detailed information regarding monthly revenue variances.

People Leadership

• Integrate MAC's purpose, values, and strategic goals into area of responsibility.

• Collaborate with the Director, Concessions & Business Development to develop annual team goal setting planning sessions in accordance with the department’s strategic initiatives
• Gather and infuse insights from all direct reports to create higher-level concessions and business development strategies
• Oversee and direct the work of the Food & Beverage, Retail, and Operations Managers. Ensure the team is monitoring program success through appropriately established key performance indicators (KPIs) and results-tracking
• Create a culture of mentorship and development within the team
• Conduct regularly scheduled department meetings to communicate organizational goals, issues, and information to employees.
• Exercise supervisory authority in accordance with MAC Human Resource Policy and the MAC Administration Manual
• Hire, develop, recognize, transfer, discipline and discharge employees.
• Create and maintain a rewarding and productive work environment and facilitate effective working relationships among team employees
• Conduct regular performance review discussions and provide appropriate coaching, counseling, direction and resolution to direct reports

Cross-functional Leadership

• Serve as a thought leader and mentor to grow an organizational culture that values and produces best-in-class revenue strategy by staying current on key concessions and nonaeronautical revenue trends, best practices, and economic research
• Encourage innovation by serving as a champion for new ideas
• Serve as a collaborative partner with all other departments in the division and across the organization

Position Requirements

Manager of Managers (MOM) Competencies

• Customer Focus - Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Strategic Mindset - Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Plans and Aligns - Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Drives Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Values Differences - Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.
• Builds Effective Teams - Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Communicates Effectively - Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Drives Engagement - Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives.
• Organizational Savvy - Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.

• Five years of progressively responsible work experience in concession management or commercial property/shopping center/restaurant development.
• In lieu of a degree, nine years of work experience in concession management or commercial property/shopping center/restaurant development.

• Experience managing, supervising, and directing professional staff, which included responsibility for hiring, coaching, rewarding, disciplining and terminating employees
• Experience overseeing or managing solicitation processes.
• Excellent decision making, problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Experience in project management with the ability to establish plans, set priorities, coordinate activities, delegate tasks and responsibilities, and manage resources to achieve goals.

• Strong writing skills for composing memos, policies, procedures, proposals, reports, and other specifications.

• Experience making oral presentations to professional groups.

• Excellent interpersonal communication, collaboration and listening skills.
• Strong knowledge of customer service best practices in hospitality industries.
• Intermediate skill level using Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Valid state-issued driver’s license and a reliable vehicle to commute between job sites.

Desirable Requirements

• Master’s degree in Business, Public Administration, or related field.
• Concession management and development experience at an international airport either for the airport or on behalf of a concessions operator.
• Experience managing lease agreements.
• Budget development and oversight experience.
• Experience utilizing software requiring database management.

Other Information

This position provides an opportunity for on-site and remote work. MAC's remote work policy requires employees to be on-site three days of the week. Among the three on-site days, one of them must be either a Monday or a Friday and on Tuesdays, all employees are required to be onsite.