Director, Commercial Management and Guest Experience

About Vantage Group

Vantage Group is a global leader in airport and transportation investment, development, management, and advisor services.  Since 1994, Vantage's corporate and network-wide team has managed an award-winning portfolio, building strong partnerships that integrate global expertise and local know-how to solve complex transportation challenges at every network location.  Over three decades, Vantage has built a track record of creating customized solutions to transform airports and transportation centers that benefit the passengers, stakeholders, and communities they serve.  Vantage is a wholly owned strategic platform of Investcorp Corsair Infrastructure Partners for capital deployment in the airport and transportation sectors.  Visit vantagegroup.com to learn more.  

The Role

The Director, Commercial & Guest Experience is responsible for owning and driving the commercial performance of the terminal, including revenue generation, leasing, partner management, and commercial portfolio long-term value or success.  The role plays a key leadership role within the company-wide Guest Experience (GX) framework, ensuring that commercial strategies, partners, and operations are fully aligned with LGP’s GX vision and standards and challenge what people expect at an airport.

Commercial is a core performance contributor of the business. Guest Experience is a terminal-wide system, delivered in partnership with Operations, Facilities, and other stakeholders, so the successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring that the terminal community is working collaboratively to achieve performance objectives in keeping with the airport’s best-in-class practices and working pro-actively to identify and mitigate commercial risks.

What you’ll be responsible for:

Commercial Strategy & Program Development

• Define and continuously evolve the terminal’s commercial strategy,
• Lead holistic reviews of the commercial program, identifying refresh opportunities, gaps, and revenue optimization initiatives
• Ensure alignment of the program with evolving passenger demographics and trends

Revenue & Financial Performance

• Own and drive commercial revenue performance
• Evolve, analyze and manage KPIs (e.g., SPE, sales productivity, capture rates)
• Lead data-driven decision making, leveraging dashboards, reporting tools, and financial analysis
• Develop and manage commercial budgets and forecasts, ensuring alignment with broader financial objectives

Leasing & Partner Management

• Lead the full tenant lifecycle, (incl. RFPs, negotiation, onboarding, renewals)
• Build and maintain strong, performance-oriented partnerships
• Ensure all partners operate in line with contractual obligations, operational standards, and brand expectations
• Act as primary liaison to key stakeholders, including concessionaires, airlines, and the Port Authority  

Commercial Operations & Excellence

• Establish and maintain best-in-class commercial processes and standards
• Oversee successful delivery of new concepts and openings
• Continuously improve commercial operating model, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and scalability

Marketing & Revenue Activation

• Lead commercial marketing and promotional strategies
• Oversee the use of promotion and GX-related funds
• Drive integration of digital and physical channels, including e-commerce and emerging technologies

Guest Experience (GX) Leadership (Corporate Lead)

GX Strategy & Framework

• Contribute to the development and evolution of LGP’s Guest Experience strategy, ensuring strong integration of commercial touchpoints
• Translate GX vision into actionable standards and initiatives

Passenger Journey & Experience Design

• Support the development and continuous refinement of the end-to-end passenger journey, including key commercial and service touchpoints, as well as the different passenger personas based on demographic information

Data, Insights & Performance Management

• Contribute to the definition and implementation of GX data strategy, including data collection, integration, and analysis
• Leverage guest experience data (e.g., ASQ, NPS, behavioral insights) to inform commercial and operational improvements

Continuous Improvement & Culture

• Actively participate in cross-functional GX governance and initiatives, working closely with LGP teams and external stakeholders
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, using structured processes, action plans, training programs and service standards, and performance tracking

Stakeholder & Organizational Leadership

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including PANYNJ, airlines, concessionaires, partners, and the broader airport community
• Act as a collaborative leader across functions

People Leadership

• Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing team
• Foster a performance-driven, collaborative culture

Strategic Contribution

• Serve as a key member of the leadership team, contributing to overall terminal strategy and performance
• Support delivery of LGP’s mission, long-term vision, and strategic initiatives

Other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the position may be assigned

What you bring:

You don’t need to check every box, but you should bring a strong mix of commercial thinking, analytical horsepower, and relationship skills.

• You hold a university degree or equivalent in business, property management, retail, commerce, or a related field of study
• Minimum of 10 years’ work experience. Experience in the aviation environment, critical infrastructure or large commercial properties is an asset.
• Experience in commercial strategy, consulting, project management, or airport environments
• Strong ability to turn data into insights, and insights into action
• A strong relationship builder with excellent communication skills (written, verbal and presentation).
• Takes a partnership approach with stakeholders. Ability to work cross-functionally with impacted stakeholders while developing robust relationships
• Exceptional business and financial acumen and is comfortable in business planning and financial evaluation
• Confident communicator who can influence stakeholders and present to leadership
• Naturally curious: asks “why,” challenges assumptions, and navigates ambiguity well
• Highly organized, self-directed, and solutions-focused
• Strong capabilities in reporting and analysis are matched by ability to make information useable and actionable
• Demonstrated experience in project management and implementation, and program and change management
• Curious about the why and willing to ask the appropriate questions to get the answers
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required; must be comfortable connecting and communicating with individuals at all levels of an organization
• Proficiency in relevant IT systems such as Microsoft Office 365, property management software tools, business planning tools and an interest in technology and data that drives the company forward
• Demonstrated team leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop team members for exceptional performance and contribution
• Team player who works jointly towards a common goal and vision and contributes to the team both professionally and personally
• Ability to navigate ambiguous situations, bring options and provide recommendation
• Solutions driven self-starter who understands the importance accuracy and timeliness make a difference and contribute to the success of the business.
• Integrity, openness, fairness and transparency are non-negotiable core valuesThis isn’t a sit-back-and-maintain role. It’s for someone who wants to build, influence, and improve how airports perform commercially—and isn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves to do it.

The salary range for this position is $170,000-195,000. 

This is an on-site at LaGuardia Terminal B position. 

To apply

Please visit our careers page at https://www.vantagegroup.com/careers/ and follow prompts for United States Career Openings to apply with your cover letter and résumé. 

All qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in the US will be considered. 

At Vantage Group, we seek and welcome unique backgrounds, perspectives, experiences and skills. As a global organization, we are always looking for differentiated points of view. We know that a diverse, inclusive and empowered workforce is essential to our shared success, and we invite you to join us for the journey.