Department:
Network Planning
Our Company Promise
We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.
Job Description:
Job Summary
As Director of Current Schedules, you’ll lead the Team that owns Southwest’s flight schedule from the moment it goes on sale through the final days before operation, shaping the very product our Customers experience every day. You’ll oversee all schedule publications, steward our multi‑million‑dollar slot portfolio, and guide high‑impact schedule revisions that drive some of the Company’s highest‑margin revenue. This role designs and delivers our Charters franchise, optimizes flex‑aircraft deployment for peak demand, and forges mission‑critical relationships across airports, regulators, and industry partners. Working closely with senior leaders, you’ll ensure Southwest’s post‑publish schedule execution aligns with our strategic goals while supporting codeshare and partnership integration across all distribution channels. In short, you’ll play a pivotal role in powering Southwest’s network, enabling reliable growth, and ensuring we connect People to what’s important in their lives with a schedule that supports our brand, our profitability, and our future.
The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX headquarters facility during business hours.
We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.
Model the Southwest Way to
- Guide and lead Team Members using SWA talent management practices to coach, develop, and engage Employees
- Adhere to Company values and competencies to foster a Culture of inclusion, recognition, and support of a safe work environment
- Invest in Leadership and self-growth through participating in continuous learning and development
Job Responsibilities
- Accountable for the evaluation, execution, coordination and communication of all revisions to the Southwest Airlines published flight schedules, ensuring Senior Leadership approval and alignment with Company goals
- Provide guidance and leadership to identify and formulate hypothesis for critical and complex issues, ensuring commercial prosperity and that each flight schedule meets slot requirements and operational goals/objectives.
- Responsible for working with a cross-functional team of Directors in both the operational and commercial groups to align on schedule, distribution and slot standards.
- Accountable for the management and execution of Southwest's multi-million dollar slot portfolio, both domestic and international, including negotiations with other airlines and aligning all areas of the Company to ensure all slot related objectives are met
- Provide clear and concise guidance to Executive Leadership and General Counsel in relation to the legal aspects and governing rules applicable to slots
- Accountable for the external relationships with other airline slot coordinators, FAA slot coordinators, IATA, Customs and Border Patrol, Airport Gate Coordinators, codeshare/airline partnerships, etc.
- Accountable for all aspects of the Southwest flight schedule distribution processes, including coordination of codeshare and airline partnerships
- Ensure effective communication with Commercial, Operational, and other departments and proactively identify communication gaps
- Lead, own, and communicate analytic results and deliver presentations to various internal and external stakeholders, including Senior Executives, tailoring communication to diverse audiences when necessary
- Responsible for innovation and advancement of decision support processes and software
- Model and drive high standards of analytical thoroughness, quality recommendations, and communications in line with Company and Department objectives
- May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits
- Ability to quickly implement initiatives, reassess priorities and remove obstacles for Department success when Company priorities shift and financial as well as operational goals are measured
- Ability to proactively identify when action is necessary to ensure clarity and optimize Team efficiency.
- Ability to adapt to quickly changing priorities, translating broad objective into concise action items, alignment with Company goals and objectives, awareness of financial performance, and coordinating with operating departments to ensure schedule feasibility.
- Ability to understand and apply information to contribute to the organization's strategic plan
- Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
- Ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense
- Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, which does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem
Education
- Required: High School Diploma or GED
Experience
- Demonstrated experience in directly or indirectly leading team(s)
- Advanced level Business Acumen in functional area
- Seasoned and specialized knowledge in:
- Governmental, industry and airport specific slot/airport access rules, regulations and processes for all international, domestic and noise restricted airports
- Industry standard and Southwest specific distribution practices
- Industry standard codeshare and airline partnerships
- Network Planning software systems and data
- Impact of Network Planning systems/processes on downline internal/external systems/processes
- Commercial and Operational performance metrics and targets
- Airline industry knowledge, including an understanding of competitors operational and commercial tactics and recent performance
- Planning
Licensing/Certification
Physical Abilities
- Ability to perform work duties from [limited space work station/desk/office area] for extended periods of time
- Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
- Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job
- Other Qualifications
- Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines
Pay & Benefits:
Competitive market salary from $180,350 per year to $200,400 per year* depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.
Benefits you’ll love:
Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)
Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**
Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***
Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)
Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.
Explore more Benefits you’ll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits
*Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time.
**401(k) match contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits.
***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.
Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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