Head of Operational Excellence

Finnair is a diverse community of professionals who work ambitiously with a big heart and commitment. A strong safety culture is our priority and at the core of our everyday work, never taking it for granted. We are committed to doing our share in solving the climate challenge by determinedly following our science-based pathway to decarbonize our operations. We find meaning in our purpose: With our heart in Finland, we make every journey better, today and tomorrow, and our identity and service mindset stems from our iconic brand’s Nordic heritage. Our values – Commitment to care, Working Together, Simplicity and Courage – guide us in everything we do.   

We are now looking for a 

HEAD OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE 

to join Finnair Kitchen Leadership team!  

This role is critical for building Finnair Kitchen future as we continue to strengthen our safety, performance and scalability across complex, high-volume operation. 

At Finnair Kitchen, we work for delivering excellent customer inflight experience.  

Finnair Kitchen is fourth largest unit by headcount within Finnair Operations organization, expertise ranging from top-level food and beverage product development to supply chain and logistics management, food production, packing, transportation and aircraft loading. We ensure catering services for our customers throughout the Finnair network and also serve Japan Airlines and Juneyao in Helsinki. With our heart in Finland, we make every journey better, today and tomorrow.    

Our top priority is uncompromised safety at all times. Operational & occupational safety, food safety and security are at the core of our work. On top of safe operations, we aim continuously to develop our capabilities to serve inflight customers and optimize processes and ways of working in our business set-up. 

We have approximately 430 permanent employees at Kitchen and in addition, we are one of the largest seasonal employers in Vantaa. We are proud of being part of One Crew enabling significant part of our customers’ entire travel experience. 

As Head of Operational Excellence, you will: 

• drive end-to-end operational performance, business process maturity, data-driven decision making and Finnair Kitchen-wide continuous improvement.

• support and collaborate with multiple delivery teams, ensuring that operations, systems and methodologies scale effectively.

• contribute to Finnair Kitchen leadership on operational performance & development, transformation priorities and investment needs.

• oversee compliance practices coordination & assurance throughout Kitchen.

• be expected to evolve into a people leadership role as the organization and function continue to develop.

To succeed in this role, you have a strong experience and proven track record in: 

• senior level management, leadership, collaboration & communication skills.

• operations leadership, business process measurement & development, continuous improvement and/or digital transformation roles within manufacturing industry (airline catering and food industry experience is a benefit but not a must). 

• Modern process improvement methodologies (eg. Lean, Six Sigma). 

• Leading with data & analytics, workflow automation & AI deployment.

• ERP & IT systems development; leading enterprise-wide transformation projects, ERP implementations and/or data & analytics programs. 

In addition, you most likely possess the following: 

• a strategic mindset with strong execution skills, deep understanding of modern operations and proven ability to lead transformation initiatives and influence stakeholders in matrix. 

• experience of compliance frameworks relevant to the airline industry.

• capability to drive change and build sustainable structures in complex environments.

• capability to facilitate effective communication and cooperation between relevant leaders, business owners and teams ensuring alignment and efficiency. 

• Positive attitude to continuously learn, develop and improve.  

• Applicable commercial and/or technical education, preferred BSc or MSc level or other applicable and extensive experience in the areas of responsibility. 

• Strong spoken and written English. Fluency in Finnish is seen as an asset. 

Got excited about this opportunity contribute into unique mixture of airline and catering business? Get onboard and join the crew of great colleagues! Submit your application with your CV and cover letter as soon as possible, but no later than Sunday, 8 February 2026. We may start interviewing the potential candidates already during the application period. 

Please note that the hiring process may include a pre-employment security clearance and a drug test. 

For more information, please contact Anniina Asikainen (VP, Finnair Kitchen) during the following times:

• Wednesday, 28 January between 14:30 – 15:30

• Tuesday, 3 February between 13:00 – 14:30

Please note that we do not process applications submitted via email.  

Our people are key to our success and the foundation that makes Finnair unique. We are committed to creating a safe work environment where all our people can thrive and succeed. We cherish diversity and strive to employ people with different backgrounds and experiences, to bring together multiple views to foster our business success.  According to our employee survey, respecting diversity is at a high level in our work community. You are welcome to join Finnair as your authentic self.