Supervisor

As the Lounge Manager, you will oversee the Global Blue Tax Refund Lounge located within de Bijenkorf Amsterdam. This role combines operational leadership, team management, financial accountability, and commercial development to ensure a premium customer experience for international travellers.

You will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Lounge, leading and developing the refunding team to deliver exceptional service in line with Global Blue standards and local regulations. Working closely with the Deputy Lounge Manager, you will foster a positive and productive work environment, ensuring adherence to company principles and operational excellence.

In addition, you will act as the primary contact for refunding operations across all de Bijenkorf locations, building strong partnerships with de Bijenkorf and its concession brands to drive business growth and achieve commercial objectives.

KEY Responsibilities

Lounge Operations & Customer Experience [60%]

• Ensure an exceptional customer experience for international travellers.
• Oversee VAT refund operations in accordance with regulations and Global Blue procedures.
• Ensure accuracy and reliability of refund transactions and documentation.
• Handle complex traveller cases and complaints in cooperation with Customer Service and Central Processing.
• Maintain Global Blue brand standards, signage, uniforms and lounge presentation.

Team Leadership & Development [25%]

• Lead, coach and motivate the lounge team.
• Create and manage schedules, holidays and absences.
• Train new joiners on SOPs, tools and standards.
• Provide ongoing training on system updates and process changes.
• Monitor performance and conduct evaluations in line with HR policies.
• Foster a positive, inclusive and high-performance work environment.

Cash Management & Financial Control [5%]

• Manage daily cash transactions, reconciliations and reporting.
• Oversee cash orders, counting and financial closings.
• Ensure compliance with fraud prevention and security procedures.
• Optimize financial flows in line with Global Blue financial policies.

Commercial & Stakeholder Management [5%]

• Act as main contact for all refund operations related to De Bijenkorf.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support commercial growth through merchant partnerships and customer journey optimisation.

Reporting, KPIs & Continuous Improvement [5%]

• Monitor KPIs including refund ratio, team performance and feedback.
• Deliver accurate operational and financial reports.
• Proactively identify and implement process and quality improvements.

Main Collaborations

Internal (GB Global)

• Key Account Manager
• Field Services (IT)
• AMS Schiphol Airport Manager & Team Leads
• Customer Service & Central Processing Centre
• Finance
• Merchant Services

External (DBK)

• Amsterdam Store Director
• Customer Service
• Retail Floor Staff
• Visual Team

education & background

Skills and Competencies

• Business proficient in English; fluent spoken and written (additional languages such as Dutch, Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish are a plus).
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent sense of hospitality and service excellence.
• Strong operational, financial and commercial awareness.
• Must be able to work well in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).

Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years of management experience in luxury retail, hospitality or high-end customer service.
• Proven experience in operations, team leadership and customer-facing environments.

Qualifications and Educational Requirements

• (Associate) University Degree in a related field (preferred), or Junior College Degree and at least 5 years of management experience in Retail, Hospitality or other related industry (customer oriented).

Must be able to provide a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG) from Justis, the Integrity and Screening Agency of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security.