Service Recovery Supervisor

The Service Recovery Agent is responsible for handling customer escalations, managing service recovery cases, and performing critical back-office activities within the 24/7 Service Recovery Desk. This role serves as the primary operational point of contact for escalated customer matters, taking ownership of cases from initial receipt through to final resolution and closure.

The Agent acts as the operational owner of assigned cases, coordinating with internal departments to achieve timely and effective outcomes, maintaining accurate records of all customer interactions, and ensuring compliance with service level agreements, company policies, and customer experience standards.

Decision Making Authority

• Approve service recovery actions within authorised limits as defined by the company compensation and service recovery policy framework.
• Authorise escalations to senior management for cases exceeding delegated authority or requiring strategic decisions.
• Make real-time operational decisions regarding resource deployment, shift adjustments, and priority reallocation during high-demand periods.
• Determine appropriate recovery strategies for complex or sensitive customer cases based on assessment of merit, risk, and commercial impact.
• Approve or reject requests for exceptions to standard procedures, documenting rationale and seeking higher approval where required.

Accountabilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the 24/7 Service Recovery Desk, ensuring adequate staffing coverage across all shifts including nights, weekends, and public holidays.
• Oversee daily workload distribution, case prioritisation, and resource allocation to meet operational demands and service level commitments.
• Monitor real-time operational performance, backlog levels, and case ageing, taking immediate corrective action where required.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, customer experience standards, and regulatory requirements governing service recovery activities.

Case & Escalation Management

• Take ownership of high-profile customer escalations, executive complaints, and sensitive cases requiring senior-level attention and discretion.
• Review and approve service recovery actions that exceed standard authority levels, ensuring commercial justification and proper documentation.
• Ensure all cases are managed through to closure with accurate tracking, documentation, and customer communication.
• Maintain oversight of the escalation matrix, ensuring cases are routed appropriately and resolved within defined timeframes.

Governance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure governance of all callback commitments, tracking adherence to callback service level agreements and following up on overdue commitments.
• Conduct regular quality reviews of case handling, documentation standards, and customer interactions to ensure consistency and excellence.
• Identify recurring issues, root causes, and systemic failures, driving corrective actions and process improvements.
• Support incident management and business continuity activities during operational disruptions, irregular operations, and crisis events.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate cross-functional resolution with internal stakeholders including Contact Centre Operations, Guest Relations, Commercial, Airport Operations, Revenue Management, Refunds, Flight Editing, Digital, and other support teams.
• Act as the primary operational liaison between the Service Recovery Desk and senior management, providing timely updates on critical cases and operational matters.
• Represent the Service Recovery Desk in operational meetings, working groups, and improvement initiatives.

Performance & Development

• Conduct one-to-one meetings, performance coaching, and development planning for direct reports.
• Manage team performance through objective setting, regular feedback, and formal performance evaluations in alignment with HR frameworks.
• Identify training needs and support the onboarding and competency development of new team members.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and customer-centricity.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Produce accurate and timely operational reports, management information, and performance dashboards.
• Analyse operational data to identify trends, highlight risks, and recommend improvement opportunities.
• Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing service recovery processes, tools, and customer outcomes.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of service recovery policies, procedures, and authority matrices.

Experience – Essential

• Minimum 5 years of experience in airline customer service, contact centre operations, or service recovery roles.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory or team leadership experience in a 24/7 operational environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in airline passenger service regulations, fare rules, and commercial policies.
• Proven experience managing customer escalations, complaints, and complex service recovery scenarios.
• Strong working knowledge of contact centre technologies, CRM platforms, and case management systems.

Experience – Desirable

• Experience in a large-network airline or multinational aviation organisation.
• Knowledge of industry-specific regulations (IATA, local aviation authority requirements).
• Previous exposure to revenue management, refunds, or airport operations functions.
• Experience with process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent).

Qualifications – Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Aviation Management, Hospitality, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Professional certification in customer experience, service management, or contact centre operations (e.g., COPC, CCXP, or equivalent).

Qualifications – Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification in Business Management, Aviation, or a related discipline.
• Change management or project management certification (e.g., Prosci, PRINCE2, PMP).
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent process improvement certification.

Etihad Airways is more than the UAE’s national airline - we’re shaping the future of global aviation. From our hub in Abu Dhabi, we connect people across continents and cultures, while driving our “Journey 2030” ambition to double our fleet, expand our network and grow our people for a new era of excellence. Join us and become part of a vision where the world is your workplace and extraordinary experiences take flight.

To learn more visit www.etihad.com

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