Network Planning Manager - Sky Cargo

A World leader in air cargo. We possess a geographical advantage that enables us to reach over 140 destinations across 6 continents. We are able to cater to two-thirds of the world’s population in just 8 hours and serve major international trade regions quickly and efficiently. Our SkyCargo group works in partnership to facilitate global trade and connect customers with their destinations. We have a young, efficient, wide-bodied fleet, with ample capacity to transport cargo through our state-of-the-art, multi-airport hub in Dubai and adapt to our customers ever-changing needs.

The Network Planning Manager - SkyCargo will support the planning and execution of a worldwide freighter network strategy that aligns with EK SkyCargo's objectives to achieve profitable growth. Collaborate with senior managers to manage and optimise the current freighter network while identifying opportunities for improvement based on market demand, operational efficiencies, and profitability targets. Contribute to the induction and integration of future freighter fleet requirements and assist in evaluating fleet utilisation to support a balanced and scalable network strategy.

In this role, you will:

• Continuously keep track of and analyse industry reports & global economic trade indicators regarding cargo industry related performance, tactical and strategic development. Advise senior management on significant developments, route & network profitability progress, new market development and lead the monthly Network Planning Meetings.
• Develop, analyse, and optimise freighter flight schedules and routes to ensure maximum profitability and alignment with SkyCargo's strategic objectives. This includes balancing cargo demand, fleet availability, and operational efficiency.
• Optimise fleet utilisation by analysing payload capacity, sector distance, and operational constraints to ensure profitability and efficiency for assigned freighter aircraft.
• Constantly review market trends, competitor activities, and route performance to identify opportunities for growth or improvement. Provide recommendations for network adjustments based on yield, load factor, and market share data.
• Conduct analysis and create contingency plans to address potential disruptions to freighters, such as fleet changes, regulatory requirements, or unexpected market shifts. Ensure preparedness for both short-term and long-term network challenges.
• Support internal SkyCargo teams with fleet plan reviews and preparation of business cases and make recommendations on the direction to be taken. Liaise with Engineering to ascertain heavy maintenance down time requirements for the freighter fleet and assess impact on schedules and capacity. Make recommendations on most optimal solutions to manage the capacity short falls considering customer service levels and profitability.
• Continuously review the freighter network profitability and liaise with internal stakeholders on actions required to improve the network performance. Assess changes on the passenger schedules that may impact the freighter fleet deployment. Monitor on an ongoing basis the profitability of all the freighter routes taking into consideration the overall risk to the organisation and the commercial advantages afforded.
• Liaise with cross-functional teams, including revenue management, sales, operations, and marketing, to ensure network plans are aligned with broader organisational priorities.
• Lead and manage a team of network planners, ensuring effective delegation, performance management, and skill development. Collaborate with sales capacity control, and operations teams to align network planning with commercial and operational goals.