HK Express is Hong Kong’s first and only low-cost carrier, always offering great value, affordable fares on one of the youngest and most modern aircraft fleets in the world.

Like you, and just like many people across Asia, we love to travel and discover new places across the world’s most diverse and dynamic region; and at HK Express, we’re opening up new travel experiences that inspire and invigorate millions of people across the region we’re proud to call home.  Everything we do is focused on encouraging the spirit of adventure. Our routes provide the inspiration and spontaneity to try somewhere new, disrupting monotonous modern life. As we continue to open up new routes, often in secondary and emerging destinations, our passengers will gain access to an incredible range of places, exploring hidden gems and experiencing local cultures.

We have a diverse and vibrant team that embodies the adventurous spirit of our customers, and loves to travel too. Join us in this journey to make your career even more fulfilling and rewarding. 

Role and Responsibilities:

Network Development Strategy and Route Performance Management

• Own the network strategy for HK Express, setting the direction to shape HKE’s short and long-term network plans, and thus market expansion and fleet requirements;
• Champion and present efforts from HKE towards the ten-year network plan of the Cathay group to drive future fleet and slot requirement;
• Construct and issue Budget Operating Plan for the annual budgeting exercise, and update all relevant parties via the Revised Operating Plan throughout the year for the latest network developments;
• Manage the development of the airline’s slot and traffic rights portfolios to support its network development strategy;
• Deliver seasonal schedules aligned with our network strategy, maximising revenue potential and optimising the aircraft and resource deployment;
• Continuously optimize the network by analysing market and competitive dynamics, managing route performance, identifying opportunities to reallocate capacity or launch new services to capture and maximise market potential;
• Assess the outlook of existing routes and new destinations opportunities with Commercial teams, ensure optimal deployment decisions to enhance commercial returns;
• Drive analytics capability across the team to bolster route forecasting, schedule optimisation, and capacity deployment;
• Regularly present route strategy, business cases to Network Steering Group of the Cathay group for discussion and endorsement;
• Act as conduit between the Cathay group and HKE to keep relevant stakeholders abreast of the development strategy of the airline; identify areas to harness group-level network synergies.

Cross-functional Coordination

• Chair cross-departmental Resource Planning Meeting to align all commercial, operational, finance, and other miscellaneous resources to ensure operational feasibility and resilience;
• Coordinate efforts across teams for new destinations launches, or new flight additions - align resource planning efforts across major functions (e.g. crew manpower, maintenance & engineering, fleet availability, ground resources, commercial readiness) and communicate closely with all parties to ensure the network development strategy of the airline can be executed as planned;
• Oversee day-to-day interactions with other functions (e.g. ground operations, operations control centre) to ensure smooth execution of scheduled and ad-hoc operations;
• Support company-wide efforts to ensure the operational readiness of new destinations for scheduled and short-term charter services;
• Embed operational resilience in network and schedule design, whilst maximizing profitability.

Fleet Planning 

• Champion cost-efficient fleet decisions aligned with a simplified LCC operating model for HKE’s fleet planning initiatives, balancing HKE’s and Cathay Group’s views and needs to maximise synergy;
• Coordinate scenario planning for fleet growth, evaluating aircraft economics, lifecycle cost, deployment strategy to support HKE and Cathay group’s expansion roadmap;
• Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration on all fleet-related initiatives.

External Relationships

• Engage and build professional work relationships with industry stakeholders (including but not limited to governments, airports, statutory bodies, industry associations) to ensure presence of the airline is established and to lobby for maximum support towards the continued operations of the airline;
• Establish contact, alongside the Corporate Affairs team, with foreign airports for potential destinations, and follow through on commercial and incentives discussion, to form business case;
• Represent the airline at network development-related events (including but not limited to IATA bi-annual slot conferences, routes conferences and ICAO Air Services Negotiation events);
• Work closely with Corporate Affairs team to shape route-rights strategy with governments and regulators, so as to maximise HKE’s opportunities in Air Services Agreement talks, in line with the overall growth strategy.

Team Management and People Leadership

• Manage and be held accountable for the cost budget of Network Planning team;
• Communicate directions and strategies effectively to align the team; mentor direct reports to support their developments;
• Take an active involvement in the selection of key roles, development of key employees with high potential and succession planning;
• Foster an entrepreneurial mindset within the team that lives and breathes the company’s brand ethos and values;
• Build a modern, data-literate team with culture and value that aligns to the HKE’s core values;
• Build a cohesive and motivated team.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years’ commercial airline experience, with a minimum of 5 years in a managerial position of an airline’s network planning function (LCC experience is highly preferred);
• Demonstrable experience in leading teams to success within a matrixed and dynamic organisation;
• Bachelor’s degree in a numerical discipline with a strong academic record, or an MBA;
• Fluent written and spoken English;
• Fluency in Chinese (Cantonese and/or Mandarin) is an advantage.

Desirable Qualities

• Strong drive for excellence with proven success in delivering projects and leading positive change;
• Strong business acumen coupled with analytical abilities and problem-solving capabilities;
• Consistently operates with a customer-oriented mindset balanced with business pragmatism;
• Superb communication skills and interpersonal skills with the ability to design and deliver effective presentations to a variety of audiences;
• Strong ability to positively influence people and stakeholders;
• Exhibits cultural sensitivity and awareness.

Your Future Work Life

• Fly anywhere we fly for free with your friends and family to explore the world
• Hybrid working with flexibility in workplace and working hours to foster work-life harmony
• Open office to collaborate, connect and share great ideas
• Energetic and multicultural teammates from up to 50 nationalities!
• Company-organized shuttle buses connecting the workplace with major locations in the HK Island, Kowloon and N.T.