How to hire an airport operations supervisor

How to hire an airport operations supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step airport operations supervisor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an airport operations supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new airport operations supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an airport operations supervisor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An airport operations supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, airport operations supervisors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of airport operations supervisor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Airport Operations Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Airport Operations Supervisor		$13-28
   Warehouse Lead	Warehouse leads are responsible for supply chain management in distribution centers. Their duties and responsibilities include supervising employees and evaluating their performance, meeting safety regulations, and monitoring deliveries and shipments... Show more	$12-29
   Route Manager	A route manager determines strategic routes transport vehicles may take to every destination. A route manager's primary responsibility is to mark the shortest and fastest way to the customer's destination... Show more	$18-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Management System
   • Develop Team
   • Reservations
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Emergency Situations
   • TSA
   • Performance Standards
   • Technical Guidance
   • Trend Analyses
   • Performance Issues
   • Customer Issues
   • Terminal Operations
   • Address Performance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Construct domestic and international reservations, perform ticket transactions, facilitate passenger check-in and manage departure and arrival gates.
   • Maintain safety and security of the AOA and SIDA.
   • Compile station payroll and accountable stock use.
   • Provide payroll, inventory, and scheduling support.
   • Plan, organize, and oversee the activities of logistics readiness operations.
   • Help implement a brokerage and logistics division to increase revenue and reduce empty miles.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your airport operations supervisor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An airport operations supervisor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, airport operations supervisors' average salary in idaho is 28% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level airport operations supervisors 51% less than senior-level airport operations supervisors.
   • Certifications. An airport operations supervisor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an airport operations supervisor's salary.

   Average airport operations supervisor salary

   $42,139yearly

   $20.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level airport operations supervisor salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing an airport operations supervisor job description

   A job description for an airport operations supervisor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an airport operations supervisor job description:

   Airport operations supervisor job description example

   Located in Oakland International Airport
   
   $300 HIRING BONUS FOR JOINING OUR TEAM!
   
   Grow With Us!
   
   Hudson is North America's leading travel retailer. For over 30 years, Hudson has met the needs and wants of travelers in more than 1,000 duty-free, duty-paid, and food & beverage stores. We couldn't serve our customers, landlords, and partners in airports, commuter terminals, hotels, and casinos without the continued support of our greatest assets: our team members. We're dedicated to hiring and training exceptional team members, who are committed to serving the customer as the Traveler's Best Friend. We strive to ensure we're fulfilling our team members' career potentials through training, skills-development, and career pathways - as our team members grow and succeed both personally and professionally, so does Hudson.
   
   What We Will Offer You:
   • A pay rate of $22.00 per hour, depending on experience
   • A 20% off Hudson Employee Discount
   • A 50% off Hudson Food & Beverage Discount
   • $300 hiring bonus for joining our team!
   
   This Supervisor Job Is For You, If You Would Enjoy:
   • Supporting the General Manager to ensure that all store daily operating procedures are performed on a timely basis as required
   • Promoting a corporate image of excellence through a strong work ethic, leadership by example
   • Consistent delivery of excellent customer service and store visual presentation
   • Maximizes sales through the development and supervision of sales associates
   • Working at the Oakland International Airport
   
   Your Team is counting on you as a Supervisor to:
   • Be open and flexible to work any shift between the hours of 3:45 am and 12 midnight on weekdays, weekends and holidays
   • Work a full-time schedule
   
   Supervisor Key Duties:
   • Conducts store opening/closing/ shift change procedures.
   • Provides staff training.
   • Performs all cash register preparation, float verifications, spot checks, verification of end-of-shift cash reconciliation's, void processing and deposits.
   • Ensures that money is secured at all times and that excess cash is removed from the register for safekeeping.
   • Ensures that daily counts on cigarettes, phone cards, newspapers, and other items as required are conducted consistently and that any discrepancies are reported immediately to the Operations Manager.
   • Ensures that staff report to work on time, dressed in clean full uniform, including nametags.
   • Ensures all sales associates are aware of daily sales targets.
   • Ensures customers are greeted promptly and served by knowledgeable, well-trained associates.
   • Demonstrates effective management of customer queuing
   • Ensure telephones are answered in a consistent business-like manner and are used only for business-related purposes.
   • Ensures that all staff tardiness and absences are reported to management.
   • Ensures that sales associates are assigned daily duties and never congregate in the vicinity of the cash desk.
   • Ensures that staff is aware of procedural changes and/or other latest memorandums.
   • Ensures that staff are offering an up-sell/add-on sale to each customer.
   • Has an in depth knowledge of products sold and ensures replenishment and proper rotation of stock on the sales floor.
   • Ensures all damaged goods are returned to the warehouse properly tagged.
   • Ensures that housekeeping standards are maintained (i.e. dusting, folding, replacement of burnt light bulbs, sweeping, mopping).
   • Maintains an ever-vigilant theft and shoplifting awareness and enforces cash register and other policies controlling internal shrink.
   • Responsible for receiving, sorting, picking, rotating, tracking expiration dates, and following the FIFO methods for all the products that come in to the Warehouse.
   
   Required Qualifications:
   • Minimum 1 year of retail supervisory experience
   • Consults and helps plan daily activities with General Manager/Operations Manager and other Supervisors; manages the activities of staff.
   • Provides supervision and support to store staff.
   • Works with on-site jobbers and sales representatives.
   • Leadership qualities, interactive, and approachable.
   • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment time-management skills and multi-tasking abilities.
   • Good problem-solving skills.
   • This role requires you to be standing and walking the majority of the time
   • Able to lift 40 lbs.
   
   Some of our company-offered benefits for you and your family include:
   • Health & Well Being: Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
   • Paid Time Off
   • Various Personal and Parental Leave Programs
   • Universal Life Insurance
   • Retirement Programs & Matching Employee Contributions: 401K & RRSP
   • Employee Recognition & Anniversary Programs
   • Training, Development, and Growth Opportunities
   • Tuition Assistance & Scholarship Programs
   
   "Depending on the location of the position, applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States or Canada for any employer."
   
   "Hudson is an Equal Opportunity Employer of all qualified individuals. All employment decisions are made without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, military leave or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace in which we value diversity and unique experiences, backgrounds and identities."
   All offers are contingent upon successful completion and passing of background checks and/or employment verification results.
   
   Note to staffing agencies: Please do not contact Hudson (including the recruitment team or any hiring managers) regarding this position with candidates. If assistance is needed in filling any position for Hudson, a member of our recruiting team will reach out directly.
   
   #AF123QA

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right airport operations supervisor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your airport operations supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit airport operations supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit airport operations supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new airport operations supervisor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the airport operations supervisor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new airport operations supervisor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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