Lead SOL (Travel Desk)

Job description

**Role Purpose** The Lead – Staff Leisure & Employee Travel Services will be responsible for the end-to-end management of staff travel benefits (SOL / concessional travel), ensuring seamless reinstatement of staff passages, ticketing support, and high-quality employee experience. This is a high-visibility, employee-facing role, acting as the face of the organization for all staff travel-related interactions, delivering best-in-class resolution within defined SLAs, while ensuring integrity, transparency, and process excellence. **Key Responsibilities** 1. Staff Travel & Passage Management • Manage reinstatement of staff passages (SOL benefits) in line with company policy. • Handle concessional ticket issuance, modifications, and cancellations. • Coordinate and process refunds for cancelled staff passages/tickets. • Ensure compliance with internal travel policies and airline guidelines. 2. Employee Experience & Query Resolution • Act as the primary SPOC for employees for all staff leisure and travel-related queries. • Deliver best-in-class service experience with focus on speed, accuracy, and empathy. • Resolve employee concerns within defined SLAs, ensuring high satisfaction levels. • Handle priority and escalated cases with urgency and ownership. 3. Ticketing, Reservations & Tool Management • Provide hands-on support in ticketing and reservation systems (e.g., GDS / airline tools). • Troubleshoot and resolve system/tool-related issues impacting bookings or access. • Support employees with ZED Travel processes and eligibility queries. • Ensure correctness of travel records and transaction processing. 4. Coordination & Stakeholder Management • Partner with employees, HR Partners, and internal operations teams to resolve cases effectively. • Provide support on: o Nominee addition and name corrections o Eligibility clarifications and documentation • Coordinate with internal teams for issue resolution, approvals, and escalations. 5. Alumni & Records Management • Act as the custodian of alumni employee travel records, ensuring accuracy and compliance. • Manage data related to former employees eligible for travel benefits. • Maintain proper documentation and audit trails. 6. Process Governance & Continuous Improvement • Drive process standardization and streamlining of staff travel operations. • Identify gaps and implement efficiency improvements and automation opportunities. • Maintain SLA dashboards, MIS reports, and performance tracking. • Ensure audit readiness and adherence to policy guidelines. • Will support SOD (Staff on Duty) basis requirement **Functional & Technical Skills** Functional Expertise • Staff Travel / Airline Ticketing & Reservations • Employee Service Delivery & Query Resolution • Grievance Handling & Escalation Management • Process Governance & SLA Management • Stakeholder Management Technical Skills • Strong knowledge of ticketing and reservation systems (GDS preferred) • Experience in handling ZED Travel / airline concessional travel frameworks • Familiarity with travel tools, booking platforms, and employee service systems • Proficiency in Excel, MIS reporting, and case tracking tools **Behavioural Competencies** • High authenticity, integrity, and accountability • Strong customer-first mindset and empathy • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Ability to handle high-volume employee interactions with professionalism • Strong problem-solving and ownership orientation • Detail-oriented with focus on accuracy and compliance **Qualifications & Experience** • Graduate / MBA preferred • Minimum 6+ years of experience in airline ticketing, reservations, or staff travel management • Hands-on experience in: o Ticketing and reservation tools (GDS) o Employee-facing service roles o Managing travel benefits / concessional travel / staff passages • Experience in aviation or travel industry is mandatory **Role Impact** • Acts as the face of Air India Express for employee travel benefits (SOL) • Drives employee satisfaction and trust through seamless service delivery • Ensures efficient, compliant, and scalable staff travel processes