Department:

Innovation

Our Company Promise

We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.

Job Description:

How would you like to Lead the innovative thinking that shapes the future Customer Experience at Southwest Airlines? The Manager Innovation supports the Customer Experience and Innovation Team by Leading a group of four CX Strategy Consultants who design and deliver the day‑of‑travel lines of service including baggage, accessibility, passenger movement, hospitality, tier & priority, and inflight food & beverage. They’ll guide the Team in exploring possibilities, creating forward‑thinking concepts, and developing solutions that help business partners anticipate needs and strengthen every touchpoint in the Customer journey. Through creative Leadership, collaboration, and a passion for problem‑solving, the Manager Innovation is excited to foster an environment where new ideas thrive and contribute to Southwest Airlines’ continued commitment to exceptional Customer Experience.

Additional Details

• The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX headquarters facility during business hours.

• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.

• Responsibilities- Coach and guide a team of problem solvers by embracing both ambiguity and curiosity and lending technical expertise across the modes of design including research, design, development and storytelling

• Discover the ”why’s” behind problems through field research using ethnographic methods such as observation and find pertinent insights to identify opportunity areas for designing new solutions

• Envision and sketch new ideas across a wide range of experience types: digital and physical tools, programs and services, spaces and environments, events, campaigns, roles, policies, processes, etc.

• Create prototypes and gather feedback on design concepts from a wide range of audiences

• Lead and/or design concept workshops

• Collaborate in a team-based environment with leads from multi-disciplinary units such as operations, technology, facilities, and marketing

• Lead multi-disciplinary project teams through modes of design

• Teach and coach others on human-centered design methods

• Identifies and understands the dependencies and impacts of projects to the greater Company business or operation

• Must be able to meet any physical ability requirements listed on this description

• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities- Intermediate knowledge of Human Centered Design and Innovation mindsets, tools and techniques

• Skilled in behavioral research practices

• Skilled in facilitating concepting sessions and prototyping

• Skilled in strategic thinking, problem solving and connecting disparate dots to see beyond today’s activities

• Skilled in building and managing relationships across a large organization

• Ability to discern underlying human needs and actionable insights from research

• Ability to articulate a compelling story and deliver impactful presentations to gain alignment

• Ability to coach, inspire and direct a team toward a common purpose and set a clear direction by casting a vision, creating action plans and delegating responsibilities

• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite

• Education- Required: High School Diploma or GED

• Required: Undergraduate level degree in a research driven field such as Social Sciences or Design related fields

• Experience- Demonstrated experience in directly or indirectly leading team(s)

• Fully functioning, broad knowledge in:Business consulting / Strategy

• User Research

• Prototyping

• Communications

• Preferred: Proven experience in service design, including mapping end‑to‑end customer journeys and identifying opportunities for improvement

• Preferred: Demonstrated experience conducting customer and industry research, synthesizing insights, and translating findings into actionable strategies

• Preferred: Strong visual and verbal storytelling skills, with the ability to clearly communicate concepts, insights, and recommendations at all levels

• Preferred: Foundational project management skills, including organizing workstreams, managing timelines, and coordinating cross‑functional stakeholders

• Preferred: A strategic, customer‑centric mindset to advocate for the overall customer experience

Licensing/ Certifications- N/A

• Physical Abilities- Ability to perform work duties from limited space work station/desk/office area for extended periods of time

• Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job

• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job

• Other Qualifications- Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines

• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986

• Must be at least 18 years of age

• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines

Pay & Benefits:

• Competitive market salary from $138,800 per year to $154,200 per year depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.

Benefits you’ll love:

• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)
• Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings
• Potential for annual Profit Sharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit
• Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)
• Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.
• Explore more Benefits you’ll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits

Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time.

401(k) match contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits.

Profit Sharing contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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