Ascend helps founders, investors, and executives book international business and first-class flights at rates that are typically 30-80% below what you would find on a regular booking site. We combine smart, proprietary booking methods with round-the-clock personal service delivered over WhatsApp.
We have grown from 12 to 60+ people in just over a year, backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, and 5x'd our revenue year-over-year. We are at $22M+ ARR and growing fast. Our mission is to make first-class travel accessible to the people who are shaping the world.
Our clients are founders, investors, and senior executives who expect fast, accurate, and polished service. They do not chase confirmations. They trust us to get it right every time.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced luxury service leader who wants to build world-class operations and grow their impact at a fast-moving company.
As Concierge Manager, you own shift-level operations across three core functions: Client Service, Ticketing, Trip Fulfillment. You lead Team Leads who manage specialists across each function. You are responsible for making sure every client receives a five-star experience, every shift runs smoothly, and every team member is growing under your leadership.
This is a role for someone who thinks in systems but leads with people. Process without empathy is just bureaucracy. You bring both.
What You'll Do
Lead and Develop Your Team
Manage 3 Team Leads across Client Service, Ticketing and Trip Fulfillment,
Coach Team Leads daily with direct, specific feedback that builds their judgment and confidence as leaders
Build a shift culture where ownership, accuracy, and client empathy are the baseline, not the exception
Conduct regular performance reviews that give team members clarity on where they stand and what comes next
Own Shift Operations
Direct all client-facing operations during your shift with real-time decisions and clear priorities
Allocate team resources, manage escalations from Team Leads, and resolve complex situations before they reach the client
Ensure clean, complete handovers between shifts so the incoming manager has everything they need
Maintain 95%+ SLA adherence and 98%+ data accuracy through effective team management and systems
Deliver Exceptional Client Experiences
Own the end-to-end client experience for your shift: every request, every quote, every booking, and every follow-up
Personally handle VIP clients and high-complexity situations that require senior judgment
Ensure clients receive proactive updates, creative solutions, and service that consistently exceeds their expectations
Turn service recovery moments into opportunities to deepen client relationships
Drive Process Excellence
Submit at least two documented process improvements per month that increase efficiency or quality for the team
Spot patterns across client feedback, system performance, and team errors, and address them systematically rather than reactively
Partner with the Process Management team and other functions to streamline workflows across the operation
Use data to make decisions, validate improvements, and demonstrate impact
Collaborate Across Ascend
Work closely with Product, Operations, and Leadership to implement new systems and maintain consistency as we scale
Represent the voice of both your clients and your team in strategic conversations
Contribute insights that shape how Ascend grows globally while maintaining the quality standard clients expect
What You Bring
Must Have
4+ years in luxury travel, hospitality, or high-touch service operations. Apply even if you do not have every year listed but are confident in your skillset 2+ years in a leadership or management role where you coached and developed a team, not just managed tasks and deadlines Strong Sabre GDS proficiency: you are comfortable with fare rules, complex routing, and ticketing at a level that lets you support and QA your team's work A data-driven approach to leadership: you use metrics to spot trends, validate changes, and hold the team to clear standards Excellent written and verbal communication: you can coach with clarity, write polished client messages, and present confidently to leadership Composure under pressure: when everything is happening at once, you are the calm and steady presence the team needs
Nice to Have
Experience with international business class or first-class bookings, or award travel programs Familiarity with tools like Asana, Periskope, Stripe, or similar workflow and CRM platforms A track record of building or improving operational processes, SOPs, or training programs Experience managing remote, global teams across time zones Background in luxury hospitality brands such as premium hotels or high-end concierge services You do not need to check every box. If you have 80% of the skills and the drive to learn, we want to hear from you.
What Makes You Stand Out
We are especially interested in candidates who:
Have turned around an underperforming team or operation and can speak to the specific changes they made and the results they drove
Are known as the manager people want to work for because they genuinely develop the people around them
Have a reputation for spotting problems early and solving them before they reach the client
Think in systems but are not rigid: you improve processes without losing the human element that makes a service feel premium
Are comfortable being hands-on when the situation calls for it while consistently pushing ownership down to the team
Why Ascend
Clear Growth Path
The progression here is: Concierge Manager to Senior Concierge Manager to Associate Director to Director. We promote from within based on demonstrated performance and impact, not politics or tenure.
Build, Don't Just Maintain
We are implementing our concierge framework and career systems right now. You are not inheriting a rigid legacy structure. You are helping build how Ascend's operations scale globally. Your insights will have a direct and visible effect on how we work.
Real Support
We hire proficient people: you will not be carrying underperformers
Regular performance reviews with clear metrics and honest feedback
A Head of People who understands operations and partners with you
A Process Management team dedicated to making your job easier
Work-Life Balance
Predictable scheduling: you will know your shift in advance
Structured handovers so the incoming manager receives everything they need without you staying late
A global team with talented colleagues across continents
Merit-based performance incentives
Learn While You Lead
Advanced travel optimization strategies used by elite professionals in the industry
How to lead global teams using shared metrics and real-time decision-making
Cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, and Operations
Operational leadership at a venture-backed company growing 5x year-over-year
What Success Looks Like
First 90 days: You have learned our core systems and tools, including Sabre, Asana, and our booking platforms. You are leading shifts independently with 95%+ SLA adherence. You are coaching your Team Leads with specific, useful feedback and you have identified your first improvement opportunity.
Within 6-12 months: You are consistently delivering 95%+ SLA and 98%+ accuracy. Your team sentiment scores are at 8/10 or above. You have led at least one initiative that measurably improved client satisfaction or team efficiency. Your Team Leads are stronger leaders because of your coaching.
Our Values
Customer Obsession: We win when our customers win
Urgency with Impact: Clients expect answers in minutes, not hours
Relentless Excellence: Good enough is never enough
Should You Apply?
If you are thinking that you may not have all the experience listed, apply anyway. We are looking for people with 80% of the skills and 100% of the drive to learn. What we care about most:
Have you led teams or operations in a high-touch service environment?
Do you have a track record of meeting or exceeding operational targets?
Can you coach, give feedback, and genuinely develop other people?
Are you excited about building something excellent rather than maintaining something average?
If the answer to these questions is yes, we want to hear from you.
Why You'll Love This Role
This is perfect for someone who:
Wants to work directly with founders, investors, and global business leaders
Sees themselves at Ascend for years, building toward senior leadership
Takes genuine pride in building something excellent and watching their team grow
Values both high performance and sustainable, respectful working practices
Wants to lead a high-performing team that holds itself to a standard most operations never reach
Ascend is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Engagement Structure, Compensation, Shifts, and Benefits
Ascend is a remote-first, global team. This role is structured as a direct independent contractor engagement, with compensation being stated in USD and be paid in your local currency
As this is an independent contractor engagement, the compensation will not follow a traditional local payroll structure or salary breakup. This means statutory deductions or components or other local payroll-linked benefits are not applicable unless specifically required under the terms of engagement or communicated in writing by Ascend. Contractors are responsible for managing any applicable taxes, filings, and compliance requirements in their own location.
This role is part of Ascend's 24/7 client service operations and involves rotating shifts to support clients across different time zones. This may include overnight shifts, weekends, or public holidays depending on business and team scheduling needs. Weekly offs and shift schedules are planned in advance wherever possible and managed fairly across the team.
The consolidated monthly compensation is designed to account for the nature of the role, including rotating shifts and operational coverage requirements. Separate allowances for night shifts, weekends, holidays, overtime, or additional hours are not applicable unless specifically communicated otherwise for a particular role.
At this stage, Ascend does not provide medical insurance, mediclaim, or similar statutory benefits for this role. Further details on leaves, schedules, contractor terms, and applicable policies will be shared during the offer and onboarding process.
Ascend values work-life balance and aims to distribute schedules thoughtfully. At the same time, because this is a client-facing operational role, some flexibility and responsiveness may be required from time to time.