Finance Business Partner - Cargo

Overview

Are you ready to take flight in a dynamic and fast-paced aviation industry? As a global leader in aviation services, Swissport provides Ground Handling, Cargo Handling, and Passenger Services to over 300 million passengers annually. Our mission is simple – “To provide the aviation industry with consistent and tailor-made solutions around the globe, for a better customer experience.” 

 

We believe that our people are what differentiates us from our competition. At Swissport, we are driven by our core values of Show You Care, Do the Right Things and Win as a Team, and we are currently seeking dedicated individuals, who align with these values, to join our team at various locations across the globe.  

 

Job Summary

 

The Finance Business Partner – Cargo will be a dedicated strategic and commercial finance partner to Cargo Leadership, providing high-quality financial analysis, modelling and insight to support profitable growth, operational performance, and investment decisions.

 

The role will work closely with Cargo Leadership, Commercial, Operations, Station GMs, HR, Procurement, Fleet, Facilities and Finance to translate operational and commercial decisions into clear financial outcomes. The position will own key commercial finance processes including proforma development, contract profitability, CAPEX/RFA, Investment Committee submissions, budgeting, forecasting, and FLASH reporting, while providing detailed labor, pricing, and P&L analysis.

 

The role will challenge assumptions, identify financial risks and opportunities, and ensure that investments, contracts, labor decisions, and commercial opportunities deliver the required financial returns.

The expected salary is $120,000 - $135,000/year. Full-time employees are offered a range of health and wellness benefits as well as 401(k) with company match paid vacation time, sick time, and company paid holidays.  

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Commercial Proformas & Business Cases

• Own the preparation of commercial proformas for new business, renewals, expansions and strategic opportunities.
• Build financial models incorporating revenue, volumes, pricing, labor, productivity, CAPEX, facilities, equipment and operating costs.
• Validate operational and commercial assumptions and clearly identify gross margin, contribution margin, EBITDA, investment requirements, ROI and payback.
• Develop scenario and sensitivity analysis to support leadership decisions.
• Establish the approved proforma as the financial baseline and track actual performance against it.

CAPEX / RFA & Investment Committee

• Manage the CAPEX/RFA process from initial business case through approval, execution, and close-out.
• Develop investment cases covering financial requirements, expected benefits, ROI, payback, and EBITDA impact.
• Clearly distinguish between budgeted and genuinely incremental investment requiring approval.
• Prepare and coordinate Red Flag and Investment Committee submissions, ensuring risks, sensitivities, financial returns, and recommendations are clearly presented.
• Conduct post-investment reviews to confirm that approved benefits have been delivered.

Contract Profitability & Commercial Finance

• Lead customer and contract profitability analysis across the Cargo portfolio.
• Review revenue, volumes, pricing, labor, productivity, facilities, equipment, transportation and other direct and indirect costs.
• Calculate and present gross margin, contribution margin and EBITDA by customer and contract.
• Identify margin leakage, underperforming contracts, cost pressures and commercial opportunities.
• Support contract renewals and customer negotiations through analysis of actual costs versus contracted rates.
• Quantify the impact of wage increases, inflation, facility costs, scope changes, productivity and volume changes.

Pricing & Commercial Decision Support

• Partner with Commercial and Operations to validate assumptions used in customer proposals and contract pricing.
• Model the impact of changes in rates, fees, volumes, labor, productivity, and customer requirements.
• Establish minimum pricing and margin thresholds required to meet financial targets.
• Identify opportunities where incremental revenue can appropriately cover additional labor, equipment, space and operating costs.
• Highlight commercial proposals that create unacceptable financial exposure.

Labor & Workforce Economics

• Conduct detailed labor-cost analysis by station, department, cost center, position, and role.
• Analyze headcount, vacancies, pay rates, overtime, benefits, fringes, and productivity.
• Build business cases for wage increases, organizational changes, and additional staffing.
• Identify and quantify wage compression and pay differentials.
• Validate the full financial impact of workforce decisions and clearly identify incremental EBITDA impact.

Acquisition & Market Analysis

• Support acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and market-entry opportunities.
• Provide market analysis, competitive intelligence, commercial assessment, and valuation support.
• Assess target businesses, customers, contracts, profitability, infrastructure, growth potential, and investment requirements.
• Develop financial scenarios and sensitivities and provide clear recommendations to Cargo Leadership.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE & REPORTING

 

Budget, Forecasting & P&L Management

• Support the annual Cargo budget and ongoing forecasting processes.
• Develop and validate revenue, labor, cost, productivity, CAPEX, and margin assumptions.
• Provide proactive P&L variance analysis by station, customer, department, and cost Centre.
• Identify the operational and commercial drivers behind financial variances rather than simply reporting results.
• Highlight emerging financial risks, opportunities and expected year-end impacts.
• Partner with Station GMs and Regional Leadership to develop corrective actions.

FLASH Reporting

• Own relevant monthly FLASH reporting and commercial commentary.
• Provide clear analysis of revenue, volumes, labor, overtime, costs, productivity, margin, and EBITDA performance.
• Highlight variances against budget, forecast, prior year and approved business cases.
• Provide forward-looking commentary on risks, opportunities, and required management actions.

Business Case & Contract Governance

• Track approved business cases and contracts against actual financial and operational performance.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to determine whether expected revenue, cost savings, productivity and EBITDA benefits have been achieved.
• Identify differences between approved assumptions and actual results.
• Recommend corrective pricing, productivity, cost or operational actions where financial performance is below expectations.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee might occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Your profile

• University finance degree (or equivalent). "Certified Accountant & Controller" or "Certified Public Accountant" is an advantage
• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in a similar role
• In-depth knowledge of financial principals, concepts, and understanding financial statements and reporting
• Knowledge of ERP systems
• Extensive Microsoft Office (Excel, Work, PowerPoint) skills and experience in providing analytical reports to internal stakeholders
• Knowledge of IFRS and consolidation is considered an advantage
• Proven track record in analytical skills
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to effectively self-check
• Ability to work under demanding deadlines and take accountability for completeness and timely delivery
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork
• Ability to develop robust internal and external networks in order to offer a seamless delivery of services

What we offer 

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

At Swissport, we believe in diversity, equal opportunity, and the power of our values to drive our success. We are committed to providing a workplace that fosters inclusion and where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. 

 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

 

Swissport as an equal opportunity employer bases its hiring decisions on the business need and the best qualified candidates available and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on the basis of any protected category. Candidates who are offered employment may be subject to a criminal record and other background checks as permitted or required by company policy or applicable law.

 

Visit our website at https://careers.swissport.com to learn more about Life at Swissport. 

Join Swissport today and be part of a team that connects the world of aviation!