Aviation Operations Specialist

Location: San José, Costa Rica

About the Role

As an Aviation Operations Specialist, you will play a critical role supporting aviation customers around the world. This position combines customer interaction with real-time operational coordination in a fast-paced, 24/7 environment.

You will manage customer requests through phone and email while coordinating with internal teams, suppliers, and stakeholders to resolve time-sensitive operational issues. Success in this role requires strong communication skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize competing demands while following established procedures and escalation processes.

If you enjoy solving problems, making decisions in real time, and working in a dynamic operational environment, this is an excellent opportunity to build a career in global aviation operations.

What You Will Do

Customer Support & Relationship Management

• Manage a high volume of inbound customer phone calls and emails from aviation clients around the world.
• Build strong customer relationships through responsive, professional, and solution-oriented communication.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact for customer inquiries, requests, and escalations.
• Deliver a consistently high level of customer service in a fast-paced operational environment.

Operational Coordination & Decision Making

• Assess and prioritize customer requests based on urgency, operational impact, business risk, and service commitments.
• Coordinate with internal departments including Sales, Credit, Collections, Billing, Supply, Logistics, and Fuel Operations to ensure timely execution of customer requests.
• Support the resolution of operational disruptions, service issues, and exception scenarios while following established procedures and escalation protocols.
• Monitor fuel availability and communicate impacts, risks, or disruptions to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Manage multiple competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Coordinate activities across multiple stakeholders while balancing customer commitments, business priorities, and operational requirements.

Process Compliance & Risk Management

• Follow established operational procedures, controls, and escalation paths.
• Ensure accurate documentation of customer interactions and operational activities.
• Exercise sound judgment when handling exceptions while maintaining compliance with operational requirements.
• Identify issues requiring escalation and engage the appropriate stakeholders.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience in aviation operations, airline operations, airport operations, logistics, transportation, travel operations, customer operations, dispatching, coordination, or other fast-paced operational environments.
• Experience managing high volumes of phone calls and emails while balancing multiple priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
• Strong customer service and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to assess urgency and prioritize work based on operational impact, business risk, and customer commitments.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• High attention to detail and ability to follow established procedures.
• Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams.
• Valid passport.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aviation industry experience.
• Airline, airport operations, aviation support, dispatch, logistics, transportation, or travel operations experience.
• Experience responding to operational disruptions or time-sensitive customer situations.
• Familiarity with Oracle or similar systems.
• Additional language capabilities.
• Strong understanding of world geography.

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

Successful individuals in this role:

• Think operationally, not just transactionally.
• Prioritize work based on operational impact, urgency, business risk, and customer commitments.
• Remain calm and effective during high-pressure situations.
• Follow established procedures and escalation paths.
• Balance customer service with operational discipline.
• Take ownership of issues through resolution.
• Communicate confidently with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities and unexpected situations.

Why Join World Fuel

• Join a global leader in aviation fuel and services.
• Gain exposure to international aviation operations.
• Develop valuable operational, customer management, and problem-solving skills.
• Work in a fast-paced environment where your decisions have real impact.
• Benefit from strong career growth and internal mobility opportunities.
• Be part of a team that supports customers across the global aviation industry.