Sr. Executive Escalations Associate

As a member of Airbnb’s Escalations team, you will own the resolution of high-stakes issues raised directly to the CEO and Executive Team, delivering “unreasonable hospitality” by balancing urgency, empathy, and fairness. This high-visibility role demands extreme ownership—you’ll dive deep to uncover root causes, craft solutions that rebuild trust, and proactively mitigate brand risk. Your work will directly shape user perception of Airbnb, turning detractors into promoters while surfacing systemic insights to drive business-wide improvements.

We seek a strategic problem-solver who thrives in ambiguity, operates with a founder’s mindset, and consistently delivers “wow” moments for users even in the most complex scenarios.

Responsibilities
Master High-Stakes Customer Resolutions:

• Lead resolution of critical cases escalated to senior leadership, mirroring the precision of industries like luxury hospitality or premium aviation. Operate with urgency, delivering personalized solutions with unmatched attention to detail.
• Conduct investigative deep dives: Analyze high-impact issues (e.g., safety concerns, high-value customer disputes) through data-driven problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration.

Redefine Customer Expectations:

• Create transformative customer experiences: Resolve not just immediate concerns but systemic issues, aligning with industries like luxury retail where service exceeds expectations at every touchpoint.
• Go beyond service recovery: Deliver tailored resolutions (e.g., surprise-and-delight gestures, executive-level handling) that build enduring customer loyalty.

Deliver Empathy-Led Advocacy:

• Anticipate unspoken needs: Identify hidden pain points and proactively address them, following the example of empathetic industries like healthcare and high-end concierge services.

• Turn detractors into advocates: Use emotionally intelligent communication to rebuild trust and transform dissatisfied customers into brand champions.

Collaborate and Influence Across Functions:

• Build bridges across teams: Work with wider Community Support, Legal, PR, Trust & Safety, and other stakeholders to align customer outcomes with organizational goals..
• Drive strategic change: Identify trends from customer escalations, translating them into actionable recommendations for leadership to improve policies, processes, and user experience.

Develop Expertise and Mitigate Risks:

• Become a subject-matter expert: Deeply understand brand policies, compliance requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Manage ambiguity with authority: Use sound judgment to handle complex, high-stakes cases with minimal supervision.

Set the Gold Standard in Operations:

• Mentor and elevate peers: Share expertise to upskill team members, refine playbooks, and scale operational excellence, inspired by continuous improvement practices in elite organizations.
• Innovate processes: Design workflows that embed customer-first principles, reflecting the scalable excellence seen in leading tech and luxury brands.

Qualification

• Investigate with precision: You approach problems like an auditor in finance or a specialist in healthcare, uncovering root causes others miss.
• Thrive in high-pressure environments: You remain composed and decisive, even in scenarios requiring rapid escalation and executive-level visibility
• Deliver beyond expectations: You treat every case as an opportunity to innovate and provide high end customer service.
• Communicate with confidence: Your messaging is polished, persuasive, and tailored for stakeholders at all levels—from team members to C-suite executives.
• Think systemically: You anticipate the ripple effects of decisions, leveraging foresight seen in industries like aviation safety or strategic consulting.

Requirement

• Experience: 3+ years in customer success, risk management, or service delivery in high-stakes sectors (e.g., aviation, healthcare, finance, or luxury retail).
• Availability to work 40 hours a week, available to work weekends and/or different shifts
• Track record of excellence: Consistently rated as a top performer in roles requiring quick decision-making and emotional intelligence.
• Availability: Flexible to work non-traditional hours, reflecting the round-the-clock commitment seen in premium service industries.

Key Skills:

• Conflict resolution: Expert at diffusing tense situations with empathy and authority
• Time management: Proven ability to juggle 10+ critical tasks with precision, prioritizing effectively under tight deadlines.
• Strategic decision-making: Comfortable making high-stakes judgment calls (e.g., financial goodwill gestures, policy exceptions) that balance business and customer needs.
• Operational excellence: Experience with customer-centric workflows and governance models from industries like financial services or aviation.

Hybrid Work Requirements & Expectations: To support productivity and maintain a professional hybrid work environment, employees are expected to adhere to the following:

• Workspace: A dedicated, quiet, and private workspace free from interruptions and external noise
• Internet Connectivity: During the working hours, maintain a minimum and consistent internet speed of 10 Mbps on your official devices to ensure reliability for work-related tasks, including calls and virtual meetings
• Professionalism: Employees must remain fully engaged, respectful, and maintain a professional presence during virtual meetings, with video participation required unless otherwise approved.
• Confidentiality & Security: Employees are responsible for protecting Airbnb’s Intellectual Property and Confidential Information. Work-related activities, including calls and meetings, must not be conducted in public places, while traveling, or in any setting that may compromise confidentiality or work quality.