Job Description: Director, Hospitality Business Development & Partnerships
Work location: London, UK
Geographic scope of work: covering major areas in Europe, visiting clients in various regions through business trips.
The company is a multinational company founded in 2012, committing to providing global customers with fast and highly flexible high-quality travel product connection solutions, covering hotels, air tickets and destination products, making travel business better. Headquartered in Shenzhen, the company has several branches opened to other regions around the world.
The company is hoping to locate a candidate at the director level, with compensation being mid-to-high level compared to similar positions in the European region; the primary responsibility of this position is to oversee business development in the European region for the hotel product's suppliers. The candidate should have excellent team management experience, supplier expansion experience, data analysis skills, etc.
Job Requirements
1. Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the direct connectivity strategy to streamline data integration between partners, ensuring scalability and future-proofing.
- Stay ahead of market trends and emerging technologies in the travel industry to maintain competitive advantages.
2. Partnership Development
- Build and maintain relationships with airlines, hotels, OTAs, and other travel-related partners to expand direct connectivity opportunities.
- Negotiate and manage contracts, service level agreements (SLAs), and partnership frameworks to ensure mutual value creation.
3. Operational Management
- Oversee the technical implementation of direct connections, including API integrations, connectivity standards, and testing processes.
- Collaborate with IT and product teams to ensure timely and seamless implementation of direct connectivity solutions.
- Monitor the performance of direct connection channels and drive improvements to meet or exceed KPIs.
4. Team Leadership
- Build and lead a high-performing team to support direct connection initiatives, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
- Provide mentorship and training to the team, ensuring they stay updated on industry trends and technical expertise.
5. Data and Analytics
- Analyze data exchange flows, partner performance metrics, and customer behavior to identify optimization opportunities.
- Present insights and recommendations to leadership to inform business decisions.
6. Compliance and Standards
- Ensure all direct connections comply with industry standards, data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR), and security protocols.
- Advocate for and contribute to the adoption of global industry standards (e.g., NDC, ONE Order) in partnerships.
Position Requirements
1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Travel & Tourism, Information Technology, or related fields. A master’s degree is preferred.
2. Experience:
- Minimum of 8–10 years of experience in the travel industry, focusing on distribution, partnerships, or connectivity roles.
- Proven track record of leading large-scale direct connection initiatives with airlines, GDSs, or other travel ecosystem partners. 3. Technical Expertise:
- Strong understanding of API technologies, NDC (New Distribution Capability), GDS systems, and travel data standards.
- Familiarity with XML, JSON, and other data exchange formats is a plus.
4. Soft Skills:
- Exceptional negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action.
- Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering innovative solutions.
5. Languages: Fluency in English is required; knowledge of additional European languages is a plus.
