Manager, Airline Partnerships

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Establish and cultivate relationships with carriers throughout the Americas, focusing primarily on South America.

• Conduct business evaluations and engage with key stakeholders from partner organizations.

• Spearhead airline partner engagement for Navan Signature Services and act as the subject matter expert on airline partnerships across Navan Premier, Navan Events, Navan Specialty, and Navan Concierge.

• Assess, negotiate, and renew airline contracts, encompassing incentives, content access, and marketing opportunities.

• Take ownership of revenue forecasts, track incentive achievements and partner obligations, and observe booking trends and profitability.

• Identify performance deficiencies and implement strategies to meet or surpass commercial objectives.

• Analyze deal economics and model various commercial scenarios.

• Convert complex data into actionable recommendations for senior management and airline partners.

• Collaborate with suppliers, Product, Engineering, and Operations to enhance access to competitive fares and pertinent content.

• Coordinate efforts with Finance, Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and other stakeholders on partner-related initiatives.

• Provide customer-facing teams with updates on airlines and address issues impacting partnership performance.

• Foster industry relationships during partner meetings and events.

• Share insights on airline retailing, distribution trends, and emerging risks with the team.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in airline partnerships, travel supply, distribution, commercial account management, or a related role in the travel industry, preferably working with or for airlines.

• Proven history of leading commercial negotiations and enhancing partner relationships, with clear instances of revenue growth, improved economics, or increased customer value.

• In-depth understanding of airline distribution, including global distribution systems (GDS), New Distribution Capability (NDC), and direct connections.

• Strong analytical and financial capabilities.

• Proficient in Excel or Google Sheets at an advanced level.

• Competence in developing forecasts, evaluating profitability, and transforming data into actionable plans.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Sound judgment, excellent organizational skills, and a proactive approach.

• Ability to independently manage a portfolio, navigate uncertainty, and coordinate multiple teams.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, economics, hospitality, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

• Willingness to travel for airline partner meetings and industry events.

🏝️ Benefits

• Opportunity to travel for airline partner meetings and industry events.

• Option for human evaluation of application review without AI assistance, upon request.