Senior Business Development Manager, Airline Partnerships – Europe/Ireland

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

📋 Description

• Take ownership of and oversee a portfolio of European airline partnerships with a profit and loss mindset, acting as the main point of contact for commercial, distribution, and operational issues.

• Establish robust, senior-level connections within airline sales, distribution, and revenue management teams.

• Formulate and implement strategies aimed at increasing top-line revenue (TTV) and enhancing unit economics, while analyzing performance across different channels (NDC vs. GDS), fare structures, and ancillary attachment rates.

• Spearhead negotiations for new contracts, renewals, and extensions, striving for improved commercial terms such as base commissions, sector rebates, and marketing development funds (MDF).

• Recognize and leverage opportunities to enhance underperforming partnerships.

• Cultivate extensive knowledge in airline distribution (NDC, EDIFACT, aggregators) and the competitive landscape of European airlines, transforming industry trends into actionable strategies.

• Collaborate across functions with Product, Growth/Marketing, and Finance to ensure alignment on feature development, campaigns, forecasting, and deal modeling.

• Monitor KPIs including revenue, margin, incentive attainment, and product mix, and lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with airline partners.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 6 years of experience in airline distribution, OTA, TMC, GDS, or airline partnerships within European markets; experience in MENA is advantageous.

• A demonstrated track record in managing strategic accounts, negotiating commercial contracts, and driving significant revenue growth.

• Strong comprehension of airline distribution (NDC vs. GDS), fare structures, ancillary services, and airline economics.

• A commercial perspective – you focus on revenue and margin rather than just volume, and possess experience with incentives, rebates, and performance-driven agreements.

• Exceptional presentation and storytelling abilities; capable of effectively communicating with both airline executives and internal stakeholders.

• Highly organized, self-motivated, and adept at functioning in a fast-paced, high-growth setting.

• Bilingual or advanced proficiency in German, Spanish, or French is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• A well-funded and established startup with ambitious goals, offering a competitive salary along with the advantages of pre-IPO equity packages.

• Carrot Cash travel stipend.

• Flexdesk All Access Pass & Work-from-home stipend.

• An entrepreneurial culture where challenging limits and embracing risks is part of everyday operations.

• Open lines of communication with management and company leadership.

• Small, dynamic teams that allow for significant impact.