At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead partnerships strategy to boost bookings and revenue through innovative collaborations.
- Company: Join a leading international travel brand known for quality and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid work, travel discounts, and career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team driving strategic partnerships with major brands and communities.
- Qualifications: Experience in strategic partnerships, especially with banks and loyalty programmes, is essential.
- Other info: This role offers leadership responsibilities and the chance to shape the future of partnerships.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
HYBRID (FLEXIBLE LOCATION – London or Manchester)
EXCELLENT + BONUS + BENEFITS
Our Customer:
We’re once again proud to be recruiting EXCLUSIVELY for one of our long-standing, trusted customers. This international travel brand is a true leader in its space – a well-established, award-winning business with a strong portfolio of high-performing brands across Europe. Known for their commitment to quality, innovation, and commercial excellence, they are now seeking a strategic and commercially savvy Head of Partnerships to lead and scale a crucial growth function.
This is a high-impact leadership role focused on unlocking new revenue streams outside of OTA partnerships. Instead, the focus is on building commercial alliances with closed user groups (CUGs) such as banks, financial institutions, loyalty programmes, member clubs, and subscription communities. This is a great opportunity for someone who thrives on creating value through strategic collaboration, with a proven track record in relationship-led growth and commercial leadership.
Job Description:
As Head of Partnerships, you’ll be responsible for shaping and delivering the business’s partner strategy. Your goal? To accelerate bookings and revenue growth via smart, scalable partnerships that enhance brand reach and customer acquisition. You’ll also lead and grow a small team of partnership professionals.
- Develop and own the overall partnerships strategy to deliver long-term growth
- Proactively identify, target, and engage new CUG, loyalty, and member-based partners
- Lead all commercial negotiations and ensure mutually beneficial terms
- Manage key partner relationships to maximise value and performance
- Work closely with marketing, product, and tech teams to integrate and activate partnerships
- Use insights and data to guide decisions and identify new opportunities
- Represent the brand at industry events and act as a senior spokesperson
- Coach and develop a high-performing team to deliver strategic outcomes
Experience Required:
Please note this is not an OTA partnership role, experience in strategic membership and CUG, loyalty programme is required.
- Proven success in building strategic partnerships – ideally with banks, member clubs, loyalty programmes, or CUGs
- Strong commercial acumen with experience owning and delivering high-value deals
- Outstanding stakeholder and relationship management skills
- Excellent negotiation and presentation abilities
- Highly analytical and comfortable using data to drive decisions
- Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and managing small teams
- Background in travel, hospitality, financial services, or a related industry preferred
- Self-starter with resilience, initiative, and strong leadership capabilities
Benefits and Perks:
- Excellent base salary
- Discretionary bonus
- Hybrid working (UK-based)
- Great company culture
- Career progression and leadership responsibility
- Travel discounts and benefits
IMPORTANT: If this role ticks your boxes and you’ve got the relevant experience, then click and apply. If this role isn’t for you but you’d be keen to receive suitable job alerts, then register with us now at www.ambitionstravelrecruitment.com. Due to the massive number of applications we receive, we’re usually only able to reply to candidates whose experience aligns closely with our customers’ requirements.
HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS employer: Ambitions Travel Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Ambitions Travel Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS
✨Tip Number 1
Network strategically within the travel and financial sectors. Attend industry events, webinars, and conferences where you can meet potential partners or stakeholders who align with the role's focus on CUGs and loyalty programmes.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your negotiation skills in conversations. When discussing your experience, highlight specific instances where you've successfully negotiated high-value deals, especially with banks or member clubs, to demonstrate your fit for this role.
✨Tip Number 3
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in partnership strategies within the travel industry. Being knowledgeable about innovative approaches to partnerships will help you stand out as a candidate who can bring fresh ideas to the table.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss how you would leverage data to drive partnership decisions. Be ready to share examples of how you've used analytics in past roles to identify opportunities and enhance partner performance.
We think you need these skills to ace HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Head of Partnerships position. Tailor your application to highlight your experience in building strategic partnerships, particularly with closed user groups.
Craft a Compelling CV: Your CV should clearly showcase your relevant experience in commercial leadership and relationship management. Use quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your success in previous roles, especially those related to partnerships and revenue growth.
Write a Tailored Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Highlight specific examples of how your background aligns with their needs, particularly your experience with loyalty programmes and CUGs. Make it personal and engaging.
Prepare for Interviews: If selected for an interview, prepare to discuss your strategic approach to partnerships and provide examples of successful negotiations. Be ready to demonstrate your analytical skills and how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ambitions Travel Recruitment
✨Understand the Role Thoroughly
Before the interview, make sure you have a deep understanding of what the Head of Partnerships role entails. Familiarise yourself with the specifics of building partnerships with closed user groups and how this differs from OTA partnerships.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Be prepared to discuss your previous experiences in developing partnership strategies. Highlight specific examples where your strategic decisions led to significant revenue growth or enhanced brand reach.
✨Demonstrate Relationship Management Skills
Since this role heavily relies on stakeholder management, come equipped with examples of how you've successfully built and maintained relationships with key partners. Emphasise your negotiation skills and how they contributed to mutually beneficial outcomes.
✨Prepare for Data-Driven Discussions
Given the analytical nature of the role, be ready to discuss how you've used data to inform your decisions in past roles. Bring examples of insights you've derived from data that led to successful partnership initiatives.