Director, Business Development & Partnerships

Flair Airlines Ltd.•Edmonton, AB

About The Position

Join Flair Vacations, where strategic partnerships and commercial growth support the continued expansion of the business. Reporting to the President, Flair Vacations, the Director, Business Development & Partnerships is responsible for leading the development and execution of growth strategies and building strong relationships across the travel trade, including travel advisors, agency owners, network head office personnel, and other key industry stakeholders. The Director, Business Development & Partnerships leads strategic business development initiatives and commercial partnerships that drive revenue, market presence, and distribution growth. This role oversees a team of business development and agency support professionals while ensuring strong product positioning and commercial performance across key channels and platforms. Working closely with Marketing, Product, Revenue Management, e-Commerce, and other internal stakeholders, the Director aligns partnership strategies with broader business objectives and growth plans.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing, or a related discipline is preferred.
Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in business development, sales, partnerships, or commercial leadership roles.
Minimum of 5 years of experience in the travel industry.
Demonstrated experience developing and executing national sales or partnership strategies that drive revenue growth.
Proven experience building and managing strategic relationships with travel agencies, host agencies, consortia, tourism boards, destination partners, hotel partners, or other key industry stakeholders.
Experience leading commercial negotiations, including commission structures, overrides, incentive programs, and performance-based agreements.
Experience working with agency booking platforms, travel distribution systems, or vacation sales channels is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, and developing high-performing business development or partnership teams.
Experience collaborating cross-functionally to support growth initiatives is preferred.
Proven ability to analyze market trends, sales performance, and competitive activity to identify opportunities and inform strategy.
Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to identify growth opportunities and convert them into measurable revenue results.
Excellent relationship management and negotiation skills, with the ability to build credibility and influence senior stakeholders internally and externally.
Strong leadership capability, with the ability to lead, mentor, and develop high-performing business development or partnership teams.
Strong understanding of the Canadian travel trade landscape.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to deliver clear and persuasive messaging to partners, customers, and executive leadership.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret market trends, sales performance, and commercial data to support strategic decision-making.
Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a dynamic business environment.
Collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across departments, including Marketing, Revenue Management, Product, Sales, and e-Commerce.
High level of professionalism, sound judgment, and accountability in managing strategic partnerships and commercial performance.
Clear criminal record check and satisfactory employment references.
Must be legally eligible to work in Canada without restriction.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in French is not required but is an asset.

Responsibilities

Serve as a passionate brand ambassador, representing it with professionalism, authenticity and confidence.
Support the development and commercialization of vacation products.
Develop and execute a commercial strategy for Flair Vacations, with accountability for delivering results aligned with the corporate performance objectives.
Establish revenue targets, performance metrics, and accountability frameworks across the agency sales function.
Analyze market conditions and make data-driven recommendations for commercial terms (including a commission framework) & product development.
Conduct competitor benchmarking, identify risks and opportunities.
Provide structured sales forecasts, performance reporting, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership.
Identify, prioritize, and develop strategic agency partnerships and network relationships across Canada.
Lead commercial negotiations with agency and trade partners, including commission structures, overrides, and performance-based agreements.
Drive advisor engagement and market penetration.
Build Flair Vacations’ trade presence in key markets across Canada.
Develop, oversee and monitor the effectiveness of agency programs and adjust structures based on performance, return on investment, and market conditions.
Deliver presentations that inspire and engage diverse audiences.
Lead within a culture of respect, collaboration and accountability.
Inspire, guide and empower a national team of business development and agency support personnel, providing clear expectations and direction, encouraging professional growth and fostering a disciplined, performance-driven culture.
Ensure the business development team is focused on customer-centric account management that drives mutual success.
Ensure product accessibility, visibility, and usability across agency booking systems and trade distribution channels.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.