VP, Destination & Specialty Partnerships

Ensemble

19h

About The Position

Ensemble Travel Group is a leading travel agency consortium of top-tier agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada that was established in 1968. Part of Kensington Tours since June 2022, Ensemble provides members with access to exclusive offers, unique hosted tours, partnerships and superior marketing opportunities with best-in-class suppliers, and proprietary travel platforms such as ADX that offers agents instant commission visibility, one click insurance and more to improve efficiencies and earnings. Ensemble maintains offices in Toronto and New York. Position Overview Reporting to the SVP, Commercial, the VP, Destination, Tours & Specialty Partnerships is responsible for leading Ensemble’s global strategy and commercial performance across tour operators, sun & sand suppliers, DMCs, ground transportation, insurance, air partnerships, and tourism boards. This executive role owns the commercial frameworks, partner strategy, revenue growth, and overall performance of the Destination & Specialty portfolio. This role will lead a high-performing team, strengthen strategic supplier relationships, expand Ensemble’s global footprint, and drive measurable value for both members and partners. The ideal candidate is a strategic yet hands-on commercial leader who thrives in a fast-paced, data-driven environment and is passionate about elevating the travel ecosystem.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
12+ years of travel industry, procurement, partner relations, or commercial leadership experience.
7+ years in senior leadership roles managing teams and complex supplier portfolios.
Deep understanding of tour operators, DMCs, insurance, air, ground, and/or destination partnerships.
Proven track record of negotiating high-value commercial agreements.
Strong financial acumen with experience managing revenue targets and profitability.
Analytical mindset with ability to synthesize data into strategic recommendations.
Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and tactically.
Exceptional executive presence and presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within a global purchasing or consortium model strongly preferred.
Thrives in a KPI-driven, technology-enabled organization.
Entrepreneurial, adaptable, and solutions-oriented.
High ownership mentality with low ego and high accountability.
Comfortable navigating change and building structure within growth.
Strong collaborator who can influence across functions and senior leadership levels.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the global strategy for Destination & Specialty partnerships aligned with Ensemble’s commercial objectives.
Own revenue, override, marketing contribution, and growth targets across the full portfolio.
Evaluate portfolio performance and optimize mix across tour, DMC, sun & sand, ground, air, insurance, and tourism board partners.
Identify whitespace opportunities and onboard new high-value, strategic partners globally.
Lead complex negotiations to secure competitive commercial terms, overrides, marketing funds, and exclusive member benefits.
Establish profitable distribution frameworks that drive measurable ROI for both Ensemble and its partners.
Review and oversee all contracts, ensuring compliance with brand standards, legal requirements, and financial objectives.
Own executive-level relationships with key strategic partners.
Lead quarterly and annual business reviews with partners and internal stakeholders.
Monitor sales performance and implement corrective initiatives where targets are at risk.
Represent Ensemble at global industry events and elevate the consortium’s market positioning.
Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team across the Destination & Specialty vertical.
Partner closely with Marketing, Product, Operations, Analytics, Finance, and Sales to ensure alignment on commercial goals.
Collaborate with technology teams to enhance distribution, reporting visibility, and partner integration.
Drive accountability through KPIs and data-led decision making.
Ensure partner portfolio delivers differentiated, high-quality travel experiences for Ensemble members and their clients.
Identify opportunities to enhance member engagement, education, and adoption of preferred programs.
Support strategic initiatives that elevate the overall value proposition of the consortium.