Business Development Director, Lodging - New Partners
Expedia
Expedia Group brands power global travel for everyone, everywhere. We design cutting-edge tech to make travel smoother and more memorable, and we create groundbreaking solutions for our partners. Our diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community is essential in driving our success.
Why Join Us?
To shape the future of travel, people must come first. Guided by our Values and Leadership Agreements, we foster an open culture where everyone belongs, differences are celebrated and know that when one of us wins, we all win.
We provide a full benefits package, including exciting travel perks, generous time-off, parental leave, a flexible work model (with some pretty cool offices), and career development resources, all to fuel our employees' passion for travel and ensure a rewarding career journey. We’re building a more open world. Join us.
Role Summary
Lead the global strategy and execution for acquiring new hotel partners globally. Drive international business expansion by overseeing cross-functional regional teams, building high-impact relationships, and closing complex agreements aligned with growth objectives.
Qualifications
Proven senior-level experience in business development within the hospitality or travel sector
Strong negotiation and relationship management skills, especially across diverse cultural environments
Demonstrated success in acquiring and scaling strategic partnerships globally
Exceptional communication, analytical thinking, and team leadership capabilities
Experience
Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 10+ years with a Master's
Background in leading international hotel partnership or travel/hospitality development initiatives
Education
Bachelor's or Master's degree in business, hospitality, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
Functional & Technical Skills
Fluency in English and relevant regional language(s)
Deep expertise in complex contract negotiations and stakeholder engagement
Track record of navigating diverse market dynamics and tailoring strategies accordingly
Strong analytical skills and ability to leverage data for performance optimization
Role Expectations
Design and implement a global acquisition strategy to expand the hotel partner portfolio
Lead and mentor geographically dispersed teams to execute market-specific plans
Build and sustain C-level relationships to negotiate strategic commercial agreements
Analyze market trends, competitive intelligence, and partner performance to drive business decisions
Coordinate with internal stakeholders for effective onboarding and long-term partner success
Strategic and Operational Excellence
Secure high-value new accounts at national and international levels
Deliver bespoke solutions tailored to partner business needs
Identify critical market opportunities and drive transformational projects
Lead feasibility assessments and present data-driven recommendations to executive stakeholders
Execute complex analyses to support organizational goals and financial outcomes
Commercial and Legal Acumen
Advise teams on advanced contracting principles and terms customization
Partner with legal counsel to address highly specialized scenarios and pre-empt objections
Oversee negotiation and execution of long-term, strategic contracts
Relationship Development & Industry Insight
Navigate partner organizational structures and strategic priorities to anticipate needs
Build networks with key decision-makers, leveraging deep market intelligence
Monitor lodging industry trends and competitor actions to inform partner solutions
Leadership in Sales and Customer Strategy
Tailor sales techniques to enhance partner engagement and retention
Guide teams through territory analysis and strategic planning
Lead ongoing review processes to ensure alignment with dynamic market conditions
Influence outcomes by presenting compelling, data-backed business cases
Foster sustainable agreements through collaborative negotiation and solution-building
Accommodation requests
If you need assistance with any part of the application or recruiting process due to a disability, or other physical or mental health conditions, please reach out to our Recruiting Accommodations Team through the Accommodation Request.
We are proud to be named as a Best Place to Work on Glassdoor in 2024 and be recognized for award-winning culture by organizations like Forbes, TIME, Disability:IN, and others.
Expedia Group's family of brands includes: Brand Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, Expedia Local Expert®, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™. © 2024 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. CST: 2029030-50
Employment opportunities and job offers at Expedia Group will always come from Expedia Group’s Talent Acquisition and hiring teams. Never provide sensitive, personal information to someone unless you’re confident who the recipient is. Expedia Group does not extend job offers via email or any other messaging tools to individuals with whom we have not made prior contact. Our email domain is @expediagroup.com. The official website to find and apply for job openings at Expedia Group is careers.expediagroup.com/jobs.
Expedia is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age.