Head of Partnerships

About Us:

Travalyst is a not-for-profit organisation working to identify – and help bring about – the systemic changes needed in order for sustainable travel to be taken out of the niche, and into the mainstream.

We believe tourism can, and must, play a key role in achieving a sustainable future for our world; so we’re convening the key players, and catalysing the necessary action, to change the impact of travel, for good. We are committed to being a driving force that redefines what it means to travel, helping everyone explore our world in a way that protects both people and places, and secures a positive future for destinations and local communities for generations to come.

We were founded in partnership with Booking.com, Expedia, Google, Skyscanner, Trip.com Group, Tripadvisor, and Visa. The Travalyst Coalition now includes eleven of the world’s leading companies and brands associated with travel working with us to make travel more sustainable.

Travalyst provides supportive, independent and neutral governance, empowering our Coalition of some of the biggest – and occasionally competing – travel companies and service providers to share data and accelerate change. The goal is to bring credible, consistent sustainability information to the mainstream, helping both travellers and travel companies make better, greener choices.

As part of the Senior Leadership Team, the Head of Partnerships is responsible for developing and managing strategic partnerships that align with Travalyst’s mission to create a more sustainable and inclusive global tourism industry. The role requires cultivating new and existing relationships with key stakeholders, including businesses, NGOs, and civil society. The Head of Partnerships will be instrumental in bringing onboard new coalition partners to help fund our vital work, and in developing a broader partnership strategy to support Travalyst’s success. The ideal candidate will bring a strategic mindset, strong relationship-building skills, and a collaborative approach to partnership management and will have a deep understanding of sustainable travel and tourism.

●      Partnership Strategy and Development (~50%)

○      Lead the development and implementation of partnership strategies to grow Travalyst’s partner base and impact in the tourism sector year over year.

○      Identify and pursue new partnerships with corporates, NGOs, and governments that can contribute to Travalyst’s mission and goals and fit within the pre-competitive Coalition that exists.

○      Drive negotiations, develop proposals and pitches, manage partnership agreements, and oversee the delivery of partnership goals.

○      Collaborate with internal teams to ensure partnerships align with organisational goals and strategies.

●      Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management (~30%)

○      Build and maintain strong, long-lasting relationships with key stakeholders in the sustainable travel ecosystem including corporate partners and other not-for-profits.

○      Manage ongoing communication and engagement with partners to ensure mutual benefit and sustained collaboration.

○      Develop excellent relationships at the Executive level with partner personnel; understanding their priorities and key issues and ensuring these are understood by the broader Travalyst Partnership team.

○      Represent Travalyst at industry events, forums, and conferences to promote partnership opportunities.

○      Advocate for Travalyst’s mission and sustainability goals in various forums and networks, such as your professional social media presence.

●      Project Management and Reporting (~15%)

○      Oversee the implementation of partnership projects, ensuring alignment with Travalyst’s mission and strategic objectives.

○      Track and report on the progress and impact of partnerships, preparing regular updates for senior management and stakeholders.

○      Work with the Travalyst legal, finance and operations representatives on end to end partner management and operations.

○      Collaborate with internal teams to ensure successful execution of partnership deliverables.

●      Team Leadership (~5%)

○      Mentor and guide the Partnerships team members, ensuring best practices in partnership management across all aspects of the partnership life-cycle..

○      Foster a collaborative, high performing and results-oriented team culture.

○      Work closely with internal teams to ensure alignment of partnership strategies with broader goals and priorities. In particular, you will work with the Head of our Policy Unit to ensure that we understand the legislative environment and can use our policy work to leverage and support our Coalition Partners.

●      Experience:

○      Substabtial experience in partnership management, business development, or stakeholder engagement, ideally within the tourism or sustainability sector.

○      Proven track record of successfully developing and managing partnerships and strategic alliances, with experience in business development/ new revenue generation and building growth strategies and verticals.

●      Skills:

○      Strong negotiation and relationship management skills.

○      Proven track record of developing and managing strategic partnerships.

○      Proficiency in CRM systems (Salesforce) and data management (experience with databases preferred).

○      Excellent project management and organisational abilities with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines and use project management software (Notion) to plan and track projects

○      Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior stakeholders.

○      Ability to work autonomously in a remote setting in a dynamic environment.

○      Strong understanding of sustainability issues, trends and the NFP sector, with a track record of aligning business objectives with environmental and social responsibility.

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business Administration, Environmental Science, Sustainability, International Relations, or a related field.

Key Competencies:

●      Relationship Building: Ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, corporate partners, and foundations, ensuring long-term engagement and revenue growth.

●      Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies that align with organisational goals.

●      Data Management: Expertise in utilising CRM systems (Salesforce) to manage donor data, generate reports, and assess fundraising performance.

●      Excellence and Accountability: A commitment to delivering high-quality work while holding oneself accountable for achieving measurable results. Ability to set and meet high standards for performance, ensuring transparency and integrity in all fundraising activities.

●      Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment with changing priorities.

An ‘Open to All’ employer, Travalyst warmly welcomes everybody to the team. People of colour, LGBTQIA+ people, neurodiverse people, individuals with impairments, and parents are encouraged to apply. We encourage you to notify our team of your pronouns at any stage of your application. We also welcome applications from people who come from communities that are directly affected by the impacts of travel and tourism. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process as required. Please add any adjustment requests to your application.