Director of Business Development |Travel-Tech Startup in Dubai

Position Title: Director of Business Development

Department: Commercial / Growth

Position Reports To: CEO

Job Description:

We are looking for a Business Development Director to drive strategic growth for travel tech platform. This role will focus on building and scaling partnerships across the global travel ecosystem, including OTAs, airlines, hotels, tour operators, destination services, and mobility providers.

The successful candidate will combine deep travel industry knowledge with strong commercial execution, capable of structuring complex partnership agreements while operating in a fast-moving startup environment

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial Strategy & Expansion

• Define and execute business development strategy aligned with the company’s growth and revenue targets
• Identify new markets, travel verticals, and product distribution opportunities
• Support market entry and geographic expansion initiatives

Strategic Partnerships

• Build and manage partnerships with OTAs, travel platforms, airlines, hotels, DMCs, and mobility providers
• Lead commercial negotiations including pricing, commissions, SLAs, and revenue-share models
• Structure long-term strategic agreements and integrations

Revenue Ownership

• Own partnership-driven revenue targets and pipeline
• Monitor partner performance, margin contribution, and conversion metrics
• Develop upsell, cross-sell, and exclusivity opportunities

Product & Tech Collaboration

• Work closely with Product and Engineering teams on API integrations, connectivity, and partner onboarding
• Provide market insights to influence roadmap, pricing, and feature prioritization
• Ensure partner requirements align with scalable technology solutions

Leadership & Representation

• Represent the company at global travel trade events and industry forums
• Build senior relationships with key decision-makers across the travel ecosystem
• Support investor discussions with commercial insights and market data

Required Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in business, Management, Marketing, or a related field (required); MBA is a plus.

· 8–12+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or enterprise sales within travel tech or travel services

· Strong understanding of travel distribution models (B2B, B2C, B2B2C)

· Proven experience negotiating OTA, airline, hotel, or mobility partnerships

· Demonstrated success closing complex, multi-market commercial deals

· Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SaaS, marketplace, or API-driven travel platforms
• Global expansion experience across Europe, Middle East, or Asia
• Prior experience working with OTAs or large travel platforms
• Background in mobility, transfers, ground transportation, or destination services
• MBA or equivalent commercial qualification (preferred)

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary + performance-based incentives
• High-visibility leadership role with direct access to founders
• Opportunity to shape partnerships at scale in a growing travel tech company
• Entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and flexible working environment

Why Join Us

You will be at the forefront of building a global travel technology platform, shaping strategic partnerships that directly impact growth, revenue, and customer experience. This role offers meaningful ownership, autonomy, and long-term upside.

Job Type: Full-time

Application Question(s):

• Have you previously worked with or negotiated partnerships with OTAs (Online Travel Agencies)?
• Are you familiar with API integrations and technical partnership requirements in travel platforms?
• What is your notice period or availability to start? (Please indicate number of days) Examples: - 0 days = Immediate - 30 days = 1 month notice - 60 days = 2 months notice
• What is your expected Monthly base salary (excluding bonuses/commissions)? (AED)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Business development/related in traveltourism industry: 8 years (Required)
• Closing deals with airlines, hotels, or mobility providers: 1 year (Required)