VP, Business Development - Airline

Accommodations Plus International; Toronto; On-site; CAD 224,000 - 253,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading crew accommodation solutions provider in Toronto is seeking a Vice President of Business Development to spearhead lead generation and client development in North America and Latin America. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in consultative SaaS sales, exceptional communication skills, and experience in negotiating contracts with commercial airlines. This full-time role requires strategic thinking and a customer-focused approach to building strong relationships.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of B2B consultative sales experience with proven track record.
• Experience selling to commercial airlines or with a vendor in the airline industry.
• Ability to manage workloads in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Drive lead generation for new API prospects.
• Lead client negotiation and contracting processes.
• Maintain healthy sales pipeline.

Skills

Consultative SaaS sales experience

Customer focused

Strategic thinking

Client negotiation

Exceptional communication skills

Persuasive presentation skills

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, sales or marketing

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

LinkedIn

Job description

Summary

The Vice President of Business Development, Airlines, focuses on lead generation and new client development in North America and Latin America. Responsibilities span lead generation, proposals, RFPs, GTA negotiations, and relationship management to secure new clients. Activities include cold calls, client visits, trade show attendance, participation in RFPs, and preparing business cases.

The ideal candidate has consultative SaaS sales experience and is confident and customer focused.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sales

• Understand airline customer requirements. Develop and use key airline relationships to explain API’s capabilities, efficiencies, and value proposition.
• Drive lead generation for new API prospects. Run discovery sessions to confirm the need for API's solutions. Guide prospects through our SaaS and service offerings.
• Lead client negotiation and contracting processes, ensuring favorable terms and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Develop strategic client plans, integrating account planning frameworks and competitive battle cards to enable proactive, insight-driven client management.
• Maintain healthy sales pipeline by being proactive and disciplined.
• Effectively manage the solicitation of business from new and existing accounts to exceed specific individual and company revenue objectives.
• Partner with marketing and sales operations to create effective presentations and proposals.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Participate in key API client presentations, RFP’s and the creation of business cases and strategy.
  • Learn and maintain knowledge of API’s proprietary technology and service solutions and how they serve the needs of clients and prospective clients.
  • Record all opportunities and activity in the CRM.
• Identify and develop new client needs and work with product to develop new solutions.

Trade Show/Summits/Media

• Represent API professionally at industry events for airlines, rail, hotels, and ground transportation companies. Contribute by speaking, authoring editorial content, and supporting public relations and marketing.

Required Skills, Education and Experience

• Experience selling to commercial airlines or in a vendor role in the airline industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, sales, marketing or a related field.
• 5+ years of B2B consultative sales experience (SaaS preferred) with a proven track record of achievement.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Ability to be customer focused and build strong relationships.
• Demonstrated experience in client negotiation and contract management, with a focus on risk mitigation and value creation.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Persuasive presentation skills both in person or through video conferencing for both small and large audience settings.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and social media tools such as LinkedIn.
• Effectively use all available tools and methodology i.e. CRM, phone, email, and webinar and other available tools and resources to track and provide solutions to client needs, requests and overall expectations.
• Ability to manage workload in a fast paced environment to meet goals and deadlines.
• Results driven.
• Shows attention to detail and the ability to produce high quality work.
• Impeccable integrity and a strong work ethic.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

Full time, Monday through Friday, normal core business hours and as needed on nights and weekends unless otherwise specified.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Travel Requirements

Travel up to 50 percent. Travel within the region and outside the region as needed up to two to three trips per month.

Compensation

Good faith base annual salary range for this position is $160,000 to $180,000 USD in metro NY area and is commensurate with experience plus variable comp.

Who We Are

API is the global leader for crew accommodation solutions, and we are changing the way businesses manage travel. Our technology platform streamlines the entire crew planning process, making day-to-day operations more efficient and elevating the crew layover experience. API’s proprietary technology, mobile solutions and our experienced team are positioned to offer our clients a complete, end-to-end platform that integrates seamlessly into their process. We are looking for dynamic, creative, and tech savvy individuals to join our team. If you are passionate about hard work, providing impeccable service, technology, and solutions to our clients then API may be a great fit for you!

Other Duties

Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time according to business needs.

The performance of additional responsibilities if you are designated as a Data Protection Champion (DPC), Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) or Information Assurance Accounting Officer (IAAO).

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

AAP/EEO Statement

Accommodations Plus International is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.