Channel Sales Manager

Joy-N-Crew Vacations LLP; Pune District; On-site; INR 540,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Joy N Crew Vacations LLP is seeking an experienced Channel Sales Head to build and manage its travel agent and distribution partner network. You will own revenue growth through travel agents, tour operators, travel consultants, and other partners, driving bookings and profitability.

The role requires strong travel trade relationships, proven partner acquisition skills, and the ability to translate a channel network into sustained business. Based in Pune with regular travel to partner sites.

Qualifications

• Relevant channel sales or B2B sales experience within Travel & Tourism.
• Proven experience building and managing a productive travel agent or tour operator network.
• Strong understanding of domestic and international holiday packages, customised travel, and group departures.
• Demonstrated achievement of channel revenue and partner development targets.
• Experience managing a sales team and reviewing territory-wise performance.
• Knowledge of travel trade pricing, commissions, margins, payment terms, and booking processes.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, relationship management, and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to work from Pune and travel regularly for partner meetings and business development.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the channel sales strategy for domestic and international holiday products.
• Set monthly, quarterly, and annual targets for channel revenue, profitability, partner acquisition, and activation.
• Identify priority markets and territories based on travel demand and business potential.
• Build a balanced partner portfolio to reduce dependence on a small number of agents.
• Develop territory-wise growth plans and review performance with management.
• Identify, approach, and onboard travel agents, tour operators, independent travel consultants, and relevant distribution partners.
• Build relationships with agency owners and key decision-makers.
• Evaluate prospective partners for market reach, customer profile, business potential, and commercial suitability.
• Coordinate partner documentation, agreements, and onboarding with the relevant internal teams.
• Maintain a qualified pipeline of prospective partners and ensure timely follow-up.
• Convert newly onboarded partners into active booking partners through structured engagement.
• Conduct regular partner meetings, product presentations, and business reviews.
• Communicate package updates, group departure schedules, availability, and promotional offers.
• Identify reasons for partner inactivity and execute reactivation plans.
• Strengthen retention through responsive service, transparent communication, and reliable booking support.
• Own sales targets and gross margins generated through the partner network.
• Coordinate approved partner pricing, commissions, incentives, and commercial terms.
• Monitor partner payment schedules and coordinate outstanding collections with Finance.
• Track booking cancellations and commercial disputes, coordinating timely resolution.
• Work with Products and Operations to create competitive, saleable travel offerings for the channel.
• Equip partners with accurate itineraries, quotations, sales material, inclusions, exclusions, and booking conditions.
• Organise partner training sessions, webinars, destination presentations, and sales meetings.
• Represent the company at relevant travel trade events, exhibitions, and networking forums.
• Share market intelligence on competitor pricing, destination trends, and partner requirements.
• Lead and develop the channel sales and B2B business development team.
• Assign territories, partner portfolios, and individual targets.
• Establish clear expectations for partner visits, acquisition, activation, follow-ups, and bookings.
• Coach team members on travel trade selling, negotiation, and relationship management.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and address gaps through focused action plans.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of channel sales team members.
• Establish clear ownership for partner enquiries, quotations, booking confirmations, and escalations.
• Work closely with Operations, Ticketing, Visa, CRM, and Finance to support smooth execution.
• Ensure commitments made to partners match confirmed availability and service capabilities.
• Resolve channel conflicts, account ownership issues, and pricing concerns within company guidelines.
• Use partner feedback to improve response times, booking processes, and service quality.
• Maintain accurate partner records, opportunities, and follow-ups in the CRM.
• Track partner productivity, repeat bookings, territory performance, and sales pipeline.
• Present sales forecasts, commercial risks, and growth opportunities to management.
• Distinguish between registered partners and active, revenue-generating partners when reporting network growth.
• Channel revenue and gross margin achievement.
• Number of qualified partners onboarded.
• Partner activation rate and time to first booking.
• Number of active, revenue-generating partners.
• Revenue and booking productivity per active partner.
• Repeat business and partner retention.
• Territory-wise growth and pipeline conversion.
• Collection performance and overdue outstanding amounts.
• Team target achievement.
• Partner enquiry response and escalation resolution times.
• Review the existing partner network, channel revenue, and territory potential.
• Prepare a territory-wise acquisition and activation plan.
• Implement partner segmentation, CRM discipline, and regular business reviews.
• Launch focused onboarding, training, and reactivation initiatives.
• Build a qualified sales pipeline and deliver against agreed initial targets.

Skills

Channel sales

Team management

Negotiation

CRM systems

Excel

Sales reporting

Education

MBA or Travel & Tourism qualification

Graduate qualification

Tools

CRM software

Salesforce

Job description

Preferred Experience: 8–12 years in Travel & Tourism, including at least 3 years managing channel sales or B2B sales teams

Industry: Travel & Tourism experience is mandatory

Compensation: Up to 9 LPA

Role Overview

Joy N Crew Vacations LLP is looking for an experienced Channel Sales Head to build, expand, and manage its travel agent and distribution partner network.

The position will own revenue growth through travel agents, tour operators, travel consultants, and other approved business partners. The ideal candidate will bring strong travel trade relationships, proven partner acquisition skills, and experience converting a channel network into consistent, profitable bookings.

Key Responsibilities

1. Channel Strategy and Business Growth

• Develop and execute the channel sales strategy for domestic and international holiday products.
• Set monthly, quarterly, and annual targets for channel revenue, profitability, partner acquisition, and activation.
• Identify priority markets and territories based on travel demand and business potential.
• Build a balanced partner portfolio to reduce dependence on a small number of agents.
• Develop territory-wise growth plans and review performance with management.

2. Travel Agent and Partner Acquisition

• Identify, approach, and onboard travel agents, tour operators, independent travel consultants, and relevant distribution partners.
• Build relationships with agency owners and key decision-makers.
• Evaluate prospective partners for market reach, customer profile, business potential, and commercial suitability.
• Coordinate partner documentation, agreements, and onboarding with the relevant internal teams.
• Maintain a qualified pipeline of prospective partners and ensure timely follow-up.

3. Partner Activation and Relationship Management

• Convert newly onboarded partners into active booking partners through structured engagement.
• Conduct regular partner meetings, product presentations, and business reviews.
• Communicate package updates, group departure schedules, availability, and promotional offers.
• Identify reasons for partner inactivity and execute reactivation plans.
• Strengthen retention through responsive service, transparent communication, and reliable booking support.

4. Channel Revenue and Commercial Management

• Own sales targets and gross margins generated through the partner network.
• Coordinate approved partner pricing, commissions, incentives, and commercial terms.
• Maintain discount discipline and ensure special commitments receive appropriate approval.
• Monitor partner payment schedules and coordinate outstanding collections with Finance.
• Ensure credit arrangements remain within approved terms and limits.
• Track booking cancellations and commercial disputes, coordinating timely resolution.

5. Product Promotion and Trade Engagement

• Work with Products and Operations to create competitive, saleable travel offerings for the channel.
• Equip partners with accurate itineraries, quotations, sales material, inclusions, exclusions, and booking conditions.
• Organise partner training sessions, webinars, destination presentations, and sales meetings.
• Represent the company at relevant travel trade events, exhibitions, and networking forums.
• Share market intelligence on competitor pricing, destination trends, and partner requirements.
• Recommend joint promotions based on expected business returns.

6. Team Leadership and Sales Discipline

• Lead and develop the channel sales and B2B business development team.
• Assign territories, partner portfolios, and individual targets.
• Establish clear expectations for partner visits, acquisition, activation, follow-ups, and bookings.
• Coach team members on travel trade selling, negotiation, and relationship management.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and address gaps through focused action plans.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of channel sales team members.

7. Booking Coordination and Partner Experience

• Establish clear ownership for partner enquiries, quotations, booking confirmations, and escalations.
• Work closely with Operations, Ticketing, Visa, CRM, and Finance to support smooth execution.
• Ensure commitments made to partners match confirmed availability and service capabilities.
• Resolve channel conflicts, account ownership issues, and pricing concerns within company guidelines.
• Use partner feedback to improve response times, booking processes, and service quality.

8. Reporting and Sales Analytics

• Maintain accurate partner records, opportunities, and follow-ups in the CRM.
• Track partner productivity, repeat bookings, territory performance, and sales pipeline.
• Present sales forecasts, commercial risks, and growth opportunities to management.
• Distinguish between registered partners and active, revenue-generating partners when reporting network growth.

Candidate Requirements

Mandatory

• Relevant channel sales or B2B sales experience within Travel & Tourism.
• Proven experience building and managing a productive travel agent or tour operator network.
• Strong understanding of domestic and international holiday packages, customised travel, and group departures.
• Demonstrated achievement of channel revenue and partner development targets.
• Experience managing a sales team and reviewing territory-wise performance.
• Knowledge of travel trade pricing, commissions, margins, payment terms, and booking processes.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, relationship management, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in CRM systems, Excel, and sales reporting.
• Willingness to work from Pune and travel regularly for partner meetings and business development.

Preferred

• Established travel trade relationships in Maharashtra and other relevant Indian markets.
• Experience expanding into new territories and activating underperforming partner networks.
• Experience selling outbound holidays and fixed group departures through agents.
• Graduate qualification; an MBA or qualification in Travel & Tourism will be an advantage.

Key Performance Indicators

• Channel revenue and gross margin achievement.
• Number of qualified partners onboarded.
• Partner activation rate and time to first booking.
• Number of active, revenue-generating partners.
• Revenue and booking productivity per active partner.
• Repeat business and partner retention.
• Territory-wise growth and pipeline conversion.
• Collection performance and overdue outstanding amounts.
• Team target achievement.
• Partner enquiry response and escalation resolution times.

First 90-Day Priorities

• Review the existing partner network, channel revenue, and territory potential.
• Prepare a territory-wise acquisition and activation plan.
• Implement partner segmentation, CRM discipline, and regular business reviews.
• Launch focused onboarding, training, and reactivation initiatives.
• Build a qualified sales pipeline and deliver against agreed initial targets.

Only candidates with relevant Travel & Tourism channel sales experience will be considered.