Senior Manager- Aviation & Strategic Partnerships

Travelpath; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Irista is seeking a Senior Manager Aviation Business Development & Strategic Partnerships to build and manage strategic relationships with airlines, airport operators, aviation service providers, TMCs and other industry stakeholders in India. The role focuses on securing commercial partnerships for passenger airport transfers, employee travel and corporate mobility.

The candidate will identify opportunities, navigate onboarding processes, prepare commercial proposals, negotiate agreements and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Aviation Management, Marketing, Travel & Tourism or related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in strategic business development, corporate partnerships, aviation sales or B2B commercial management.
• Established relationships with airline, airport decision-makers will be an advantage.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and relationship management skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify and approach airlines, airport operators, aviation service providers and travel partners to establish strategic partnerships.
• Negotiate pricing structures, SLAs and commercial terms; drive partnership discussions to contract onboarding.
• Develop relationships with airport operators and ground transportation providers for aviation-based mobility services.
• Support revenue-generation through passenger transfers, corporate mobility and related aviation transport solutions.
• Prepare and present business cases, proposals and partnership agreements to senior stakeholders.
• Coordinate with internal teams (operations, fleet, management) to implement partnerships and ensure service delivery.
• Monitor partner performance, profitability and renewal opportunities; maintain strong partner relationships.
• Provide regular updates and pipeline reports to senior management.

Skills

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Negotiation skills

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Aviation Management, Marketing, Travel & Tourism or related discipline

Job description

Irista (aka Travelpath pvt ltd) is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Senior Manager Aviation Business Development & Strategic Partnerships to establish and manage strategic business relationships with airlines, airport operators, aviation service providers, travel management companies and other relevant industry stakeholders.

The primary objective of this role is to develop Irista's presence in the aviation and airport transportation ecosystem by securing commercial partnerships for passenger airport transfers, airline employee and crew transportation, corporate travel mobility and other aviation-related transportation requirements.

The candidate will be responsible for identifying strategic opportunities, establishing relationships with key decision-makers, navigating airline and airport vendor onboarding processes, preparing commercial proposals, negotiating partnership agreements and developing long-term revenue-generating business relationships.

This is a strategic B2B business development role requiring strong aviation industry knowledge, established professional networks and proven experience in acquiring and managing commercial partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

1. Airline Business Development & Partnerships

• Identify and approach domestic and international airlines operating in India.
• Establish direct business relationships with airline procurement, vendor management, ground operations, partnerships and customer experience departments.
• Develop opportunities for passenger airport pickup and drop services.
• Explore employee and airline crew transportation contracts.
• Identify opportunities for exclusive or preferred transportation partnerships with airlines.
• Understand airline procurement procedures, vendor registration requirements and partnership approval processes.
• Prepare and present partnership proposals, business cases and commercial presentations.
• Negotiate pricing structures, service-level agreements (SLAs) and commercial terms.
• Drive partnership discussions through to contract execution and onboarding.

2. Airport & Aviation Ecosystem Partnerships

• Develop commercial relationships with airport operators, authorised ground transportation providers and airport-related service businesses.
• Identify opportunities to provide transportation services to airport employees, business travellers and other relevant customer segments.
• Explore partnerships with airport ground-handling companies and aviation service providers.
• Understand airport vendor authorisation, operational requirements and commercial partnership procedures.
• Identify opportunities for airport-based transportation and mobility services.

3. Travel & Corporate Partnerships

• Establish strategic relationships with travel agencies, travel management companies (TMCs), hotel groups and corporate travel service providers.
• Develop business opportunities for airport transfers, executive transportation and corporate mobility services.
• Build referral, distribution and revenue-sharing partnerships.
• Identify potential corporate accounts with significant aviation and airport transportation requirements.

4. Commercial Strategy & Partnership Management

• Develop and maintain a structured aviation and strategic partnership pipeline.
• Identify new revenue opportunities and prepare business development plans.
• Prepare commercial proposals, revenue projections, pricing models and partnership agreements.
• Lead commercial negotiations and coordinate contract finalisation.
• Work closely with internal operations, fleet and management teams to ensure successful service implementation.
• Monitor partner performance, service quality, profitability and revenue generation.
• Maintain strong relationships with existing partners and identify opportunities for business expansion.
• Provide regular business development updates, pipeline reports and performance reviews to senior management.

Candidate Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Aviation Management, Marketing, Travel & Tourism or a related discipline will be an added advantage.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in strategic business development, corporate partnerships, aviation sales or B2B commercial management.
• Previous experience in airlines, airport operations, ground handling, aviation services, corporate travel management, transportation or mobility services is highly preferred.
• Proven experience in acquiring and negotiating B2B commercial partnerships.
• Strong understanding of airline vendor onboarding, procurement processes and commercial contract management.
• Established professional relationships with airline, airport, travel or aviation industry decision-makers will be a significant advantage.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Ability to independently identify opportunities, approach senior stakeholders and drive partnership discussions.
• Strong commercial understanding, revenue planning and business development capabilities.
• Willingness to travel for meetings with airlines, airport operators and strategic business partners.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Number of qualified airline and aviation partnership opportunities generated.
• Number of meetings with airline and airport decision-makers.
• Number of vendor registrations and onboarding processes initiated and completed.
• Number of commercial proposals submitted.
• Number of strategic partnerships and contracts secured.
• Revenue generated through aviation and travel partnerships.
• Recurring business generated from corporate and airline accounts.
• Partnership profitability and account growth.
• Successful implementation and activation of signed partnerships.

Important Role Clarification

This position is focused on strategic B2B business development, commercial partnerships and transportation contract acquisition. It is not a ticketing, travel agency operations or reservation management position.

Candidates must have demonstrated experience in developing commercial relationships, negotiating business partnerships and acquiring B2B contracts.

What We Are Looking For: A well-connected aviation or corporate partnerships professional who can independently establish Irista's presence in the airline and airport ecosystem, secure strategic commercial agreements and build sustainable revenue-generating transportation partnerships.