Manager, Airline Partnerships

01A; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Equity plans

Flexible time off

Paid parental leave

Connectivity and commuting support

Job summary

Navan is seeking a Manager, Airline Partnerships in the United States to own and grow a portfolio of airline partners across the Americas, negotiating commercial agreements and delivering content that enhances traveler experience.

You will lead negotiations, forecast revenue, analyze deal economics, and collaborate with Product, Engineering, and Operations to expand access to competitive fares. This is a leadership role with autonomy and travel requirements.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in airline partnerships, travel distribution, or related roles.
• Experience leading commercial negotiations and growing partner relationships.
• Strong understanding of GDS, NDC, and airline distribution systems.

Responsibilities

• Build and grow relationships with carriers across the Americas, with emphasis on South America.
• Lead airline partner engagement for Navan Signature Services and act as SME across Navan Premier, Events, Specialty, and Concierge.
• Evaluate, negotiate, and renew airline agreements including incentives and content access.
• Own revenue forecasts, track incentives and partner commitments, monitor booking trends and profitability.
• Analyze deal economics, model commercial scenarios, and translate data into clear recommendations for leadership and partners.
• Collaborate with suppliers, Product, Engineering, and Operations to expand access to competitive fares and content.
• Coordinate with Finance, Sales, Customer Success, Marketing on partner initiatives and resolve issues affecting performance.
• Build industry relationships at partner meetings and events; share insights on airline retailing and risks.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship management

Financial analysis

English communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, economics, hospitality, or related field

Tools

Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

At Navan, airline partnerships shape the content, choice, and service our travelers experience. As Manager, Airline Partnerships, you'll own and grow a portfolio of airline partners across the Americas, securing competitive content and commercial agreements that create value for travelers, airline partners, and Navan.

You'll lead negotiations, turn performance data into growth opportunities, and work with Product and Operations to bring better airline content to our customers. This role combines relationship building with commercial rigor: you'll have the autonomy to develop your supplier relationships, influence our airline strategy, and see your work translate into revenue growth and a better booking experience.

What You’ll Do:

• Build and grow relationships with carriers across the Americas, conduct business reviews, and engage with key partner stakeholders, with particular emphasis on South America
• Lead airline partner engagement for Navan Signature Services and act as its airline partnerships subject matter expert across Navan Premier, Navan Events, Navan Specialty, and Navan Concierge.
• Evaluate, negotiate, and renew airline agreements, including incentives, content access, and marketing opportunities.
• Own revenue forecasts, track incentive attainment and partner commitments, and monitor booking trends and profitability. Identify performance gaps early and execute plans to meet or exceed commercial goals.
• Analyze deal economics, model commercial scenarios, and translate complex data into clear recommendations for senior leadership and airline partners.
• Partner with suppliers, Product, Engineering, and Operations to expand access to competitive fares and relevant content across various content channels.
• Coordinate with Finance, Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and other stakeholders on partner initiatives. Equip customer-facing teams with clear airline updates and resolve issues that affect partnership performance.
• Build our industry relationships at partner meetings and events, and bring insights on airline retailing, distribution trends, and emerging risks back to the team.

What We’re Looking For:

• 5+ years of experience in airline partnerships, travel supply, distribution, commercial account management, or a related travel industry role, ideally working with or for airlines.
• A track record of leading commercial negotiations and growing partner relationships, with clear examples of revenue growth, stronger economics, or improved customer value.
• A strong understanding of airline distribution, including global distribution systems (GDS), New Distribution Capability (NDC), and direct connections, and how these affect content, pricing, and servicing.
• Strong analytical and financial skills, including advanced Excel or Google Sheets proficiency and the ability to build forecasts, assess profitability, and turn data into a clear course of action.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English
• Sound judgment, strong organization, and a bias toward action. You can manage a portfolio independently, navigate ambiguity, and coordinate multiple teams to deliver results.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, economics, hospitality, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Ability to travel for airline partner meetings and industry events.

Navan uses AI-assisted Automated Employment Decision Tool (Metaview) to assist with evaluating resumes against job qualifications for this role. All final decisions are made by human recruiters and hiring managers.

Human oversight:

Metaview does not automatically reject candidates or make final hiring decisions. Our recruiters and hiring managers review all outputs and make the final hiring decision regarding every application.

• Your rights: If you prefer to have your application reviewed without AI assistance, you may request a human evaluation by entering your email here. Your decision to do so will not affect how your candidacy is evaluated.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about our processing of personal data, and your rights.

About Navan

Navan (Nasdaq: NAVN) is the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels, to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.

Culture of Excellence

Our team is our competitive edge — a high-performance group of smart, driven people committed to winning together. This dedication to excellence is why we’ve been recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In (2023–2026), a G2 Best Global Software Company (2025–2026), Forbes Cloud 100 (2022–2025), and CNBC Disruptor 50 (2022–2025). At Navan, we provide an environment where top talent excels, offering the autonomy and fast-paced trajectory needed to build a defining career and do the best work of your life.

Our Benefits

Navan offers a comprehensive benefits program designed to support your well-being, financial security, and life outside of work. Our benefits, thoughtfully tailored by country to meet local needs, include healthcare coverage, insurance offerings, and wellness resources for you and your family.

We support long-term financial growth through retirement savings programs and opportunities to participate in our equity plans, so you can share in Navan’s success. To promote balance, we offer flexible time off, country-specific holidays, and paid parental leave for all new parents. Additional benefits include connectivity and commuting support, mental health resources, and exclusive travel-related perks. Wherever you’re based, our benefits evolve with you.

Workplace Policy

Navan believes in the value of in-person connections, whether that’s sitting down to have lunch with one another, taking a walking 1:1, or collaborating in a room together. The connections forged through face-to-face interactions improve company culture and drive business results. Navan invests in global office spaces — in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, among others — that feel welcoming. In-office perks such as company-provided lunches and happy hours create a strong team environment to help you do your best work. Our employees work from the office four days a week. Please expect this policy for all roles that are tied to an office.

Equal Opportunity

Navan is an equal opportunity employer. We make all employment decisions based solely on merit. We provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without discrimination on the bases of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We prohibit any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring.

Accommodations

Navan complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law. Navan will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability in connection with applications for employment as required by law.

If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, you are welcome to email us at [e-mail].

Candidate Privacy Notice and Use of AI

As part of the recruitment process, certain personal data may be processed using automated tools, including tools that use AI. For details on how Navan collects and uses your personal data, please review Navan’s Candidate Privacy Notice here.

Job Search Best Practices

We have been made aware of recruitment scams involving fraudulent attempts to lure job seekers into sending money or personal information in return for fake job offers or coerce them into purchasing equipment by electronic funds transfer (Zelle, Venmo, etc.) Legitimate Navan recruiters will never ask for money in any recruitment or onboarding activities. All available job openings at Navan will be posted on Navan’s website and all Navan recruiters will be reachable through an email address ending in "@navan.com" or "@navan.tech" or "@talent.navan.com".

*Applies to select locations.