Business Development Manager

Riverside Creative; City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing travel technology company is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to lead growth in the influencer and OTA ecosystem. The role involves securing new partnerships, negotiating deals, managing relationships, and optimising CRM processes. The ideal candidate should have 3–7 years of relevant experience in business development, sales, or partnerships, particularly with influencers or in travel tech. This position offers a dynamic environment and opportunities for significant impact.

Qualifications

• 3–7+ years in Business Development, Sales, Account Management or Partnerships.
• Experience with influencers, affiliate channels or OTAs is a strong plus.
• Ability to analyse data and market trends.

Responsibilities

• Identify and secure new partnerships with influencers and OTAs.
• Lead negotiations on partnership terms and pricing structures.
• Manage relationships with existing partners to maximise revenue.
• Implement and optimise CRM workflows.

Skills

Business Development

Sales

Negotiation

Account Management

CRM Platforms

Stakeholder Management

Analytical Skills

Organisational Skills

Tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

Job description

About Us

We are a fast-growing travel technology company providing SIM and eSIM connectivity solutions to global travellers. As we expand our partner network across digital channels, we are seeking a highly driven Business Development Manager to lead our growth in the influencer and OTA (Online Travel Agency) ecosystem.

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced, commercially minded Business Development Manager to build and manage strategic partnerships with influencers, affiliate networks, and OTAs. This role requires a confident hunter who can open doors, negotiate deals, and grow accounts, while being resilient, proactive, and highly organised.

You will not only drive new business and strengthen relationships, but also help shape our CRM processes, ensuring smooth tracking, reporting, and scalability.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, approach, and secure new influencer, affiliate, and OTA partnerships.
• Lead negotiations on partnership terms, pricing structures, campaign agreements, and long-term collaboration.
• Manage and grow relationships with existing partners to maximise revenue and lifetime value.
• Develop proposals, pitch decks, co-marketing strategies, and partner onboarding processes.
• Work closely with marketing, product, and operations teams to deliver joint campaigns and promotional initiatives.
• Conduct market research into digital travel trends, creator marketing, and competitor activity.
• Attend relevant industry events, trade shows, and meetings to represent the company and build networks.
• Implement, manage, and optimise CRM workflows (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot).
• Ensure high-quality CRM data hygiene, tracking all leads, communications, opportunities, and revenue forecasts.
• Support CRM improvements, pipeline structuring, and reporting dashboards for management visibility.

Required Skills & Experience

• 3–7+ years in Business Development, Sales, Account Management, or Partnerships.
• Proven experience working with influencers, affiliate channels, or OTAs (travel tech experience is a strong plus).
• Demonstrated track record of achieving and exceeding sales and partnership targets.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Hands‑on experience with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar) — including setup, optimisation, and day‑to‑day management.
• Ability to analyse data, market trends, and performance metrics to guide decisions.
• Highly organised with strong follow‑through and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Resilient, confident, and thick‑skinned — comfortable with outreach, persistence, and rejection.

Personality Traits

• Determined, persistent, and sales‑driven.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership.
• Charismatic relationship‑builder who inspires trust.
• Strategic thinker with practical execution skills.
• Collaborative team player with a positive, solutions‑based approach.