Hopper

Senior Business Development Manager – Airline Partnerships

Hopper

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Remote

Location: Spain

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Job Level

Senior

About the role

  • Own and manage a portfolio of European airline partnerships with a P&L mindset, serving as the primary point of contact for commercial, distribution, and operational topics
  • Build strong, senior-level relationships across airline sales, distribution, and revenue management teams
  • Develop and execute strategies to grow top-line revenue (TTV) and improve unit economics, analyzing performance across channels (NDC vs. GDS), fare mix, and ancillary attachment rates
  • Lead negotiations for new agreements, renewals, and extensions -- driving improved commercial terms including base commissions, sector rebates, and marketing development funds (MDF)
  • Identify and act on opportunities to optimize underperforming partnerships
  • Develop deep expertise in airline distribution (NDC, EDIFACT, aggregators) and European airline competitive dynamics, translating industry trends into actionable strategies
  • Partner cross-functionally with Product, Growth/Marketing, and Finance to align on feature development, campaigns, forecasting, and deal modeling
  • Track KPIs including revenue, margin, incentive attainment, and product mix, and lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with airline partners.

Requirements

  • 6+ years of experience in airline distribution, OTA, TMC, GDS, or airline partnerships in European markets; MENA experience is a plus
  • A proven track record managing strategic accounts, negotiating commercial agreements, and driving measurable revenue growth
  • Strong understanding of airline distribution (NDC vs. GDS), fare structures, ancillaries, and airline economics
  • A commercial mindset -- you think in revenue and margin, not just volume, and have experience working with incentives, rebates, and performance-based deals
  • Excellent presentation and storytelling skills; ability to communicate effectively with both airline executives and internal stakeholders
  • Highly organized, self-driven, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
  • Bilingual or advanced proficiency in German, Spanish, or French is a plus
Benefits
  • Well-funded and proven startup with large ambitions, competitive salary, upsides of pre-IPO equity packages.
  • Hopper covers the cost of employee premiums for private medical and dental coverage.
  • Hopper also offers private life and accident coverage.
  • Please ask us about our very generous parental leave, much above industry standards!.
  • Access to co-working space on demand through FlexDesk AND Work-from-home stipend.
  • Unlimited PTO.
  • Hopper offers a monthly cash allowances for gym memberships and to cover home office expenses for a comfortable remote working experience.
  • Carrot Cash travel stipend.
  • Entrepreneurial culture where pushing limits and taking risks is everyday business.
  • Open communication with management and company leadership.
  • Small, dynamic teams = massive impact.
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
airline distributionNDCGDSfare structuresancillariesrevenue managementP&L managementnegotiationKPI trackingstrategic account management
Soft Skills
presentation skillsstorytellingcommunicationorganizational skillsself-drivenrelationship buildingcommercial mindsetanalytical skillscross-functional collaborationadaptability