Senior Partnership Manager

Collinson Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A global travel solutions company is seeking an SPM, Strategic Accounts to manage key partnerships and enhance account performance. This role involves coordinating with cross-functional teams and supporting project initiatives to drive value for both the company and its partners. Ideal candidates will have strong relationship-building and commercial skills, fostering collaborative efforts and strategic negotiations. A flair for analysis and adaptability in a fast-paced environment is necessary. Business travel is expected at approximately 20% of the time.

Qualifications

• Experience in commercial account management is required.
• Relevant industry experience preferred, including Airlines, Hotels, and Financial Services.
• Good commercial awareness and confidence in negotiating.

Responsibilities

• Assist in managing relationships with strategic partners.
• Support planning and delivery of cross-market initiatives.
• Prepare reports on partnership performance metrics.

Skills

Relationship-building

Commercial awareness

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Project coordination

Communication

Job description

Collinson is the global, privately-owned company dedicated to helping the world to travel with ease and confidence. The group offers a unique blend of industry and sector specialists who together provide market-leading airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement, and insurance solutions for over 400 million consumers.

Collinson is the operator of Priority Pass, the world’s original and leading airport experiences programme. Travellers can access a network of 1,500+ lounges and travel experiences, including dining, retail, sleep and spa, in over 650 airports in 148 countries, helping to elevate the journey into something special. We work with the world’s leading payment networks, over 1,400 banks, 90 airlines and 20 hotel groups worldwide.

We have been bringing innovation to the market since inception – from launching the first independent global VIP lounge access Programme, Priority Pass to being the first to sell direct travel insurance in the UK through Columbus Direct and creating the first loyalty agency of its kind in the travel sector with ICLP. Today we still invest heavily in innovation to ensure that we continue to deliver superior customer experiences.

Key clients include Mastercard, American Express, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, LATAM, Flying Blue, Accor, EasyJet, HSBC, Chase, HDFC.

Our mission is focused on doing good beyond profit, which for us means we seek out opportunities for our people to share in our success and that we give back to the communities and people within which we work.

Never short of ambition, the success of our business is delivered through the diverse and talented team of over 2,200 global colleagues.

Purpose of the job

The SPM, Strategic Accounts will support the Associate Director, Strategic Accounts in delivering successful partnership initiatives within the travel experiences ecosystem.

This role focuses on account management of Priority Pass’ seven largest global accounts, including specific focus on project co-ordination, ensuring smooth execution of partnership activities in collaboration with regional and cross functional teams as well as nurturing relationships with key external partner stakeholders.

It requires excellent relationship-building skills, the ability to coordinate with multiple teams and regions, and strong commercial awareness to help deliver value for both Collinson and our partners. The SPM, Strategic Accounts will also be expected to support on strategic negotiations, providing input into commercial modelling as well as identifying opportunities for ancillary revenue generation.

Key Responsibilities

• Account Support & Relationship Management: Assist in managing day-to-day relationships with defined strategic partners, ensuring activities align with partnership objectives and timelines.
• Project Coordination: Support the planning, tracking, and delivery of initiatives across markets and functions, ensuring smooth execution and follow-up.
• Commercial Support: Assist with contract preparation, negotiation support, and commercial analysis to help secure mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Reporting & Analysis: Track partnership performance metrics, prepare regular reports, and highlight key achievements, challenges, and improvement opportunities.
• Budget Tracking: Support the monitoring of partnership budgets, forecasts, and cost controls in collaboration with Finance.
• Content & Marketing Support: Coordinate with Marketing and other teams to ensure partner content is accurate and up-to-date and support promotional activity.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with regional and in-market teams to implement partnership plans effectively.

Knowledge, skills and experience required

• Experience in commercial account management and contract coordination, ideally with exposure to multiple business units or regions.
• Relevant industry experience preferred – sectors may include Airline, Hotel, Financial Services, Loyalty, Airports, or Ground Handling.
• Experience working in or with cross-functional teams, supporting team alignment and collaboration.
• Good commercial awareness and confidence in negotiating.
• Able to think analytically and identify opportunities in the market.
• Goal-oriented and proactive in achieving targets.
• Skilled at building and maintaining relationships in an international setting.
• Able to communicate effectively with stakeholders at various levels.
• Experience supporting projects across different countries or business units.
• Comfortable working with data and using analytical tools to support decisions.
• Strong communicator who can work across departments and manage multiple tasks at the same time.
• Capable of generating ideas and contributing fresh perspectives.
• Proficient in keeping up to date with competitor activity and market developments.
• Flexible and able to adapt to a fast-paced environment, contributing to innovation and improvement efforts.

Person Specification

The ideal candidate for the SPM, Strategic Accounts role will bring a strong mix of strategic thinking, relationship-building, and collaborative skills. They should have experience in partnership or account management, ideally in a global or multi-regional setting, with the ability to support and implement strategies for key accounts.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for working effectively with diverse stakeholders. The candidate should be comfortable collaborating with cross-functional teams and contributing to shared goals. A results-focused mindset, paired with good analytical and problem-solving skills, will help them track performance and support continuous improvement.

Lastly, a genuine interest in enhancing customer experiences and a commitment to delivering excellent service will be important for success in this role.

There is some business travel expected of this role ~20% of time

Collinson is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes differences in all their forms including: colour, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodivergence, family status, age, individuals with disabilities and people from all backgrounds, cultures and experiences as we strongly believe this contributes to our on-going success.

In your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example - she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc).

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