Sr Business Development Manager, Flights Europe

Sr Business Development Manager, Flights Europe ABOUT THE ROLE As a Sr. Business Development Manager – Airline Partnerships (Europe), you will own and grow a portfolio of strategic airline relationships across Europe, driving both revenue and margin performance within Hopper’s ecosystem. You will play a critical role in shaping Hopper’s airline distribution strategy across NDC, GDS, and direct partnerships, working closely with leading European carriers (e.g., Lufthansa Group, IAG, Air France-KLM, Turkish Airlines, etc.). This is a high-impact, commercially driven role where you will act as the primary interface between Hopper and airline partners, balancing relationship management, negotiation, and performance optimization. What would your day-to-day look like AIRLINE RELATIONSHIP OWNERSHIP - Own and manage a portfolio of European airline partnerships as a business (P&L mindset) - Serve as the primary point of contact for commercial, distribution, and operational topics - Build strong, senior-level relationships across airline sales, distribution, and revenue teams REVENUE & MARGIN GROWTH - Develop and execute strategies to: - Increase top-line revenue (TTV) - Improve unit economics (margin per booking) - Analyze performance across: - Channels (NDC vs GDS) - Fare mix (Basic vs Main vs Premium) - Ancillary attachment rates COMMERCIAL STRATEGY & NEGOTIATION - Lead negotiations for: - New agreements - Contract renewals and extensions - Drive improved commercial terms including: - Base commissions - Sector rebates / incentives - Marketing funds (MDF) - Identify and act on opportunities to optimize underperforming partnerships Market & Distribution Expertise - Develop deep expertise in: - Airline distribution (NDC, EDIFACT, aggregators) - European airline strategies and competitive dynamics - Translate industry trends into actionable strategies for Hopper CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION - Partner with: - Product (feature development, upsell flows, NDC capabilities) - Growth/Marketing (campaigns, airline-funded initiatives) - Finance (forecasting, revenue tracking, deal modeling) - Act as the voice of airline partners internally PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT & REPORTING - Track KPIs including: - Revenue and margin - Incentive attainment - Mix (fare families, cabins, ancillaries) - Lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with airline partners - Build data-driven narratives and recommendations An ideal candidate has EXPERIENCE - 6+ years in: - Airline distribution, OTA, TMC, GDS, or airline partnerships in European markets. The Middle East and North Africa is a plus. - Proven track record of: - Managing strategic accounts - Negotiating commercial agreements - Driving measurable revenue growth INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE - Strong understanding of: - Airline distribution (NDC vs GDS) - Fare structures and ancillaries - Airline economics and cost of sale COMMERCIAL MINDSET - Ability to think in: - Revenue + margin (not just volume) - Experience working with: - Incentives, rebates, and performance-based deals COMMUNICATION & INFLUENCE - Excellent presentation and storytelling skills - Bilingual or advanced knowledge of German, Spanish, French a plus - Ability to communicate effectively with: - Airline executives - Internal stakeholders EXECUTION & OWNERSHIP - Highly organized and self-driven - Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment - Strong prioritization and problem-solving skills Perks and benefits of working with us: - 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 ... (truncated, view full listing at source)