Senior Manager - Business & Partnerships (Flights)

Launched in 2007 by Aloke Bajpai & Rajnish Kumar, ixigo is a technology company focused on empowering Indian travelers to plan, book and manage their trips across rail, air, buses and hotels. ixigo assists travelers in making smarter travel decisions by leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science-led innovations on ixigo’s OTA platforms, including websites and mobile applications.

Role:
The role entails overseeing and managing end-to-end airline partnerships, encompassing the complete contracting process with airline partners. The person will be responsible for driving best-in-class commercial outcomes and ensuring sustainable revenue performance. This position requires expertise in contract negotiation, fare sourcing, revenue and yield optimization, as well as cross-functional collaboration to accelerate business growth and profitability within the flights vertical. The ideal candidate will possess established relationships with domestic airlines and a strong understanding of airline fare structures, deal mechanisms, and commercial frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Drive negotiations and closure of PLBs and other incentive based deals for all fare types: Published, Net, Special/Private fares, Ancillaries, Overrides/ Push actions etc.
• Secure best terms for commission/ incentives, volume targets and marketing funds with the airlines.
• Source Tactical / Special fares during promotional / sales campaigns.
• Liaise with Product/Tech/ Finance teams to operationalize Airline deals and ensure smooth execution.
• Monitor performance against airline volume targets, market share, attach rates, overrides/ push actions achievement.
• Present actionable insights and recommendations to the Flights leadership team for deal re-negotiations.
• Continuously monitor market trends, competitor activities, airline capacity changes to refine commercial strategies.
• Align with Analytics to generate supply and revenue dashboards, target tracking & achievement reports.
• Collaborate with Analytics and Finance team to ensure accuracy and transparency in payout calculations and resolve any discrepancies as per the agreed terms.
• Structure, execute, and renew contracts, ensuring compliance and legal hygiene.
• Oversee fare sourcing through direct connect APIs, GDS platforms for airline direct relationships .
• Regular cadence with the Airline’s distribution team for new enhancements /upgrades enablement for competitive advantage.
• Source all Product & Fare types, including pre and post book functionalities in the APIs

• Masters degree in Business Management / Sales & Marketing preferably from a reputed B-School.
• 7–10 years of experience in airline commercial roles, OTA partnerships, GDS operations, and revenue management
• Proficiency in GDS, with hands-on experience in Amadeus and Galileo.
• Strong experience in PLB deal structuring, negotiation, and partner account growth
• Strong analytical skills with advanced proficiency in Excel; ability to interpret data and generate actionable insights
• Strategic thinker with a bias for execution and strong attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to engage with internal teams and external airline partners at all levels.