Senior Manager - Business & Partnerships(Flights)

Company:

ixigo is an intelligent, AI based travel company for discovering and booking travel across flights, hotel, buses, trains with personalised recommendation, airfare predictions, train delay information, PNR confirmation predictions , customer centric features such as automated customer service over voice / chat and many more. In April 2020, ixigo was recognised in top 100 Asia- Pacific high growth companies by Financial Times (FT), UK. FT ranks ixigo as third fastest growing travel and leisure travel company in Asia-Pacific.

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 the 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 operationalise 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 and airline capacity changes to refine commercial strategies.
• Align with Analytics to generate supply and revenue dashboards, target tracking & achievement reports.
• Collaborate with the 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

Qualifications and Skills

• Master's 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.