Job description
Role Overview
Retail Partnerships Lead at Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi, UAE. This role is restricted to UAE Nationals only.
Company Overview
Etihad Airways is the UAE's national airline, operating from its hub in Abu Dhabi. The organization connects people across continents and cultures and is executing its "Journey 2030" ambition to double its fleet, expand its network, and grow its people for a new era of excellence.
Role Purpose
Lead the Lifestyle & Localization Partnerships vertical within Etihad Guest, driving strategic development and management of the loyalty programme's retail and lifestyle proposition. The role is critical in delivering customer engagement, increasing brand affinity, and maximizing revenue through strategic partnerships that include non-air redemption and accrual opportunities in key markets.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Development
- Develop and execute strategic non-air redemption and non-financial accrual strategies that enhance the value of the airline's frequent flyer program.
- Implement loyalty strategies that integrate retail and lifestyle benefits into the Etihad Guest offering.
- Expand and leverage the Etihad Guest non-air redemption portfolio, including Reward Shop and Etihad GuestPay, to meet commercial objectives.
- Build a network of global and regional lifestyle brands to enhance the Etihad Guest loyalty ecosystem and increase the overall non-UAE partnership network base.
Partnership Management
- Identify, negotiate, and manage strategic partnerships with retail, travel, and lifestyle brands to deliver unique value propositions aligned with commercial objectives.
- Develop and execute partnerships with retail, travel, and lifestyle brands to broaden the loyalty program's redemption and accrual network.
- Monitor and evaluate partnership performance to ensure alignment with commercial objectives.
Stakeholder Collaboration & Integration
- Collaborate across departments, including marketing, operations, and IT, to ensure the loyalty program is fully integrated with the airline's broader customer strategy.
- Work with marketing, technology partners, and data analytics teams to create seamless loyalty experiences for customers and increase awareness of the Etihad Guest programme.
Team Leadership
- Lead and mentor a team of loyalty program specialists, fostering a culture of motivation and results-driven performance to meet divisional goals.
Analysis & Campaigns
- Analyze projects and drive results-oriented campaigns.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Minimum 7 years in loyalty program management, customer engagement, or strategic partnerships, preferably in the airline and digital marketing space.
- Full understanding of the retail, travel (hotel and car rental), and lifestyle sectors and their integration into loyalty programs.
- Experience managing external partners and stakeholders.
Skills & Competencies
- Proficiency in CRM platforms, data analytics tools, and loyalty software.
- Strong negotiation and relationship management skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication and collaboration skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).