SM Alliances & Joint Ventures (Cargo)

Role Overview

Senior Manager, Alliances & Joint Ventures (Cargo) at Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

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 while pursuing its "Journey 2030" ambition to double its fleet, expand its network, and grow its people for a new era of excellence.

Role Purpose

This role shapes and drives Etihad's global partnership strategy by leading the development, optimization, and governance of strategic partnerships and joint venture relationships to maximize commercial value, enhance network competitiveness, and provide seamless delivery across partner carriers. The position requires strategic thinking, commercial acumen, cross-functional leadership, and strong relationship management skills.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Development

• Develop and drive long-term strategies for alliances and joint ventures to enhance network competitiveness and deliver sustainable commercial value.
• Lead the end-to-end development and implementation of new or expanded interline, codeshare, and joint venture partnerships, including business case development, project governance, system implementation, stakeholder alignment, and joint communications.
• Identify opportunities to expand partnership value across loyalty, marketing, passenger, procurement, customer experience, and operational collaboration.

Commercial & Revenue Management

• Drive partnership-enabled revenue performance across a portfolio exceeding $200M, ensuring network reach, contractual compliance, SPA optimization, and commercial outcomes.
• Lead strategic discussions with partner airlines on block space and interline expansions, joint venture collaboration, and other broader commercial cooperation.
• Oversee tracking, analysis, and reporting of partnership-enabled revenue and performance metrics, ensuring insights are regularly communicated to senior leadership.

Governance & Compliance

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and governance of all partnership agreements, including Interline & SPA contracts, block space agreements, and joint venture arrangements.
• Ensure regulatory, commercial, and operational compliance across all partnership activities.

Strategic Insight & Recommendation

• Provide senior-level recommendations on partnership performance, risks, and strategic opportunities.

Stakeholder Management & Leadership

• Represent the airline in senior-level partner meetings, external steering committees, and industry forums, as required.
• Champion alliance and JV strategy across the organization, ensuring strong cross-functional alignment and engagement.
• Mentor, guide, and educate junior team members, fostering a culture of analytical discipline, commercial thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Aviation Management, or related field.
• 10–12 years of experience in Alliances, Network, Revenue Management, Sales, Marketing, or similar commercial roles within an airline.
• Proven experience in managing complex airline partnerships, joint ventures, or large-scale commercial programs.
• Demonstrated success in leading negotiations, developing business cases, and managing cross-functional initiatives.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial and analytical acumen with the ability to interpret complex data and translate insights into strategic actions.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with ability to influence and collaborate across diverse teams and seniority levels.
• Strong project management capabilities with ability to lead multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Advanced understanding of data management systems (e.g. WACD), Excel, and PowerPoint.
• High level of professionalism, diplomacy, and cultural awareness when working with global partners.