Director of Strategic Partnerships

Access Your Potential. Join us to create and deliver experiences that inspire people, spark connection, and bring imagination to life—while having a lot of fun doing it. The Director of Strategic Partnerships will work alongside the VP of Strategic Partnerships to drive revenue growth, expand national hotel partnerships, strengthen industry relationships, and identify strategic business opportunities for Access. This highly visible, relationship-driven role is ideal for a hospitality professional with deep industry connections, strong business development skills, and a passion for building partnerships that create meaningful revenue opportunities. About the Job As the Director of Strategic Partnerships, you will help shape and execute Access' national partnership strategy while serving as a key ambassador for our brand within the hospitality industry. You will cultivate relationships with hotel brands, ownership groups, CVBs, convention centers, and industry organizations, helping to create opportunities that drive growth across our markets nationwide. This role requires a strategic thinker who is equally comfortable building executive-level relationships, supporting sales initiatives, representing Access at industry events, and collaborating across departments to bring partnership opportunities to life. What You'll Be Doing Strategic Partnerships & Relationship Management Develop and maintain strategic relationships with hotel brands, ownership groups, convention centers, CVBs, tourism organizations, and industry associations nationwide. Identify and cultivate new hotel partnership opportunities that align with Access' growth strategy and geographic expansion goals. Support the development, activation, and ongoing management of preferred partner agreements, strategic alliances, and partnership initiatives. Represent Access at hospitality industry events, conferences, client functions, and networking opportunities to strengthen brand awareness and industry influence. Build and maintain relationships with hotel sales leaders, regional executives, ownership groups, and key decision-makers at both the corporate and property levels. Business Development Support Partner closely with National Sales Directors, Directors of Sales, and local market teams to support new business development efforts tied to hotel and strategic partnerships. Identify, qualify, and transition partnership-generated opportunities into the sales pipeline at both the national and local levels. Collaborate with local market teams to maximize visibility and engagement with hotel partners through presentations, curated outings, site inspections, and relationship-building initiatives. Lead and support client engagement programs, FAM trips, strategic events, sponsorship activations, and industry initiatives designed to drive revenue opportunities. Participate in partnership presentations, strategic proposals, and pitch development efforts that support company growth objectives. Market Intelligence & Growth Strategy Monitor hospitality industry trends, ownership changes, hotel brand initiatives, and market developments to identify emerging opportunities. Maintain awareness of competitive DMC partnerships and evolving market dynamics. Provide recommendations and strategic insights to leadership regarding partnership growth opportunities, emerging markets, and industry trends. Support evaluation of expansion opportunities and onboarding initiatives for new markets and offices. Create, manage, and report partnership engagement metrics, including executive meetings, field visits, relationship activity, and partnership performance indicators. Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Executive Leadership teams to ensure alignment on strategic priorities and partnership initiatives. Support consistency in partnership messaging, client experience, and brand positioning across all markets. Serve as a liaison between corporate leadership and local market teams regarding partnership opportunities, initiatives, and best practices. Reporting & Performance Analysis Track partnership performance metrics, lead generation activity, and ROI through Salesforce dashboards and reporting tools. Assist with forecasting, pipeline management, and partnership reporting. Support development of dashboards, executive summaries, quarterly business reviews, and performance reports related to strategic partnerships and business development efforts. About Access Access is a women-owned and women-led destination management company that collaborates with clients to design and execute corporate events and programs. Our expert teams are in coast-to-coast destinations, designing and producing ultimate experiences for our clients. What Success Looks Like Expanding and strengthening strategic relationships with hotel brands, ownership groups, and industry organizations. Generating qualified partnership-driven opportunities that contribute to revenue growth across Access markets. Increasing Access' visibility and influence within the hospitality industry through meaningful engagement and industry participation. Successfully collaborating with local and national teams to maximize partnership opportunities and business development efforts. Delivering accurate partnership reporting, forecasting, and performance insights that support strategic decision-making. Driving measurable ROI from partnership initiatives, sponsorships, activations, and industry engagement efforts. About You We know that there's no one in the world like you. And we know that you have a lot to offer the next company you work with. Below is a list of nice-to-haves, but don't let those deter you from applying. Access believes that an inclusive team and culture is important. We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team. Nice-to-Haves: 7–10+ years of experience in hospitality business development, strategic partnerships, DMC sales, hotel sales, or related industries. Existing relationships within hotel brands, ownership groups, CVBs, convention centers, and hospitality organizations. Demonstrated success developing partnerships that generate measurable revenue opportunities. Exceptional communication, presentation, networking, and relationship-building skills. Strong business acumen with the ability to think strategically while executing tactically. Experience working within fast-paced, growth-oriented organizations. Strong organizational and project management capabilities. Ability and willingness to travel regularly for client meetings, industry events, conferences, and partnership development activities. Experience using CRM systems, reporting tools, and performance dashboards to manage partnership pipelines and opportunities. Why Access? CULTURE & EXTRAS Certified as a Great Place to Work – 3 years in a row and counting! 50+ years in the industry! Women-owned and women-led Fun, creative, and supportive culture Focus on recognition and employee value – including annual and quarterly awards Paid day off to serve your local community Annual all-company retreat to connect, learn, and have fun together Annual qualifier-based incentive trip for top performers (certain departments eligible) Regional team outings Monthly companywide meetings to connect, learn, and celebrate wins COMPENSATION Highly competitive total compensation, including strong base salary and quarterly bonuses Very strong performance-based quarterly commission plans 401k with company match (eligible after 1 year – up to 4% of salary matched, vested immediately Monthly cell phone stipend WORK LIFE BALANCE Work from home opportunities and flexibility (including full home office setup) Flexible schedule opportunities Generous PTO Sick days 9 full holidays 5 half days off prior to holidays to unplug early 2 floating holidays off to be used on holidays of your choice ½ day Fridays in July & August (based on achievement of goals) HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND FAMILY Extensive menu of health plans to choose from Paid parental leave Pet insurance program Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Mentorship program “Masterclasses” in industry/department-specific topics State-of-the-art technology platforms and tools – including training Annual and monthly meeting content that focuses on professional development What are you waiting for? Scroll back to the top and apply! Access is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected].