Background

Our client a transformative luxury fly-in safari company, operating across East Africa’s iconic wildlife destinations through its own luxury air offering, is looking for a B2B Commercial Lead, for its offices in Nairobi.

The successful candidate, will architect and execute a comprehensive go-to-market strategy, building the company’s presence with wholesale and retail partners across key source markets. This is a hands-on, strategic leadership role requiring someone who can balance big-picture thinking with tactical execution, leveraging the established brand while driving measurable commercial results.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive B2B commercial strategy across priority source markets, supported by market segmentation and targeted channel approaches.
• Establish and manage relationships with key wholesale operators, retail agencies, and luxury travel partners, leveraging brand to accelerate market penetration.
• Design and execute tailored lead-generation, sales conversion, and trade education programs to strengthen engagement and drive bookings.
• Recruit, train, and oversee sales resources in key markets, ensuring they have effective tools, materials, and support.
• Create and manage a robust CRM system to monitor partner performance, sales pipeline, and market intelligence.
• Develop competitive, flexible pricing models and commercial toolkits including rate cards, commission structures, booking terms, and promotional assets.
• Monitor market trends and competitive activity, using insights to adjust strategies and maintain the commercial advantage.
• Collaborate with internal teams and represent the company externally, ensuring alignment across marketing/reservations and providing senior leadership with regular reporting and strategic recommendations.

Key Qualifications

• 8–10 years of senior commercial or sales leadership experience within the safari, luxury travel, or adventure tourism sector, with a strong record of B2B distribution success.
• In-depth knowledge of East African safari markets, including luxury lodge operations, fly-in safaris, and packaged travel products.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including pricing strategy, yield management, P&L ownership, and air charter cost structures.
• Established global trade relationships with DMCs, tour operators, retail agencies, and luxury travel consortia across North America, Europe, and emerging Asian markets.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and motivate sales teams across multiple source markets.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder-influencing skills at all organizational levels.
• Highly analytical and tech-savvy, comfortable with CRM systems, sales analytics, and data-driven decision-making.
• Entrepreneurial, adaptable, and committed to sustainable tourism, with a willingness to travel extensively for market engagement and industry events.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively across diverse markets

• Develop and implement a comprehensive B2B commercial strategy across priority source markets, supported by market segmentation and targeted channel approaches.
• Establish and manage relationships with key wholesale operators, retail agencies, and luxury travel partners, leveraging brand to accelerate market penetration.
• Design and execute tailored lead-generation, sales conversion, and trade education programs to strengthen engagement and drive bookings.
• Recruit, train, and oversee sales resources in key markets, ensuring they have effective tools, materials, and support.
• Create and manage a robust CRM system to monitor partner performance, sales pipeline, and market intelligence.
• Develop competitive, flexible pricing models and commercial toolkits including rate cards, commission structures, booking terms, and promotional assets.
• Monitor market trends and competitive activity, using insights to adjust strategies and maintain the commercial advantage.
• Collaborate with internal teams and represent the company externally, ensuring alignment across marketing/reservations and providing senior leadership with regular reporting and strategic recommendations.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder-influencing skills
• Highly analytical and tech-savvy
• Entrepreneurial and adaptable
• Cultural sensitivity
• Data-driven decision-making
• Pricing strategy and yield management

• 8–10 years of senior commercial or sales leadership experience within the safari, luxury travel, or adventure tourism sector
• In-depth knowledge of East African safari markets, including luxury lodge operations, fly-in safaris, and packaged travel products
• Established global trade relationships with DMCs, tour operators, retail agencies, and luxury travel consortia across North America, Europe, and emerging Asian markets
• Proven ability to build, lead, and motivate sales teams across multiple source markets