Business Development Director, Emerging Markets

Get to Know our Team:   

Growth and Accelerator is a team of creative entrepreneurs that develop solutions for Agoda’s emerging and high-growth accommodation partners. Members of our team are empowered and supported to grow their market(s) or accounts. We develop win-win relationships and leverage Agoda’s unique accommodations portfolio and tech solutions to bring our partners the advantages they seek. Utilizing our strong brand and resources, we roll out new products to increase the visibility of Agoda, introduce more travelers to our great products and services and deliver significant revenues to the overall business. 

We’re looking for a Director of Emerging Markets to lead strategic and operational initiatives that create both growth and efficiency across the company. In this role, you will work directly with multiple stakeholders, including executive leadership and various cross-functional departments to successfully implement key initiatives. You will impact Agoda's business through exploring new business opportunities, analyzing complex scaling challenges, and improve existing operations. We’re looking for the future leaders of Agoda who think critically, learn from mistakes, and adapt quickly. This position offers high visibility with senior management and with other departments within the company. This position is based in Barcelona, Spain or Cairo, Egypt. 

Role & Responsibilities: 

Strategy  

• Be the owner of the Growth Team strategy for the region, juggling between local & central strategy
• Incorporate every HRG (Hotel Reporting Group) strategy into the Growth & Accelerator model making sure the central model is protected but results delivered are matching with local needs
• Propose adjustments, localisation to the central model when not adapted to local strategy, minimizing trade offs and maximizing revenue generation

People Management 

• Manage a group of 5 to 6 Team leaders as direct reporting lines, and an org of 50 + people as indirect reporting lines
• Capacity to lead, give a vision and motivate the whole organization
• Lead, coach and develop Team leaders (people managers)
• Main Stakeholder in the recruiting of any position in the organization, as well as stakeholder in other local supply teams recruiting
• Manage the headcount budget effectively, optimizing resource allocation to achieve maximum ROI

Operations

• Understand, drive and improve the current department operating model locally and deliver recommendations globally
• Be the first point of escalation for local matters

Commercial Performance 

• Deliver on department commercial and profitability targets
• Deliver on each of the HRG local targets
• Deliver on team level velocity and efficiency targets, optimizing for team's KPI and business results 

 Analytics

• Utilize data-driven insights and analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of current operations
• Make data-backed recommendations for improvements on current department operating model, or local initiatives to central stakeholders as department head or product team.

 Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate with central function leadership and regional leadership on strategic planning and objectives
• Collaborate closely with each of the country directors to understand their needs and objectives, serving both the countries interest as well as keeping the central function operating model intact
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product development, support, operations or central teams, to ensure alignment and overall business strategies.

Qualifications & Skills 

• Bachelor’s degree: MBA or other advanced degree preferred 
• 12+ years’ experience in business development leadership and strategy/business operations for a fast-growing globally operating tech company 
• Strategic thinking and planning, hands-on mentality 
• Excellent skills in presenting and analyzing data and creating actionable reports 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to report and persuade different levels, including senior management