Virgin Experience Days
Partnerships Specialist
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We're looking for a commercially minded, proactive Partnerships Specialist to join our Partnerships team and take ownership of key experience categories. While our team manages a vibrant portfolio of experiences, we are specifically looking for someone with exposure to or a passion for the Hotels, Short Breaks, Spa, or Wellness sectors. We also welcome candidates from the broader hospitality, leisure, and wellness space who have transferable commercial skills and want to step up to drive these exciting categories. The Partnership team are the trend-setters in everything experiences. We’re racing to find the next best thing to keep inspiring our customers. We source, grow and retain outstanding experiences, and manage relationships with our fantastic partners. The front line of the business, we work our hardest to meet the needs of all stakeholders to deliver incredible results.
About the role
As a Partnerships Specialist, you’ll step up to take day-to-day commercial ownership of designated experience categories -with a focus on Hotels, Short Breaks, Spa, and Wellness. Whether it’s securing unique overnight escapes, boutique hotel stays, thermal spa days, or relaxing pamper packages, you’ll relish finding the next best experience for our customers while learning to optimise commercial performance. You will support and proactively manage partner accounts, develop strong business relationships to boost sales, and optimize account performance - working closely with leadership on margin strategy and buying-in margins (BIM). This role is a brilliant opportunity for an ambitious executive looking to take the next step in their career. It requires a sharp commercial mindset, a natural flair for relationship building, and a foundational understanding of the Hotels or Spa categories, or broader experience across hospitality, leisure and wellness. You’ll reach out to decision-makers, pitch our brand, and help negotiate terms to build strong, lasting partner relationships. This is a full-time, hybrid role, with a minimum of 2 days office-based per week (Tuesdays mandatory). Our office is located in Bourne End (Buckinghamshire, SL8 5YS).
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What you'll do:
- Category Ownership & Management: Support the commercial management of assigned categories (Hotels & Short Breaks / Spa & Wellness), helping to drive sales volume, revenue, and margin improvement (BIM).
- Partner Onboarding & Growth: Identify exciting market opportunities, reach out to prospective partners, and onboard quality hotel, staycation, and spa suppliers to expand our geographical coverage.
- Account Optimization & Data Insights: Use Microsoft Dynamics and Power BI to track and report on partner performance, using sales data to spot growth opportunities and make smart product recommendations.
- Pitching & Negotiation: Present our value proposition to prospective partners, learning to comfortably negotiate commercial terms, pricing, and availability.
- Joint Promotional Planning: Collaborate with partners to introduce new packages, seasonal offers, and supplier-backed deals aligned with our marketing campaigns.
- Industry Trend Spotting: Stay curious about key trends across hospitality, travel, and wellness—attending industry events and using market insights to keep our offering fresh and competitive.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams (Product Support, Customer Service, and Marketing) to ensure smooth onboarding, clear communication, and seamless operations for our partners.
What you'll need:
- Industry Exposure: Commercial, account management, or sales support experience within Hotels or Spa. Transferable background across the broader hospitality, leisure, travel, or wellness sectors is also strongly welcomed.
- Commercial Mindset: A good grasp of sales numbers, basic margin calculations, and an interest in learning how commercial deals impact business growth.
- Relationship & Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal skills with the confidence to pitch to new prospects, present ideas clearly, and build rapport easily.
- Negotiation Potential: A drive to convert leads, overcome objections, and negotiate win-win outcomes with partners.
- Agility & Curiosity: High energy, comfort working in a fast-paced environment, and an eagerness to learn and grow your career within experience partnerships.
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Perks to make work feel less ordinary:
- Time for you: 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell up to 2 days each year
- Freedom to work your way: 2 days in-office (Tuesdays a mandatory in-office day), Flexi-working hours around our core 10-4, so your day works for you (8.5 hours per day with a 1 hour lunch)
- Wellbeing that works: Access to an award-winning employee assistance programme; Health Plan cover (plus family add-ons) with cash back for a variety of health & wellbeing costs; Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes (post probation).
- Future proofing you (and your finances): Company pension (5% you, 3% us) after 3 months; Discretionary bonus and life assurance after probation.
- Giving back & all the anti-ordinary extras: 2 volunteer days each year; Free breakfast when in the office; Personal re-loadable multi-choice gift card (topped up on your birthday, lifetime milestones and internal celebrations); Yearly £150 experience voucher; Discounts on experiences and across the Virgin Group; Refer a Friend bonus and generous team celebrations throughout the year.
About us
The home of anti-ordinary gifts
The best things in life aren’t things. It’s why we gift the way we do. We’re one of the world’s leading experience gift brands, making it easy to give the unexpected and deepen connections through anti-ordinary gifting.
In the UK, you'll know us as Virgin Experience Days - one of the first brands to pioneer the premise that the best gifts can't be boxed, way back in 1988. We kicked things off with track days and flying experiences. Now we're home to more than 5,000 amazing experience gifts - from immersive theatre, to virtual reality, VIP stadium tours, Michelin-starred dining and more.
Operating in the US as Virgin Gifts, we're proudly part of the Virgin family, working alongside the likes of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels, and Virgin Voyages to deliver extraordinary experiences everywhere.
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