Senior Manager, Market Development & Strategic Partnerships
American Hotel & Lodging Association, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Senior Manager, Market Development & Strategic Partnerships
Co-operated by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Hotels Canada (HC), Green Key Global is a leading international environmental certification body providing standardized sustainability programs for the hotel and meetings industries.
Green Key Global is entering a period of rapid expansion across North America as AHLA and HC work together to scale sustainability certification across the hospitality sector.
Green Key Global is seeking a Senior Manager, Market Development & Strategic Partnerships to play a key role in accelerating certification adoption across the hospitality ecosystem.
Reporting to the VP, Market Development, this role is responsible for driving new partnerships, new member growth and strategic market expansion across management companies, ownership groups, destination organizations, and travel ecosystem partners.
This is a sales-driven role responsible for building pipeline, closing partnerships, and delivering measurable revenue impact.
The position operates in a high-growth environment, requiring the ability to manage multiple projects while helping scale a rapidly expanding certification program.
This position works closely with Account Managers to support partner transition, adoption visibility, and consistent execution, while remaining primarily focused on sales and market development.
Key Responsibilities
Market Development & Sales Execution
Own defined growth segments with clear revenue and new member growth targets
Lead the full business development lifecycle including prospecting, discovery, value positioning, proposal development, negotiation, and closing partnerships
Identify underpenetrated portfolios and develop enterprise partnership opportunities with hospitality organizations and portfolio owners.
Build structured engagement strategies for management companies, ownership groups, and associations
Build and maintain a qualified sales pipeline sufficient to achieve revenue and enrollment targets.
Destination & Ecosystem Partnerships
Develop and execute partnership strategies with DMOs/CVBs that drive measurable property enrollments
Cultivate relationships with hospitality associations, travel buyers, and ecosystem stakeholders
Represent Green Key Global at industry conferences, trade shows, and strategic events
Partner Transition & Adoption Alignment
Collaborate with the Account Management team to ensure smooth transition of newly established partnerships and alignment on portfolio expansion opportunities.
Ensure structured handoffs post-close and clear accountability for adoption execution
Sales Infrastructure & CRM Discipline
Maintain disciplined HubSpot CRM pipeline management, forecasting, and reporting
Ensure leads generated through conferences, events, partner channels, and outbound outreach are documented, assigned, and actively worked
Contribute to development of sales processes, partnership launch protocols, and playbooks
Maintain accurate documentation, dashboard visibility, and reporting standards
Sustainability Value & Market Positioning
Articulate the business case for certification using data-driven frameworks including operational efficiency, RFP competitiveness, brand positioning, and asset value
Translate market insights into feedback that strengthens the program's value proposition
Success Metrics
New partnership agreements signed
Partner-driven property enrollments
Portfolio penetration within enterprise partners
Pipeline coverage ratio and forecast accuracy
Revenue contribution aligned with growth targets
Knowledge & Skills Required
Proven experience in business development and sales in high-growth environments
Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate effectively in a small, high-growth organization where roles evolve, and priorities shift quickly.
Strong leadership and people management capabilities
Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced growth-stage organization
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
Strong understanding of the hospitality ecosystem including brands, ownership groups, third-party management companies, and destination organizations.
Comfortable operating in a small, high-growth team environment where sales, strategy, CRM discipline, and internal coordination often intersect.
Co-operated by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Hotels Canada (HC), Green Key Global is a leading international environmental certification body providing standardized sustainability programs for the hotel and meetings industries.
Green Key Global is entering a period of rapid expansion across North America as AHLA and HC work together to scale sustainability certification across the hospitality sector.
Green Key Global is seeking a Senior Manager, Market Development & Strategic Partnerships to play a key role in accelerating certification adoption across the hospitality ecosystem.
Reporting to the VP, Market Development, this role is responsible for driving new partnerships, new member growth and strategic market expansion across management companies, ownership groups, destination organizations, and travel ecosystem partners.
This is a sales-driven role responsible for building pipeline, closing partnerships, and delivering measurable revenue impact.
The position operates in a high-growth environment, requiring the ability to manage multiple projects while helping scale a rapidly expanding certification program.
This position works closely with Account Managers to support partner transition, adoption visibility, and consistent execution, while remaining primarily focused on sales and market development.
Key Responsibilities
Market Development & Sales Execution
Own defined growth segments with clear revenue and new member growth targets
Lead the full business development lifecycle including prospecting, discovery, value positioning, proposal development, negotiation, and closing partnerships
Identify underpenetrated portfolios and develop enterprise partnership opportunities with hospitality organizations and portfolio owners.
Build structured engagement strategies for management companies, ownership groups, and associations
Build and maintain a qualified sales pipeline sufficient to achieve revenue and enrollment targets.
Destination & Ecosystem Partnerships
Develop and execute partnership strategies with DMOs/CVBs that drive measurable property enrollments
Cultivate relationships with hospitality associations, travel buyers, and ecosystem stakeholders
Represent Green Key Global at industry conferences, trade shows, and strategic events
Partner Transition & Adoption Alignment
Collaborate with the Account Management team to ensure smooth transition of newly established partnerships and alignment on portfolio expansion opportunities.
Ensure structured handoffs post-close and clear accountability for adoption execution
Sales Infrastructure & CRM Discipline
Maintain disciplined HubSpot CRM pipeline management, forecasting, and reporting
Ensure leads generated through conferences, events, partner channels, and outbound outreach are documented, assigned, and actively worked
Contribute to development of sales processes, partnership launch protocols, and playbooks
Maintain accurate documentation, dashboard visibility, and reporting standards
Sustainability Value & Market Positioning
Articulate the business case for certification using data-driven frameworks including operational efficiency, RFP competitiveness, brand positioning, and asset value
Translate market insights into feedback that strengthens the program's value proposition
Success Metrics
New partnership agreements signed
Partner-driven property enrollments
Portfolio penetration within enterprise partners
Pipeline coverage ratio and forecast accuracy
Revenue contribution aligned with growth targets
Knowledge & Skills Required
Proven experience in business development and sales in high-growth environments
Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate effectively in a small, high-growth organization where roles evolve, and priorities shift quickly.
Strong leadership and people management capabilities
Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced growth-stage organization
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
Strong understanding of the hospitality ecosystem including brands, ownership groups, third-party management companies, and destination organizations.
Comfortable operating in a small, high-growth team environment where sales, strategy, CRM discipline, and internal coordination often intersect.