Sr Manager, Partnerships & Referrals

Join Our Team At Wheels Up

At Wheels Up, we're proud to be a global leader in on-demand private aviation. As one of the largest companies in the industry and a strategic partner of Delta Air Lines – we are committed to making private air travel safe, reliable, and enjoyable. With a diverse fleet of owned aircraft plus a global network of trusted charter operators, we offer our customers access to the right aircraft for their needs and the ability to fly on their terms.

And it doesn't stop at private flights. Wheels Up also provides freight services, safety and security solutions, and managed services to individuals, businesses, government agencies, and more. Regardless of how, when or where you want to fly, our mission is simple; deliver a premium, personalized aviation experience for every customer

Role Overview: What You'll Be Doing

The Sr Manager, Partnerships & Referrals is a strategic leader responsible for defining, building, and scaling a best-in-class partnerships function to drive high-value customer acquisition and revenue growth.

This role owns the end-to-end partnership and referral strategy and portfolio, with a focus on identifying and activating high-impact channels to attract Ultra-High-Net-Worth clients.

The position requires a blend of strategic vision and execution leadership, including supporting the sourcing and structuring of complex partnership and referral agreements, launching new growth channels, and optimizing partner performance to deliver measurable, ROI-driven outcomes.

The ideal candidate is highly collaborative, analytically strong, and excels at building relationships.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Define and lead the partnership and referral strategy, including priority segments, target profiles, and a roadmap aligned to commercial growth objectives.
• Identify and evaluate high-impact partnership and referral opportunities to expand access to UHNW clients and accelerate market entry.
• Build and manage a diversified partnership and referral portfolio, balancing near-term revenue generation with long-term strategic value creation

Business Development & Deal Structuring

• Support the sourcing, negotiating, and structuring of complex partnership and referral agreements with key internal stakeholders (e.g., sales, marketing, legal, etc.).
• Lead strategic partnership and referral initiatives, including alliances, joint ventures, and other inorganic growth opportunities.
• Ensure partnerships and referrals are commercially sound, aligned to financial targets, and deliver measurable customer acquisition and revenue outcomes.

Execution, Performance, and Growth

• Support partnership and referral program launches and activation, ensuring effective cross-functional coordination and go-to-market integration.
• Own partnership and referral performance management, including KPIs, reporting, and ongoing portfolio optimization.
• Develop and scale partnership and referral-driven revenue streams, identifying innovative models to unlock new growth channels.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• 5–8+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, corporate strategy, or related fields.
• Experience supporting cross-functional initiatives and managing multiple priorities.
• Experience negotiating and structuring complex, high-value commercial agreements.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Comfortable working with data and tracking performance metrics.
• Bachelor's degree required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong attention to detail and ability to execute with accuracy and consistency.
• Effective communicator with the ability to coordinate across teams and stakeholders.
• Proactive and solutions-oriented, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Experience in aviation, luxury, or premium service industries preferred.

What We Offer

Salary Range & Benefits

At Wheels Up, we believe in fair compensation based on experience, skills, and qualifications. The salary for this role ranges from $120,000 - $125,000, depending on a variety of factors. We don't typically start individuals at the top of the salary range; your place within the range is based on what you bring to the table. Additionally, you may be eligible for a discretionary annual incentive program, which rewards individual and organizational performance.

We also offer a range of benefits designed to support your well-being and personal life, including:

• Tuition Reimbursement
• Competitive 401(k)
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Complimentary access to mental health and wellness counseling through Spring Health
• Financial planning assistance
• A variety of additional programs and services in support of your total well-being

Everyone is welcome here

Each of us is unique, and that's what makes us amazing. We believe there's power in bringing people with different backgrounds, points of view and life experiences together. So, bring yourself and your best ideas.

Wheels Up is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees. It is our policy to apply recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation and professional development practices and make all other employment decisions without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Because when we feel safe and comfortable being ourselves, there's no limit to what we can achieve.

Need Accommodations?

If you have a disability or are a disabled veteran and need assistance with applying, please reach out to us at View email address on click.appcast.io. Simply include "Accommodation Request" in the subject line so we can quickly address your needs.

We look forward to learning more about you and how you can contribute to the Wheels Up journey!