Director, Head of Travel Partnerships, Customer Experience & AI (Hybrid)

Director, Head of Travel Partnerships, Customer Experience & AI (Hybrid)

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Job Overview

The Director - Head of Travel Partnerships, Customer Experience & AI is a senior leadership role accountable for defining and executing the end-to-end travel strategy, including strategic partner management, customer experience ownership, customer servicing and AI-driven innovation across the travel ecosystem. The role will serve as the single point of accountability for travel performance, partner value creation, and customer experience delivery, while driving future-forward capabilities that enhance differentiation, scale, and efficiency.

This role will operate at an enterprise level, influencing senior stakeholders, managing key external partnerships, and ensuring alignment with broader business, risk, and technology objectives. The role will report to a Managing Director role and function as an integral member of the functional leadership team. Key responsibilities:

Partnership Strategy & Management:

• Lead the development and execution of the partnership strategy across travel ecosystems, including ownership of key third-party providers (e.g., platform and content partners)
• Manage senior-level relationships with strategic partners, ensuring performance against contractual obligations, KPIs, and business objectives
• Identify and evaluate new partnership opportunities to expand capabilities, improve customer value proposition, and drive growth
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks to oversee partner performance and risk alignment

Customer Experience Ownership:

• Own the full customer journey across travel products, including discovery, booking, servicing, and post-travel engagement
• Lead and manage travel call center operations, with full accountability for service delivery, performance, and customer outcomes
• Define and execute a strategy to elevate servicing to a more premium, differentiated experience aligned to customer expectations and brand positioning
• Ensure achievement of all key service metrics, including service levels, quality, customer satisfaction (e.g., NPS), and operational efficiency
• Identify opportunities to scale operations effectively while enhancing the quality and consistency of the customer experience
• Modernize servicing capabilities, reduce friction points, and enable a seamless, high-quality experience across channels

Marketing & Customer Value Proposition:

• Partner with Marketing to define and refine the travel value proposition, ensuring alignment with target segments and business objectives
• Provide input into go-to-market strategies, including positioning, messaging, and campaign priorities
• Support initiatives to drive customer acquisition, engagement, and retention

AI & Digital Capabilities:

• Define and execute the strategy for AI-enabled capabilities across the travel ecosystem, including personalization, search, and servicing
• Oversee delivery of AI initiatives in partnership with Digital and Technology ensuring alignment with business priorities
• Ensure all digital and AI capabilities meet enterprise standards for risk, compliance, and governance

Risk, Governance & Controls:

• Ensure all activities adhere to Citi's risk and control framework, including applicable regulatory requirements
• Partner with Risk, Legal, and Compliance to review and approve new initiatives and partnerships
• Establish appropriate controls and documentation to support ongoing governance and oversight
• Drive consistency in processes related to approvals, including NAC or equivalent governance bodies where required

Qualifications

• 15+ years of relevant experience in partnerships, travel, digital platforms, or related areas
• Demonstrated experience managing complex partner ecosystems and senior external relationships
• Proven ability to operate effectively within a large, matrixed organization
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate strategy into execution
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders
• Familiarity with customer experience design, digital platforms, and marketplace models
• Experience with AI, data-driven solutions, or digital innovation preferred

Leadership Competencies

• Demonstrates strong strategic orientation and enterprise mindset
• Effective at influencing and communicating with senior stakeholders
• Drives results through collaboration and execution discipline
• Navigates complexity and operates effectively in ambiguous environments
• Maintains a strong focus on risk management, controls, and compliance
• Champions customer-centricity and continuous improvement

Education

• Bachelor's/University degree, Master's degree preferred and managerial experience