Vice President, Affiliates Program Strategy - Chase Travel

Step into a pivotal leadership role at the heart of Chase Travel’s dynamic affiliate network, where your vision and expertise will shape the future of independent travel agencies nationwide. This role sits at the intersection of commercial strategy and hands‑on leadership, and it is critical to Chase Travel's distribution footprint and revenue growth.

As the Vice President, Affiliates Program Strategy within Chase Travel, you will lead the strategic direction, operational oversight, and financial performance of the affiliate network, serving as the primary executive liaison between Chase Travel, its affiliates, internal departments, and key industry partners. You will own the full scope of the program—driving financial results, building high-impact partnerships, and ensuring operational excellence across a diverse network of independently owned travel agencies. This position requires a balance of strategic vision, commercial acumen, relationship management, and operational discipline to foster affiliate growth, maintain compliance, and maximize profitability.

The Chase Travel Affiliate Program is a nationwide network of independently owned travel agencies operating under multiple structural models, including shared ARC numbers, dedicated ARC arrangements, and Air Concierge Desk. Affiliates rely on Chase Travel for access to airline agreements, commission programs, NDC participation, operational infrastructure, supplier relationships, and compliance oversight. The program serves as both a significant revenue channel and a strategic extension of Chase Travel’s distribution footprint.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the long-term strategy for the affiliate program, ensuring alignment between affiliate operations and broader Chase Travel and Chase objectives to drive organizational success.
• Maintain structural consistency in revenue splits, fee models, and contractual arrangements.
• Act as the executive point of contact for affiliate owners and senior leaders, managing complex affiliate-of-affiliate relationships and evolving distribution models.
• Negotiate affiliate agreements, revenue splits, and participation structures.
• Lead onboarding, transition, and offboarding processes.
• Monitor affiliate GTV, commission performance, overrides, and profitability, while analyzing split models and recommending adjustments based on production tiers to optimize financial outcomes.
• Partner with Accounting and Finance to ensure accurate reporting and reconciliation, and protect margin integrity across the affiliate network.
• Oversee affiliate participation in airline agreements and NDC initiatives, serving as the subject matter expert on air contract structures and affiliate access to ensure effective engagement and compliance.
• Collaborate with Supplier Relations to ensure program optimization.
• Collaborate with Legal, GDS teams, IT, Accounting, Marketing, Supplier Relations, ARC, and Compliance to navigate internal processes, resolve affiliate issues, and elevate operational risks while proposing structural solutions to enhance organizational effectiveness.
• Oversee the development and leadership of affiliate support resources by establishing service standards and response protocols, while ensuring appropriate staffing levels and continuity planning to maintain consistent and high-quality support.

Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Hospitality, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in travel industry management, affiliate program leadership, or related commercial roles.
• Proven track record in strategic planning, operational oversight, and financial management within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Strong negotiation skills with experience in contract management, revenue splits, and partnership agreements.
• Exceptional relationship management abilities, with demonstrated success in building and maintaining executive-level partnerships.
• Experience collaborating across cross‑functional teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to navigate and resolve complex operational issues, elevate risks, and propose effective structural solutions.