Business Support Manager, dnata Travel | Senior Commercial Sales Leadership

Job Purpose

dnata is more than a global air and travel services provider. We connect people with possibilities and opportunities across 130+ airports in 34 countries through ground handling, cargo, travel, and catering & retail services. Our purpose is clear: to deliver on the promises our customers make. We are powered by a bold vision to be the world’s most admired air and travel services provider, which guides our strategy, culture, and every role across our teams. Our core values fuel everything we do: we are safe, we play to win, we respect everyone and work together as a team, and we are future thinking. At dnata, we foster diversity, nurture ambition, and celebrate achievement. If you're inspired by purpose and motivated to be part of a global team shaping the future of aviation and travel, we’d love to have you onboard.

As Business Support Manager, you will take a senior commercial lead in shaping and driving the sales strategy for Peninsula Hotels, across dnata Travel business units and within the GCC travel trade. With responsibility for sales performance across multiple markets and key trade relationships, you will define commercial priorities, influence partners and lead the execution of strategic and tactical initiatives to accelerate revenue growth, deliver profit targets and expand market share in line with Peninsula Hotels strategy.

This is a highly visible, commercially focused role requiring the ability to operate strategically while translating commercial ambition into measurable sales performance across a diverse international network.

In this role, you will

• Lead and optimise sales performance across dnata business units, regions and the GCC travel trade, using performance insights to identify opportunities, address underperformance and maximise commercial return.
• Own the annual sales planning process for key accounts across source markets, establishing ambitious yet commercially sound targets and driving performance against them.
• Provide leadership and direction to the sales team, setting clear commercial priorities and ensuring high-quality support across dnata Travel business units, key accounts and GCC travel trade partners.
• Shape the sales activation approach for Peninsula Hotels, ensuring frontline teams and travel partners have the knowledge, campaigns and booking tools required to successfully position and sell the portfolio.
• Use sales and market insight to inform commercial decisions, identifying opportunities and developing targeted sales and marketing programmes to accelerate performance across priority accounts and markets.
• Provide senior oversight of operational and reservation escalations, working across dnata business units and trade partners to resolve issues and protect key commercial relationships.
• Champion improvements to the end-to-end booking experience, identifying opportunities to strengthen processes and driving implementation across dnata Travel business units and the travel trade.
• Represent the business in the market, leading strategic sales calls, international sales trips, roadshows, exhibitions and FAM trips to strengthen relationships, identify opportunities and grow the portfolio.

Qualification

To be considered for the role, you must meet the below requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years’ experience in the travel industry, with significant commercial, sales or business development experience within a complex travel environment.

• A strong commercial mindset, with the ability to navigate dynamic markets, make sound decisions and operate with a high degree of autonomy.
• Proven success in building, influencing and sustaining senior relationships across the travel trade and wider industry.
• Strong geographical and tourism industry knowledge, combined with excellent executive-level written and verbal communication skills in English.

You’ll have an edge if you have

• Strong commercial leadership, influencing and negotiation capability, with the credibility to engage effectively with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of the Middle East travel market, ideally gained within the hotel, airline or wider travel sector.
• Experience working across multiple markets or international sales channels, with the ability to turn market insight into commercial opportunity.
• A strong track record of using sales performance data and market intelligence to shape strategy, prioritise opportunities and drive growth.

At Emirates Group, we’re committed to providing our employees with opportunities to grow and develop in their careers. If you’re ready to take on a high-impact commercial role with the opportunity to influence performance across an international travel network, apply today and join our team.

Salary & benefits

There’s more to joining us than the role itself. Alongside an attractive tax-free salary, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, including travel privileges with discounts on flights and hotel stays around the world.

Based in our home city of Dubai, you’ll have the opportunity to build your career in a dynamic, international environment while enjoying travel benefits that help you explore more of the world.

You can find more information about our employee benefits in the Working Here section of the Emirates Group Careers website. Further information about living and working in our cosmopolitan home city can also be found in the Dubai Lifestyle section.