Head of Business Development, Luxury Accounts
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Your Purpose
Explora Journeys is a vibrant, cosmopolitan, European luxury brand, imagined in the heart of Swiss hospitality in Geneva. Leveraging our parent company MSC Group's hundreds of years of maritime expertise, our fleet of six luxury ships (four currently in the pipeline) are being built and designed in a totally different and unique way.
Explora Journeys is redefining ocean travel for the discerning traveller. Our European luxury lifestyle brand offers a unique blend of refined discovery and slow travel, designed for those who seek deeply meaningful experiences at sea and ashore.
We are looking for a dynamic and well-connected individual to join us as Head of Business Development, Luxury Accounts. This pivotal role will:
• Expand our presence within the yet-to-cruise luxury market.
• Ensure key existing cruise accounts remain deeply engaged and well-managed.
• Forge new relationships with non-traditional luxury partners, creating bespoke collaborations that extend far beyond the traditional cruise distribution landscape.
The successful candidate will be both a strategic thinker and a connector-able to bridge our brand with the wider luxury ecosystem and drive meaningful, long-term partnerships.
Your Impact
• Strategic Growth:
Identifies, builds and nurtures relationships with new-to-cruise luxury consumers & travel partners through strategic partnerships in the UK & Ireland.
• Partnership Development:
Initiates and leads high-value collaborations that align with Explora Journeys' values and elevate brand awareness among affluent, non-cruise audiences - including but not limited to luxury brands, private banks, golf clubs, private member clubs, lifestyle collectives and affinity groups.
• Sales Activation:
Develops and implements tailored sales plans that convert affluent prospects into loyal guests, utilising co-branded activations, private events, and referral partnerships.
• Account Management:
Maintains and grows a portfolio of top-tier luxury accounts, ensuring relationship depth, performance growth, and long-term brand advocacy.
• Market Intelligence:
Monitors UK luxury travel trends, emerging HNW/UHNW audiences, and competitor movements to inform strategy and stay ahead of the curve.
• Cross-functional Collaboration:
Collaborates closely with the UK Sales Team, PR & Marketing, the Explora Experience Centre, and the wider Commercial & Brand organisation to ensure consistent service and partnership delivery across all channels. Efficiently manage budgets with a focus on ROI, delivering detailed reporting and performance analysis to support strategic initiatives and activations.
Your Journey so far
• Minimum 5-10 years of experience in luxury sales, ideally with exposure to luxury travel, hospitality, lifestyle or adjacent luxury sectors (e.g. private banking, luxury retail, yachting, private clubs).
• Demonstrated ability to identify, initiate and nurture strategic partnerships with luxury brands, financial institutions, private clubs, lifestyle collectives and affinity groups.
• Strong understanding of the preferences, behaviours and expectations of HNW/UHNW clients.
• A well-established network within the UK's high-net-worth ecosystem and an intuitive understanding of the luxury consumer mindset.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with a proven track record of creating and converting new business opportunities outside traditional channels.
• Confident presenter and relationship builder, comfortable engaging senior stakeholders and representing the brand at high-level events.
• A passion for curated, meaningful travel and a belief in the power of the ocean to transform and connect.
• Self-starter, strategic thinker, and commercially driven with an eye for brand fit and partnership potential.
• Proficiency in Salesforce and Power BI would be an advantage, enabling effective data analysis, reporting and customer relationship management.
Your Essentials
• This role is UK based with national travel and regular visits to our Woking office
• Full Right to Work in the UK required
• Full UK driving licence required
Our commitment
At Explora Journeys, we are redefining luxury ocean travel － where discovery, well-being, and a deep respect for the seas come together in harmony.
We seek passionate professionals who share our vision of a more immersive, transformative way to discover the world's most inspiring destinations by sea.
Are you ready to turn your passion into something extraordinary? Join us at Explora Journeys, where an ocean of opportunities awaits. Your journey to the Ocean State of Mind starts here.