U.S. Travel Association

Summary: 

The Vice President, Industry Advancement and Partnerships is a senior growth leader responsible for expanding the association's market reach, revenue base and commercial relationships on behalf of its membership. The primary focus of this role is business development in its broadest sense: acquiring new members, securing strategic partnerships and building non-dues revenue streams that strengthen the association's financial position and long-term sustainability.

While the Vice President operates under the banner of industry advancement and maintains awareness of the broader forces shaping the industry, the day-to-day work of this position is external-facing and commercially oriented. The role is accountable for measurable growth outcomes and is expected to function with the discipline and pipeline rigor of a senior business development executive within the structure of a member-governed organization.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President leads a team of four to six professionals and works in close coordination with membership, communications, government affairs and operations.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Partnerships & Alliances 

•     Identify, negotiate and execute strategic partnerships, alliances and memoranda of understanding with organizations that extend the association's reach, capability or market influence.

•     Build and maintain a portfolio of active partnership relationships with adjacent associations, academic institutions, government agencies and/or commercial entities.

•     Represent the association in coalition and cross-sector settings where partnership opportunities may emerge.

•     Define partnership terms, mutual obligations and performance expectations; ensure agreements are properly documented and reviewed by finance and legal counsel as appropriate.

•     Monitor and assess the ongoing value of existing partnerships; recommend renewals, expansions or terminations based on performance and strategic fit.

Non-Dues Revenue & Sponsored Programs 

•     Identify and develop new non-dues revenue opportunities including corporate sponsorships, co-branded programs, data and research products and fee-based services.

•     Build and manage a sponsor and commercial partner pipeline; cultivate relationships with vendors, suppliers and service providers seeking access to the association's membership.

•     Structure and price sponsorship and partnership packages that deliver measurable value to commercial partners while serving member interests.

•     Collaborate with communications and events to integrate sponsored programs into association platforms in a manner consistent with the association's brand and governance standards.

•     Track non-dues revenue performance against annual targets; provide regular financial reporting to the COO.

Member Acquisition & Recruitment 

•     Develop and execute a comprehensive member acquisition strategy targeting priority segments, geographies and company classifications aligned with the association's growth objectives.

•     Build and manage a structured pipeline of prospective members; establish prospecting cadences, outreach protocols and conversion benchmarks.

•     Serve as the association's primary external representative in member recruitment contexts, including industry events, trade shows, regional convenings and direct outreach.

•     Develop compelling, segment-specific value propositions and recruitment collateral that communicate the tangible return on association membership.

•     Establish and track key acquisition metrics including prospects contacted, conversion rates, time-to-close and net new member revenue; report results to the COO on a regular basis.

•     Coordinate seamlessly with membership to ensure newly acquired members are transitioned effectively into onboarding and engagement programs.

Industry Advancement Context & Positioning

•     Maintain current knowledge of industry trends, competitive dynamics and market developments that inform the association's growth strategy and external positioning.

•     Represent the association credibly in industry forums and external settings, articulating the association's mission and value in the context of broader sector advancement.

•     Identify collective market opportunities—including emerging customer segments, procurement channels or export markets—that could be surfaced as partnership or program opportunities for the membership.

•     Provide input to senior leadership on industry developments that may affect member recruitment, partnership viability or revenue strategy.

Team & Budget Management

•     Lead, develop and retain a team of four to six professionals with responsibilities spanning member recruitment, partnership development and revenue program management.

•     Establish clear performance expectations and individual accountability metrics aligned with departmental growth targets.

•     Develop and manage the departmental budget; ensure expenditures are aligned with revenue-generating priorities and association financial policies.

•     Prepare regular reports to the COO and senior leadership on pipeline status, revenue performance, partnership activity and team results.

Key Attributes:

•     Strong commercial instincts with the ability to identify opportunities, build relationships and convert prospects into members, partners and revenue.

•     Exceptional interpersonal and negotiation skills; ability to represent the association credibly and persuasively across diverse audiences.

•     High political acumen; adept at navigating member-governed environments where commercial and collective interests must be carefully balanced.

•     Financial literacy including budget development, non-dues revenue modeling and sponsorship pricing.

•     Familiarity with the industry or sector served by the association or demonstrated ability to develop industry fluency rapidly.

•     Proficiency with CRM platforms, pipeline management tools and standard business productivity applications.

Education, Experience and Skills:

•     Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in business development, membership growth, strategic partnerships or commercial revenue generation.

•     Demonstrated track record of building and closing complex, multi-stakeholder deals and partnerships.

•     Experience managing a structured sales or business development pipeline with defined metrics and accountability.

•     Prior experience within a trade association, membership organization or similarly governed environment strongly preferred.

•     Proven ability to manage and develop a professional team of four or more direct reports.

•     Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications or a related field is required.

•     Advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) strongly preferred.

Other:

•     Position based in Washington, D.C. U.S. Travel staff work in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with the option to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.

•     Significant travel may be required, including frequent domestic travel to attend meetings and industry events and pursue commercial agreements.

•     Salary range: 210-230K with bonus potential.

•     Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits:

•     Comprehensive healthcare package with fertility coverage.

•     Generous paid leave including family leave.

•     Routine staff functions and opportunities for social connection.

•     Transportation and cell phone benefits.

•     Robust wellness initiatives and Employee Assistance Plan (EAP).

•     Education and professional development assistance.