Local Partnership Development Specialist – Tourism Network

About the role

The Local Partnership Development Specialist will lead the acquisition and onboarding of qualified local tour guides for a fast‑growing travel and tourism company operating in South Africa. Reporting to senior management, you will build and nurture strategic relationships with tourism associations, universities and community organisations to expand a trusted network of guide partners.

Key responsibilities

• Source qualified tour guides through directories, tourism associations, social media, guide marketplaces, university programmes, tourism offices, referrals and community groups.
• Develop and maintain relationships with university tourism departments, lecturers, student organisations and alumni networks to strengthen the candidate pipeline.
• Conduct comprehensive background research on prospective guides, including specialties, language skills, certifications, customer reviews and online presence.
• Perform structured screening interviews to assess professionalism, communication, storytelling, destination knowledge, guest service standards, safety awareness and operational readiness.
• Evaluate and rank candidates using standardized criteria, maintaining an organised pipeline of qualified partners.
• Prepare concise candidate profiles and market‑fit assessments for management review and partnership approval.
• Negotiate basic partnership terms and coordinate onboarding activities such as contracts, scheduling, pricing guidance and operational readiness.
• Identify and test new sourcing channels, including community organisations, tourism job boards, alumni networks and industry events.

Required profile

• Proven experience in partnership development, guide recruitment or related business development within the tourism or travel sector.
• Strong understanding of the South African tourism ecosystem and local stakeholder networks.
• Excellent research, interview and evaluation skills with a focus on quality and safety standards.
• Ability to negotiate partnership terms and manage onboarding processes end‑to‑end.
• Self‑motivated and proactive in identifying new sourcing channels and improving recruitment processes.

Required skills