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. Working closely with senior management, the specialist will expand the company’s network of professional guide partners through proactive sourcing, rigorous assessment, and strategic relationship building with tourism associations, universities and community organisations.

Key responsibilities

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

Required profile

• Proven experience in partnership development, recruitment or business development within the tourism or travel sector.
• Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders, including associations, educational institutions and local communities.
• Excellent research and analytical skills to assess guide qualifications and market suitability.
• Effective negotiation and onboarding coordination capabilities.
• Self‑motivated, proactive and able to work independently in a dynamic, fast‑growing environment.

Required skills