Local Partnership Development Specialist – Tourism Network

About the role

The Local Partnership Development Specialist will expand our client’s network of professional tour guides across South Africa. Working closely with senior management, you will source, evaluate, and onboard qualified guides while building strategic relationships with tourism associations, universities, and community organisations.

Key responsibilities

• Identify and source qualified tour guides through directories, tourism associations, social media, guide marketplaces, university programmes, 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, reviews and online presence.
• Perform structured screening interviews assessing communication, storytelling, destination knowledge, safety awareness and operational readiness.
• Rank candidates using standardized criteria and keep an organised pipeline of qualified partners.
• Prepare concise candidate profiles, recommendations and market‑fit assessments for management review.
• Negotiate basic partnership terms and coordinate onboarding activities such as contracts, scheduling, pricing guidance and operational readiness.
• Continuously test new sourcing channels, including community organisations, tourism job boards, alumni networks and industry events.

Required profile

• Proven experience in partnership development, business development or guide acquisition within the tourism sector.
• Strong research and analytical abilities to evaluate guide credentials and market fit.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills for building and formalising partnerships.
• Ability to manage multiple sourcing channels and maintain an up‑to‑date candidate pipeline.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to shape a fast‑growing tourism network.
• Collaborative environment with a focus on sustainable growth.
• Professional development in partnership strategy and tourism operations.