Local Partnership Development Specialist – Tourism Network

About the role

We are seeking a proactive Local Partnership Development Specialist to expand our tourism network across South Africa. You will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and onboarding qualified local tour guides while building strategic relationships with tourism associations, universities, and other key stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Source qualified tour guides through directories, associations, social media, guide marketplaces, university programs, referrals, and community groups.
• Develop and maintain relationships with university tourism departments, lecturers, student organizations, alumni networks, and tourism institutions.
• Conduct comprehensive background research on prospective guides, including specialties, language skills, certifications, reviews, and online presence.
• Perform structured screening interviews to assess professionalism, communication, storytelling, destination knowledge, safety awareness, and operational readiness.
• Evaluate and rank candidates using standardized criteria, maintaining an organized pipeline of qualified partners.
• Prepare concise candidate profiles 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 identify and test new sourcing channels, including community organizations, tourism job boards, alumni networks, and industry events.

Required profile

• Strong understanding of the South African tourism ecosystem.
• Proven experience in partnership development, recruitment, or business development.
• Excellent research, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage a pipeline of candidates.

Required skills