Full-Time

Partnerships Lead

Travel Industry Sales, Tour Operator/Supplier

Context Travel

Context Travel

201-500 employees

Expert-led cultural tours and online learning

Compensation Overview

$80k/yr

+ Performance-based incentive

United States

Remote

Must work core U.S. business hours, with flexibility for partner calls across time zones.

Category
Business & Strategy (1)
Required Skills
Sales
CRM
HubSpot
Word/Pages/Docs
REST APIs
Excel/Numbers/Sheets
PowerPoint/Keynote/Slides

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Requirements
  • At least 5 years of experience in partnerships, business development, or sales within the travel industry.
  • Existing relationships with travel-industry tour operators, technology or application programming interface partners, and/or consortia sufficient to open doors quickly.
  • Proven ability to manage complex sales cycles from cold outreach to signed agreement.
  • Comfort using customer relationship management tools such as HubSpot or similar to manage pipeline and track performance.
  • Strong negotiation and relationship-management skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and a self-directed pipeline.
  • Willingness to travel approximately 25% for partner meetings, conferences, and occasional team coverage.
Responsibilities
  • Identify, prospect, and develop new product partnership, application programming interface or technology integration, and travel consortia opportunities that support sales goals.
  • Own the full partnership sales cycle from first outreach through negotiation and signed agreement.
  • Hand off signed partnerships for implementation while continuing to maintain the relationship at a strategic level.
  • Build relationships with new travel consortia and brands to expand the advisor network.
  • Maintain and grow existing product and application programming interface partnerships with tour operators, technology platforms, and other travel businesses.
  • Collaborate with sales, product, and delivery teams to shape partnership terms that support broader company goals.
  • Support travel advisor road shows, office visits, and conferences as needed, including coverage for the business development representative.
  • Track and report partnership pipeline and performance using HubSpot.
  • Represent Context Travel with prospective partners and at industry events.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with, or strong interest in, travel consortia relationships.
  • Existing relationships with major travel agency brands and/or consortia.
  • Experience with application programming interface or technology partnerships in the travel industry.
  • Experience supporting or leading partnership implementation and onboarding processes.
  • Experience with Google Sheets, Docs, Slides, Meet, and Gmail; HubSpot; Front; Slack; Zoom; Guru; or Basecamp.

Context Travel provides expert-led educational cultural tours and online learning experiences for curious travelers. Its on-site walking tours in cities like Rome, Florence, and Paris are small-group and seminar-like, guided by academics such as art historians and archaeologists. It also runs Context Learning, live online seminars and courses that extend the scholar-led approach to a digital format, enabling remote engagement with experts. The company differentiates itself with scholarly guides, a blend of in-person and online formats, a small-group model, and a B Corp commitment, aiming to deepen understanding of history, art, and culture for lifelong learners.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Growth Equity (Venture Capital)

Total Funding

$5M

Headquarters

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Founded

2003

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • July 2026 site updates show active inventory across London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and more.
  • CEO June Chin-Ramsey said in 2025 Asia, especially Japan and Korea, is growing fast.
  • Context’s 2025 rebrand targets broader travelers without abandoning signature expert-led walking tours.

What critics are saying

  • Tripadvisor, Airbnb, and Viator bundle cheaper tours and outspend Context on distribution.
  • Audio guides commoditize Context’s expertise; VoiceMap lowers switching costs for rivals.
  • If AI search and travel apps disintermediate discovery, Context loses direct bookings fast.

What makes Context Travel unique

  • Context’s scholar-led tours and audio guides offer museum-quality interpretation in 80+ cities.
  • VoiceMap-powered audio guides keep Context’s expertise available offline, self-paced, and cheaper.
  • B Corp certification and Private Italy Tours reinforce premium, values-driven positioning.

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

-2%

2 year growth

-3%
Forbes
Nov 2nd, 2023
Three Italian Cities Named Best Food Destinations In The World

The ingredients of Caprese salad mimic the colors of the Italian flag. gettyItalian cuisine is a perennial favorite both in the U.S. and abroad.So it's not surprising that three Italian cities—Rome, Florence, and Naples—were ranked among the top 10 best food destinations around the world.These destinations were selected as part of Tripadvisor’s “Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards.” The list highlights hotels, restaurants, and activities that receive a high volume of “above-and-beyond” reviews from travelers.Fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded this recognition.The growing appeal of food tourismThe global culinary tourism market was estimated at $805.9 billion in 2022, according to data from Research and Markets.Increasingly, travelers are seeking out opportunities to learn about the history and culture of destinations through their foods.Both independently and as part of organized tours, travelers are following food and wine trails, enrolling in cooking classes, attending food festivals, visiting producers and markets, and booking stays at working farms.Italy is especially “ripe” for exploration because so many “Italian” ingredients, recipes, and preparations vary from region to region, and even from town to town.Tripadvisor’s Best Food Destinations in ItalyHere is a sampling of food experiences not to be missed in each of these three Tripadvisor food destinations in Italy:RomeCacio e pepe, the Roman dish of spaghetti with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. gettyDevour Tours offers a variety of food tours and cooking classes in Rome, including a tasting tour that begins in the ancient Jewish quarter with a tasting of crispy fried artichokes and a visit to a family-run bakery.Moving on to the city’s historic center (Centro Historico), food lovers get to taste fried codfish, Roman pizza, and street foods like porchetta. and even learn how to identify an authentic gelateria.Some not-to-be-missed pasta dishes in Rome include Pasta alla Carbonara, Cacio E Pepe, and zesty Pasta All’Amatriciana.FlorencePorterhouse cut of Florentine steak (bistecca alla fiorentina) gettyCurious Appetite offers private and small-group culinary walking tours of Florence, including a cultural food tour of the city’s markets.Led by local food writers, sommeliers, and food historians, participants visit various market stalls and learn how to navigate open-air markets.In addition, they get to taste Florentine food specialties (including flatbreads (schiacciata), cured meats and artisanal cheeses, tomato soup (pappa al pomodoro), and more as they get to meet vendors with other food lovers.Some not-to-be-missed food dishes in Florence include Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Tagliatelle Funghi Porcini e Tartufo, and Pappardelle al Cinghiale.NaplesPizza Margherita gettyNaples is the birthplace of pizza and Context Travel offers a bespoke food tour coupled with a pizza-making workshop that views Neapolitan culture through a culinary lens.During a walking tour through the historical center of Naples, participants are introduced to the city’s street food and specialty food shops to learn about the evolution of culinary traditions through the ages.And during a hands-on pizza-making lesson, a trained pizzaiolo (pizza maker) teaches participants the art of making a pizza Napoletana.Some not-to-be-missed dishes in Naples include Ragu Napoletano, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, and Pizza Margherita, of course.To view the full list of 2023 Traveler’s Choice Best of the Best Awards, visit the Tripadvisor website.Read more: Best Food Cities in Italy: What To Eat Where

PR Newswire
Sep 14th, 2023
Context Travel Launches Audio Guides To Transform The Way Travelers Explore Destinations

, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Context Travel, a global leader in immersive travel experiences, is thrilled to announce the launch of their new line of Audio Guides, poised to transform the way travelers engage with culturally rich destinations worldwide.Context Travel Launches Audio Guides to Transform the Way Travelers Explore DestinationsContext Travel has long been celebrated for its expert-led tours, offering travelers a deeper understanding of history, art, and culture led by scholars in history, art, archaeology, gastronomy, and culture. Now, with the introduction of Audio Guides, the company extends its commitment to providing exceptional and educational experiences to a broader audience.Key Features of Context Travel's Audio Guides:GPS-Enabled - Audio guide tours play automatically and work offline with GPS so travelers can focus on their surroundings while immersing in the culture. Self-Paced - Travelers can explore destinations at their own pace while benefiting from engaging commentary that adds depth to their journey. Expert-Led - Leveraging the company's extensive network of expert guides, these audio guides offer insider knowledge and captivating stories, elevating the travel experience.Discover Context Travel Audio Guides in London, Paris, and Rome, with new destinations coming weekly."We are thrilled to announce the launch of the first of many expert-led Audio Guides by Context." - said Context Travel President, Aashima Ratti. "We are proud to extend access to the breadth of knowledge held by our expert community to new audiences at a lower price than our private experiences, a step toward living our core values of Learning and Inclusivity."To celebrate the launch of Audio Guides, Context Travel is offering a promotion for early adopters

Context Travel
Jun 12th, 2023
Virtuoso Travel Network’s 2023 Travel Awards

Context Travel is beyond thrilled to share the exciting news that Context has been nominated for the prestigious Best Tour Operator category in Virtuoso's 2023 Travel Awards.

Context Travel
Aug 22nd, 2022
Context Travel launches list of the top 15 places to have Greek souvlaki in Athens

The dish is offered everywhere, so Context Travel has compiled a list of the top 15 places to have Greek souvlaki in Athens.