What can you expect from this position?Reporting to the Executive Director, Customer & Commercial Development, the Director, Concessions and Partnership Development provides strategic leadership for Toronto Pearson's concessions and commercial partnership portfolio, including retail, food and beverage, lounges, advertising, sponsorships, and strategic commercial partnerships.
You will be accountable for maximizing commercial revenue, enhancing passenger experience, and increasing long-term asset value through market-leading commercial strategies, partner relationships, and programs. You will lead the full lifecycle of commercial partnerships, from strategy and procurement through negotiation, implementation, performance management, and renewal, while ensuring Pearson LIFT and terminal redevelopment support the portfolio's growthobjectives.
As the executive relationship owner for key commercial partners, you will build an integrated commercial ecosystem that attracts investment, strengthens the Pearson brand, and delivers sustainable non-aeronautical revenue growth.
As Director, Concessions and Partnership Development, you will:- Develop and execute annual operating plans and a rolling five-year strategic non-aeronautical revenue plan for airport concessions, partnerships, and advertising.
- Develop strategies that maximize concession revenue and profitability, including evaluating proposals, negotiating leases and contracts, and overseeing new concessions and renovations.
- Lead commercial planning for Pearson LIFT, terminal redevelopment, and future airport growth initiatives.
- Own business development and performance oversight for key strategic non-aeronautical revenue partners.
- Develop innovative partnership, sponsorship, and airport advertising strategies aligned with GTAA's vision.
- Create new revenue-generating partnerships through business development, new partners, products, programs, and commercial initiatives.
- Lead complex procurements, negotiations, contract renewals, and commercial partnership agreements.
- Deliver revenue, profitability, sales per enplanement, and revenue per enplanement targets across channels and sub-categories.
- Integrate commercial opportunities into infrastructure, customer experience, airport development, and capital initiatives in partnership with Planning, Infrastructure, Operations, and Customer Experience teams.
- Lead forecasting, budgeting, business planning, portfolio governance, performance management, and commercial risk mitigation.
- Use passenger, market, and industry insights tooptimizetenant mix, pricing, advertising programs, partnership models, commercial yield, and customer spend.
- Develop passenger marketing campaigns, cross-partner promotions, and integrated airport, brand, and operator activations that increase conversion and spend.
- Partner with technology teams to develop and launch solutions that improve portfolio performance.
- Prepare and present executive- and Board-level commercial strategies, recommendations, and agreements.
- Represent GTAA with industry partners, airports, regulatory agencies,and atglobal commercial aviation events.
- Build, coach, and develop a diverse, high-performing team while fostering accountability, adaptability, inclusion, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
This is the role foryou, ifyou have:- 10+ years of experience leading a commercial business, with a proventrack recordof growing profit andlossperformance and market share.
- 10+ years of experience negotiating large, complex commercial agreements with sophisticated organizations.
- A post-secondary degree in Business, Commerce, Economics, Finance, Marketing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience; an MBA or postgraduate degree is considered an asset.
- A broad business background with an emphasis on airport sales, commercial management, business relations, hospitality, retail, concessions, advertising, or partnership development.
- Demonstrated success building strong commercial teams with a hospitality- or customer-centric approach.
- Experience in business development and new product or program development.
- Knowledge of airport advertising media, including digital networks, sponsorships, and traditional airport media, is considered an asset.
- A thorough understanding of commercial and partnership agreements, commercial space planning, and design principles.
- Experienceestablishingand managing large-scale sales, revenue, budgeting, and forecasting portfolios.
- Advanced skill in developing and presenting business strategies at the executive and Board levels.
- Exceptional negotiation, relationship management, interpersonal, customer service, verbal communication, and written communication skills.
- The ability to think strategically, generate innovative ideas, navigate competing interests, prioritize alternatives, andoperateeffectively in a complex environment.
- The ability to obtain andretaina Transportation Security Clearance at the designated level for the position.
