Senior Account Manager - Trade (Southern Europe)

Company Description

Cathay Pacific is one of the world's leading airlines. Our success is built on a strong heritage, an unwavering commitment to our home hub, Hong Kong, and a genuine passion for customer service brought to life by talented people.

Joining Cathay Pacific means becoming part of a demanding and inspiring international environment, where everyone is encouraged to go further.

Role Introduction

Cathay Pacific is strengthening its commercial footprint in Europe and is seeking a Senior Account Manager - Trade to lead growth across Southern Europe (France, Italy, Spain).

This role is a high-impact commercial position, responsible for driving sustainable revenue growth, trade engagement, and market share expansion through travel agency and indirect distribution channels. The successful candidate will combine data-driven decision making, strong commercial acumen, and team leadership capability to accelerate performance across the region.

Responsible for your own portfolio and targets in addition to managing a small team off account managers across Southern Europe. This is very much a hands-on role with extensive travel required.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyse market trends, identify existing potential and uncover new growth opportunities.
• Develop a thorough understanding of Cathay Pacific's products and the competitive landscape.
• Prospect, develop and retain a network of travel agencies and commercial partners within your own portfolio.
• Negotiate and implement commercial agreements with agencies and key accounts.
• Develop business opportunities in the MICE segment (meetings, incentives, conferences and events), including recurring and renewal business.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key stakeholders in France and internationally (notably in London and Hong Kong).
• Implement targeted sales initiatives and measure their effectiveness.
• Monitor sales performance, analyse results and propose short- and medium-term commercial strategies, including your team.
• Analyse sales data, identify trends and drive achievement of targets.
• Help drive the future distribution vision including successful role out of NDC.
• Lead, coach and motivate a multicultural team to support collective success across France, Italy and Spain.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, and performance excellence and drive a high-performance sales culture aligned with Cathay Pacific's objectives.

Requirements

Experience & Expertise

• Minimum 5 years in a commercial sales leadership role within the travel industry.
• Proven track record of:
  • • Negotiating with agencies and key accounts
    • Driving revenue growth and meeting commercial targets
    • Leading and developing a remote team
• Experience in:
  • • Airline industry preferred, OR
    • Travel agencies / OTA / TMC environment highly relevant

Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation capability
• Excellent analytical skills with ability to translate data into strategy
• Ability to prioritise and synthesise complex information quickly
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills
• Leadership experience with ability to coach and influence remote teams
• Adaptable, collaborative, and culturally aware

Technical & Language Requirements

• Fluent in French and English (essential)
• Proficiency in:
  • • Microsoft Office
    • Salesforce (or similar CRM tools)
    • DDS or equivalent systems

Working Model

• Regular travel across France, Italy, and Spain, based in our Paris office
• Close collaboration with London (regional HQ) and Hong Kong (global HQ)

Benefits

• Join a globally recognised airline renowned for operational excellence and a strong corporate culture.
• Enjoy travel industry benefits, including airline ticket privileges.
• Benefit from an attractive package including health insurance, meal vouchers and mileage allowance.
• Build your career within an international group offering genuine opportunities for growth, mobility and skills development.

Personal & Application Information

Please submit your CV and cover letter outlining your interest in the role and your value proposition.

• Candidates must have the right to live and work in France (no visa sponsorship available).
• Application deadline: 14-Jul-2026.
• Cathay Pacific is an equal opportunities employer. Personal data provided by applicants will be processed strictly in accordance with our data protection policy and for recruitment purposes only.
• If you have not received a response by 15-Aug-2026, please consider your application unsuccessful.