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About the Role

The Head of National Accounts role is responsible for driving superior commercial performance in the Australian market by exceeding guest, revenue, and Average Per Diem (APD) targets. This role executes the High-Value Trade Partner strategy, drives new business growth, increases sales performance, and attracts affluent consumers to Celebrity Cruises. It leads a team of two Business Development Managers and manages the trade distribution strategy, ensuring partners have the necessary tools and support to sell Celebrity Cruises effectively. The role has end-to-end accountability for the operational and commercial performance of trade partners through account planning, negotiation, and senior-level engagement to foster sustainable, profitable growth and build long-term partnerships. Interstate and/or international travel is required.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute integrated sales, marketing, and training plans for high-value trade partners aligned with booking curves and growth objectives.
Translate partner, market, and consumer insights into multi-year account plans for sustainable and profitable growth.
Produce bespoke annual account plans for key accounts, outlining initiatives to improve key performance metrics.
Provide operational insight into the Annual Operating Plan, aligning account strategies with commercial and distribution priorities.
Analyze account profitability, distribution effectiveness, and return on investment to ensure optimal commercial outcomes.
Identify and interpret industry, market, and consumer trends to uncover future growth opportunities.
Lead the analysis of weekly trading performance, reviewing data, identifying trends, and providing actionable insights.
Gather and share competitive intelligence, recommending strategies to defend and grow performance.
Ensure strong brand visibility and advocacy across partners, supported by product and sector expertise.
Own and manage multi-level relationships with key decision-makers, product managers, and influencers at Key Account Trade Partners.
Design and deliver bespoke engagement initiatives to drive loyalty and advocacy, including familiarization programs and ship visits.
Manage communication plans for partners, ensuring clear and timely engagement on major announcements and milestones.
Develop and implement contact and wiring plans to drive shared accountability and objective delivery.
Ensure team call plans and engagement activities align with strategic priorities and performance goals.
Oversee the delivery of targeted product, sales, and automation training for Key Account Trade Partners.
Identify and implement bespoke training solutions aligned with each partner’s strategy and performance objectives.
Act as a senior brand ambassador for Celebrity Cruises at trade, consumer, and industry events.
Lead and host high-impact customer events and educational experiences, ensuring clear objectives and measurable ROI.
Provide leadership, motivation, and personal development to the team, including setting objectives and conducting appraisals.
Drive team engagement through regular communications, feedback, and work/life balance initiatives.
Drive adoption of systems including PowerBI, Salesforce, and Social Media channels.
Ensure the sales team has the necessary tools to sell effectively and efficiently.
Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management capability, with the ability to engage, influence, and present credibly at senior levels.
Collaborative and inclusive people leader, able to motivate, develop, and engage a high-performing sales team.
High level of understanding and experience with digital marketing practices.
Constructive, solution-oriented approach, combining independent thinking with resilience and a positive attitude.
Strong analytical and commercial capability, with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into actionable roadmaps.
Demonstrated ability to oversee and govern a portfolio of national accounts, maintaining a holistic view of performance and execution.
Proven influencing and negotiation skills.
Proactive and results-driven leader, demonstrating initiative, ownership, and accountability.
Well-organized with strong planning, prioritization, and execution skills.
Resilient and persistent, maintaining momentum and focus when navigating complexity or change.
Strategic thinker with the ability to develop, communicate, and execute account and growth plans.
Strong selling and persuasion capability, with an understanding of positioning a premium/luxury product.
Demonstrated commercial acumen, including experience in contract management, forecasting, budget oversight, and ROI evaluation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Highly effective presentation and storytelling skills.
Comfortable as an early adopter of AI-enabled and emerging technologies.
Solution-oriented, with a practical approach to identifying issues and implementing effective solutions.
Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to travel extensively and work across varying environments.

Skills

Relationship-building
Stakeholder management
Influencing
Presentation
People leadership
Team motivation
Team development
Digital marketing
Analytical skills
Commercial capability
Data interpretation
Negotiation skills
Planning
Prioritization
Execution skills
Strategic thinking
Selling
Persuasion
Commercial acumen
Contract management
Forecasting
Budget oversight
ROI evaluation
Written communication
Verbal communication
Presentation skills
Storytelling skills
AI-enabled technologies
Problem-solving
Adaptability

Location

Miami, Florida
Sydney, Australia
Australia

Work Type

Full-time
Interstate travel
International travel

Experience Level

5+ years’ proven success leading, developing and motivating a sales or account management team in a commercially driven environment.
Demonstrated experience in key account management, planning & executing contracting and acquisition, preferably with large or complex partners.
Strong track record of commercial negotiation and delivering profitable growth outcomes.
Experience working effectively within a matrix or global organisation is preferred.
Sales or commercial experience from any relevant sector considered; travel or hospitality experience advantageous but not essential.

Education Level

Valid driver’s licence with a clear driving record.

About the Company

Celebrity Cruises is a global, multi‑billion‑dollar luxury cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, with local offices in Sydney, Australia.
Operating a modern fleet of 15 ships, the brand sails to destinations across the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, South America, the Galapagos and Australia/New Zealand.
Celebrity has a strong and long‑standing presence in Australia and New Zealand, contributing approximately 60,000 guests annually, with around 50% travelling internationally.
The deployment of the award‑winning Edge® Series to the region underscores Celebrity’s continued investment and growth ambitions locally.
Renowned for innovation, design and service excellence, Celebrity Cruises has earned hundreds of global industry awards, including recognition from TIME and Forbes Travel Guide.
Guided by its purpose to “Open up the World,” the brand is committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences, championing diversity and inclusion, and advancing sustainability across its fleet and destinations.
With this investment, the brand is targeting significant growth over the coming years, with all global regions expected to source more guests and grow revenues.