Strategic Program Manager, Travel Services (Hybrid)

Business Summary:

The Strategic Program Manager, Travel Services, leads the management and growth of AAA’s travel services vendor partnerships to enhance member value, support club growth, and increase partner revenue. This one-deep individual contributor role manages programs, vendor relationships, and partnership performance, without direct people-management responsibility. The position ensures contractual deliverables are met while identifying opportunities to improve performance, expand business development efforts, and strengthen the overall travel services portfolio. Essential duties and responsibilities are organized below by key functional area:

Vendor Partnership Management:

• Manages preferred partner relationships to increase vendor revenue, strengthen club growth, and expand member value through the promotion and delivery of travel products and programs.


• Serves as a strategic liaison between suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure vendors understand AAA’s business requirements, service expectations, and member experience standards.


• Provides clear, actionable performance feedback to suppliers to promote accountability, strengthen collaboration, and drive continuous improvement.


• Collects, organizes, and communicates club feedback to suppliers to support program refinement, issue resolution, and stronger partnership outcomes.

Program Performance & Contract Oversight:

• Manages contractual Service Level Agreements, Key Performance Indicators, and program metrics to evaluate operational performance, financial results, and overall partnership success.


• Leads preferred supplier agreement negotiations from initial proposal through final execution, ensuring terms support business objectives, member value, and partnership growth.


• Collaborates with Legal, Finance, Procurement, Brand, Marketing, and other internal teams to support contract negotiation, implementation, communication, and ongoing program execution.

 Product, Market & Business Development:

• Facilitates product/program development with clubs and suppliers, including best-practice sharing, product selection, benefit negotiation, and go-to-market support.


• Monitors industry trends and competitive activity to provide clubs, suppliers, and internal stakeholders with actionable market insights.


• Analyzes competitor products, programs, pricing, positioning, and value propositions to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for AAA travel partners.


• Partners with Brand, Marketing, and Content teams to maximize advertising, promotional, and member-engagement opportunities across AAA travel channels.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics:

• Demonstrated experience managing vendor partnerships, negotiating contract terms, and supporting agreements from proposal through execution.


• Strong financial and business acumen, with the ability to evaluate program performance, revenue opportunities, partner results, and business impact.


• Advanced program/project management skills, to include the ability to manage priorities, obstacles, timelines, and keep stakeholders informed of progress.


• Strong relationship-development skills, with the ability to build trust, influence partners, collaborate across teams, and support effective business outcomes.


• Demonstrated understanding of social media, mobile engagement, direct marketing, and member/customer communication strategies.


• Excellent collaboration, teamwork, interpersonal, and stakeholder-management skills.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and professionally to internal and external audiences.


• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple programs, deadlines, deliverables, and partner expectations.


• Proficiency with Excel and Tableau, including the ability to analyze data, interpret trends, and summarize insights for business decision-making.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Marketing, Hospitality, Travel/Tourism, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.


• Seven (7) to ten (10) years of experience in client relationship management, supplier/vendor program management, strategic account management, or related partnership management roles.


• Experience with strategic account planning, KPI development, performance forecasting, vendor/partner performance management, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing or business development teams.


• Ability to travel approximately ten percent (10%) of the time.


• Experience in the Car Rental segment or broader Travel, Hospitality, or Transportation Industry preferred.


• Proven account management or sales experience supporting car rental, travel services, supplier partnerships, or member/customer programs preferred.

Hiring Range: $93,000 - $116,000

This position is also eligible for participation in AAA, Inc.'s Annual Incentive Plan.

AAA, Inc. is committed to paying competitively and equitably. The posted range for this position represents competitive compensation based on market data, internal equity, and the skills and requirements of the position. The compensation offered will depend on your qualifications and experience.

AAA, Inc. is not accepting unsolicited assistance from any search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee working at AAA, Inc., either by email, the Internet, or in any form and method, without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from AAA, Inc. will be deemed the sole property of AAA, Inc. No fee will be paid if AAA, Inc. hires the candidate due to the referral or through other means.