Global Account Director

Job Description
The Global Account Director is a strategic executive level business partner responsible for leading Direct Travel's largest and most complex global customer programs. This role serves as the trusted advisor and primary executive liaison between Direct Travel and key strategic customers, driving program excellence, profitability, and long-term partnership value. The Global Account Director owns the complete account relationship—from strategic planning and governance to implementation and optimization—while leading cross-functional teams to ensure exceptional service delivery and measurable business outcomes.

This is a fully remote position with ~25% travel to key customer locations and Direct Travel offices.

To best support our customers and internal partners, this position requires regular availability during West Coast (Pacific Time) business hours. Candidates who are based in the Western U.S. or can reliably work Pacific Time business hours will be most successful in this role.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Relationship & Executive Leadership

Serve as the primary executive relationship owner and trusted advisor for the customer's management stakeholders, and key business leaders
Build and maintain deep, consultative partnerships across customer sourcing, procurement, finance, operations, and technology functions
Develop comprehensive understanding of customer's strategic business priorities, corporate objectives, risk landscape, and long-term vision
Advocate internally for customer needs and serve as the voice of the customer in Direct Travel leadership discussions
Position Direct Travel as a strategic business partner, not a vendor, through proactive counsel and industry insights

Strategic Account Planning & Business Development

Lead development and execution of comprehensive multi-year account strategy aligned with customer business objectives
Identify and drive strategic optimization, expansion, and cross-sell opportunities across the customer's global footprint to optimize service usage and customer ROI
Implement business plan to establish, achieve, and measure mutually agreed performance objectives and financial targets
Conduct complex contract negotiations for renewals, extensions, and amendments; lead RFI/RFP processes
Proactively manage account profitability while maximizing customer value and ROI
Develop deep understanding of customer's business model, competitive landscape, and how Direct Travel programs drive strategic value

Program Governance & Performance Management

Own and maintain comprehensive account governance framework, including executive touchpoints, cadence, success metrics, and escalation protocols
Ensure delivery aligns with agreed service scopes, SLAs, and performance expectations across all customer regions
Lead quarterly business reviews and annual strategic planning sessions focused on performance, adoption, optimization, and innovation
Analyze performance data and market trends to recommend practical, strategic enhancements
Monitor adherence to program objectives and proactively identify risks before escalation
Ensure accurate documentation of program details, decisions, and actions in required systems

Cross-Functional Leadership & Coordination

Lead and coordinate activity across Program Management, Service Delivery, Reporting, Automation, and regional teams to ensure achievement of customer goals
Act as the single point of accountability for ensuring holistic issue resolution rather than siloed responses
Align and lead national and regional Account Managers across multiple countries to drive outcomes
Collaborate closely with Direct Travel leadership to align resources and drive program success
Support implementation of global programs with complex, multi-region requirements
Champion change management initiatives by aligning messaging, timing, and execution across internal and customer stakeholders
Ensure issues, risks, and changes are escalated appropriately and resolved with urgency
Drive accountability without necessarily having direct reporting authority over all members of the account team

Stakeholder Communication & Enablement

Deliver clear, compelling communication to customer leadership regarding program performance, service health, and strategic opportunities
Distribute industry developments and thought leadership to keep customers informed of trends affecting their business
Support customer change management and adoption initiatives through strategic messaging and executive engagement
Maintain consistency of messaging and factual accuracy across all communications
Conduct complex interpersonal interactions, troubleshoot problems, and make decisions with minimal oversight

Market & Industry Leadership

Maintain strong knowledge of industry trends, competitive landscape, and business travel market dynamics
Demonstrate ability to influence corporate client decisions and shape customer strategy
Provide strategic counsel on how market developments impact the customer's program and Direct Travel's offerings
Identify innovation opportunities and emerging solutions relevant to customer needs

Accountability & Professional Standards

Uphold Direct Travel's vision and values while ensuring customer experience remains the central priority
Operate with professionalism, integrity, and strategic thinking in a high-visibility, executive-level environment
Manage multiple complex workstreams and priorities simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail
Operate effectively in a matrixed, global environment with strong cross-functional influence

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field (or equivalent professional experience); MBA or other advanced business degree preferred.
12+ years of corporate travel, strategic account management, or enterprise account management experience, including significant experience managing large, complex global customer portfolios ($50M+).
Proven success leading strategic global accounts across wholly owned and partner agency networks, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership, director-level, or strategic account role.
Deep expertise in global travel program management, service delivery models, operational governance, corporate travel policy, and travel technology platforms.
Demonstrated ability to influence and build trusted relationships with C-suite executives and senior stakeholders in complex, matrixed environments without direct authority.
Strong understanding of the business travel ecosystem, including airlines, hospitality, travel management companies, and travel-specific automation and technology solutions.
Experience managing strategically significant accounts, including programs with substantial travel spend and global operational complexity.
Track record of driving customer growth, retention, profitability, service excellence, and long-term strategic partnerships.
Excellent strategic thinking, business acumen, analytical, and data interpretation skills, with the ability to translate insights into executive-level recommendations.
Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, negotiation, and meeting facilitation skills.
Experience with strategic account planning methodologies and disciplined account governance frameworks.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote) and CRM platforms, including Salesforce.
Ability to effectively manage multiple stakeholders, align cross-functional organizations, and navigate complex global operating environments.
Comfortable participating in meetings across multiple time zones and willing to travel approximately 25% to support global customer programs.
Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship and able to support the flexible schedule requirements of a global role.