Head of Partners – Delivery & Ecosystem

For more than 40 years, Accelya has been the industry’s partner for change, simplifying airline financial and commercial processes and empowering the air transport community to take better control of the future. Whether partnering with IATA on industry-wide initiatives or enabling digital transformation to simplify airline processes, Accelya drives the airline industry forward and proudly puts control back in the hands of airlines so they can move further, faster. 

Head of Partners – Delivery & Ecosystem

Role Purpose

Accelya is developing a network of strategic delivery partners — hyperscalers, global and regional systems integrators, and specialist implementation providers — capable of deploying, integrating and supporting Accelya's modular SaaS platform for airline customers. This is a newly created, operationally-led role, distinct from a classic commercial channel or reseller position.

The Head of Partners will identify, build and mature relationships with organisations we partner with already such as AWS, DXC, plus looking at the broader ecosystem for others not yet engaged. These partners are focused on delivery and technical capability rather than sales pipeline- success is measured in the quality, readiness and consistency of partner-delivered implementations into our Airline Customers and the resulting customer experience and time to full implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Map and prioritise the partner landscape: hyperscalers (AWS and equivalents), global/regional systems integrators (e.g. DXC) and specialist implementation firms with relevant airline integration delivery experience.

• Proactively identify and engage new partners beyond Accelya's current network, assessing delivery capability, technical fit and cultural alignment before onboarding.

• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of the partner relationship, from initial engagement through to mature, self-sufficient delivery capability.

• Monitor and report on partner delivery performance: implementation quality, timeliness, and the resulting experience for airline customers.

• Act as the operational escalation point when partner-led delivery risks customer outcomes, working with partners and internal delivery teams to resolve issues.

• Run regular performance reviews with partner delivery leadership, driving continuous improvement rather than commercial renegotiation.

• Partner closely with Professional Services / Delivery, Product, Engineering and Customer Success to ensure partners are ready ahead of releases and roadmap changes.

• Coordinate with Commercial/Sales where partner relationships intersect with contracts or co-sell motions, without owning revenue targets.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Significant experience (10+ years) in an operational partner, alliance or ecosystem role centred on technical delivery and implementation — not a quota-carrying channel sales role.

• Background working with or inside a hyperscaler (AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud) partner organisation, a global/regional systems integrator (e.g. DXC, Accenture, Capgemini, TCS), or an enterprise SaaS vendor's delivery-partner ecosystem.

• Track record of building a partner or SI network from an early stage

• Solid understanding of SaaS architectures, integration methodologies and complex, multi-stakeholder implementation environments.

• Strong operational and stakeholder leadership, comfortable holding partners accountable for delivery quality rather than sales targets.

• Experience in airline, travel or another regulated/complex enterprise sector is a distinct advantage

Preferred Attributes

• Strong experience within the Airline industry, implementing SaaS Solutions into the Airline Ecosystem

• Experience with multi-module or multi-SKU enterprise platforms.

• Global ecosystem development background, spanning both hyperscaler and SI-type partners.

• Entrepreneurial and hands-on: comfortable building frameworks and processes from scratch in a role with no established playbook.

• Customer-outcome-driven mindset — motivated by delivery quality and airline customer experience over commercial deal-making.

• Credible operator able to influence senior stakeholders inside partner organisations and internally, without relying on commercial leverage.

Success Measures

• Number and quality of onboarded, certified delivery partners — including at least one new hyperscaler/SI relationship beyond the current network.

• Partner delivery quality: implementation speed, defect/escalation rates, and airline customer satisfaction on partner-led projects.

• Partner autonomy: proportion of implementations partners can run independently of Accelya delivery resource.

• Maturity of governance in place (QBRs, escalation paths, certification renewal) across the partner network.

• Reduction in internal delivery dependency as partner capability scales.

What We Offer

• Open culture and a genuinely new, high-ownership remit

• Flexible working hours

• Hybrid remote/office working environment

• Work-life balance

• Dynamic, multicultural, global environment

About Accelya

Accelya is a leading global software provider to the airline industry, powering 200+ airlines with an open, modular software platform that enables innovative airlines to drive growth, delight their customers and take control of their retailing.

Owned by Vista Equity Partners' long-term perennial fund, with 2,000+ employees across 10 global offices, Accelya is trusted by industry leaders to deliver now and for the future.

Accelya's passenger, cargo and industry platforms support airline retailing from offer to settlement, both above and below the wing — including through its partnership with AWS and the pioneering NDC expertise of its Global Product teams.

For more information, visit www.accelya.com

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