Acquisition Lead, Rome - Experiences (12 month FTC)

This is a 12 month fixed term contract

The Community You Will join:

The Acquisition Team, within the Experiences Supply organization is a multidisciplinary team  that focuses on finding, pitching and onboarding the most exciting activities happening in your city today. We also work with the most exciting people, businesses and brands to introduce new experiences to the world.  We generate leads, pitch Airbnb’s value proposition and ultimately acquire those leads through the sales / partnership funnel to grow Airbnb’s Experiences business. We create exceptional hosted experiences that foster human connection, combatting the loneliness epidemic by bringing people together in the real world. 

The Difference You Will Make:

The ‘Acquisition Lead, Rome - Experiences’, drives and is accountable for the acquisition of experiences in their assigned city through research, proactive sourcing & compelling pitching. This role demands a creative and resourceful approach, encouraging the exploration of different avenues to grow the Experiences business in your city. Your leads will come from a mix of your own personal network and via lead generation using third-party data tools. You will find & develop high-quality, in-demand experiences and source expert individuals, content creators & local  business / brands as hosts. You will balance the cross-functional needs of our design, business, legal and leadership teams – as you move your acquired & co-created experiences through the Experiences acquisition funnel. You will also work with the hosts you acquire to optimize, grow and retain them on-platform for the first 6-12 months, driving their Experiences business to be fulfilling, sustainable and successful. You will represent your city in cross-functional meetings, leadership forums and rally your local team to execute against stretch goals. This role reports into the Sr. Manager, Supply Acquisition - Experiences for EMEA. 

A Typical Day:

This scrappy, goal-oriented and highly entrepreneurial lead should be excited to build something from the ground-up, combining creative vision with business acumen. You are energized by complexity, thrive in ambiguity and the opportunities to develop new ways forward. You are deeply collaborative, with a proclivity for the greater good over individual team interests; able to work across disciplines with business, operations and design. You can swiftly move in and out of hands-on, tactical work and bigger picture strategic thinking. 

Example Deliverables:

Represent your city and the local team  – Consistently develop & present your city’s wins, worries and blockers to cross-functional stakeholders & leadership. Set the tone, pace & quality bar for your focus city’s Acquisition team. 

Industry Awareness, Trend-Spotting & Sourcing – Stay updated on industry trends, proactively spot emerging opportunities, and creatively source both existing and new experiences by building and contributing to city & region-specific leads lists. Find & source ‘off-the-beaten-path’ leads that serve Airbnb’s Experiences vision.

Sales & Acquisition – Acquire Experiences by effectively pitching the Experiences value proposition to prospective hosts, developing experiences, managing leads through internal funnels and tools and tracking output. Have full accountability & ownership over their book of business. 

Optimization & Retention – Orient hosts through their first 6-12 months on-platform, supporting them with technical, optimization and growth best practices (e.g. pricing, run-of-show. Retain hosts through their ramp-up period on-platform via online and IRL mechanisms, driving business success for priority hosts and their listings. Set the template for what good account management looks like for the broader acquisition team in your focus city. 

Communication & Collaboration – Provide regular project updates & actionable feedback to cross-functional leads. Size issues & collaborate with peers, leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to creatively problem-solve. 

Tracking & Reporting – Ensure 100% accurate data hygiene across all tracking systems and leadership updates. Report out on both positive & negative performance trends, with a solution-oriented mindset. Stay up-to-date on best-practices & team trainings.

Quality & Alignment to Brand Vision – Ensure that your sourced supply meets the quality bar to deliver against the Experiences vision. Aligns leads with taste and quality measures set forth by cross-functional stakeholders. 

Your Expertise:

• 15+ years in either content / supply acquisition, partnerships or sales-related roles
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in related fields.
• Deep knowledge of what is happening in your city and broader region as it relates to travel, entertainment, pop culture, art, food & beverage and other hospitality trends.
• Sharp eye for setting & spotting cultural trends; strong ability to assess quality and stay ahead of market shifts.
• Proven track record of innovative problem-solving and a proactive approach to identifying and capitalizing on new opportunities.
• Skilled in delivering for cross-functional teams, and fostering trust across creative, technical, and business disciplines. 
• Proficient in CRM systems (like Salesforce) and organizational systems (like Airtable)
• Accountability for results – with a proven ability to deliver against KPIs & business targets
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguity, pivot quickly, and be motivated by changing circumstances, consistently acting as a self-starter.
• Management of small teams, driving KPIs for that team 

Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging:

Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.