An Acquisition Lead for Experiences is a strategic business development and partnership role focused on curating and securing unique, high-quality offerings for a platform or marketplace. This profession sits at the intersection of sales, talent scouting, and product development, with the core mission of building a diverse and compelling inventory of experiential products. Professionals in these jobs are essentially the architects of supply, responsible for finding and onboarding the hosts, creators, and experts who deliver memorable activities to consumers. They are pivotal in transforming a platform's vision into a tangible, bookable reality. Typically, an Acquisition Lead's responsibilities encompass the entire lifecycle of supply acquisition. It begins with proactive sourcing and trend-spotting, requiring a deep, intuitive understanding of local culture, travel, and emerging leisure trends. They research and identify potential hosts, from individual experts to established brands, leveraging networks and data tools to build a robust pipeline. A significant part of the role involves salesmanship—pitching the platform's value proposition, negotiating terms, and persuading high-caliber hosts to join. Once a host is acquired, the lead often transitions into an account management and optimization phase, guiding new partners through their initial months on the platform. This includes advising on pricing, presentation, and operational best practices to ensure both host success and customer satisfaction, thereby driving retention. Collaboration is a cornerstone of this profession. Acquisition Leads act as a crucial bridge between the external market and internal cross-functional teams such as product, design, legal, and marketing. They must balance creative vision with business feasibility and legal compliance, moving prospects efficiently through an established acquisition funnel. Success in these jobs is heavily data-informed, requiring meticulous tracking of leads, performance metrics, and market insights using CRM and project management systems. Typical skills and requirements for Acquisition Lead, Experiences jobs include a substantial background (often 8+ years) in sales, business development, partnerships, or content acquisition. A bachelor's degree in a related field is common. Essential attributes are a sharp cultural acumen, an entrepreneurial and resourceful mindset, and a proven ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced environments. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are non-negotiable, as is a results-oriented attitude with accountability for key performance indicators (KPIs). Proficiency with sales and organizational software, along with the ability to manage projects and sometimes small teams, rounds out the profile for this dynamic and impactful career path.
