About Smartbox Direct Experiences

Smartbox Direct Experiences is a new, fast-growing venture within the Smartbox Group, Europe’s leading experience-gift company.We are focused on building direct-to-consumer, non-gift experience offers: wellness, gastronomy, leisure, adventure, culture and beyond.

Our mission: identify what customers truly want to buy, validate traction fast, and scale winning experience concepts. 
This is not a “business as usual” role — it’s a build, test, iterate, repeat environment.

The Role

We are looking for a Business Development Lead to work hand-in-hand with the Head of Smartbox Direct Experiences to:

• Source, negotiate and launch new experience concepts across non-stay universes (wellness, gastronomy, leisure, adventure, culture, etc.)

• Move fast, test ideas in the market, and validate real intent and traction

• Close quick & dirty deals that allow us to learn before scaling

This role sits at the intersection of BD, category building, and venture testing.

What You’ll Do

Experience Sourcing & Partnerships

• Identify and onboard high-potential experience partners (venues, brands, operators, independents)

• Explore unconventional or emerging experience formats

• Build a strong understanding of partner economics and constraints

Deal-Making & Negotiation

• Negotiate simple, pragmatic agreements focused on speed and mutual value

• Structure pilot deals, revenue-share, net deals, or test-based partnerships

• Remove friction — no over-engineering, no unnecessary complexity

Market & Concept Testing

• Launch and iterate multiple experience concepts in parallel

• Work closely with marketing and product to test demand, pricing and messaging

• Use real market signals (sales, conversion, partner feedback) to validate or kill ideas

Entrepreneurial Execution

• Operate with a founder mindset inside a corporate environment

• Be comfortable with ambiguity, imperfect data, and rapid iteration

• Contribute actively to shaping the future Smartbox Direct offer

What Makes This Role Different

• You are not joining a mature, fixed business — you are helping to build one

• High exposure to strategy, leadership, and real business decisions

• Freedom to test, fail, learn, and iterate quickly

• A unique opportunity to combine startup velocity with Smartbox’s scale and brand power

Why Join Us

• Direct impact on a new strategic growth pillar for Smartbox Group

• Steep learning curve and fast responsibility

• Real ownership over deals, concepts and results

• A role that can grow rapidly as the business scales

Who We’re Looking For 

Must-Have 

• 2–5 years of experience in business development, partnerships, category management or sales 

• Previous exposure to the experience, leisure, travel, hospitality, wellness, food or entertainment industries is a strong plus 

• Strong negotiation instincts and commercial common sense 

• Comfortable picking up the phone, going on-site, and closing deals 

• Fluent in French and English 

Mindset & Personality 

• Entrepreneurial, proactive, and hands-on 

• A natural go-getter who hates slow decision-making 

• Pragmatic > perfect 

• Curious, creative, and energized by testing new ideas 

• Comfortable with risk, learning fast, and moving on when something doesn’t work