[Hiring] Senior Host Development Lead @Airbnb

Role Description

The Senior Host Development Lead is an experienced leader who will drive the Community incentives and recognition strategy that shapes communications, education, and engagement to accelerate host growth across their lifecycle. This role requires a balance of leadership and operational excellence to build and optimize programs that incentivize our hosts to grow through recognition and education.

• Lead the strategy of Airbnb’s host community incentives, recognition, and benefits programs to drive meaningful host growth, positive sentiment, and loyalty with hosts.
• Design and implement initiatives that deepen host quality, educate hosts on actions to strengthen their businesses, drive retention, and motivate our best hosts.
• Cultivate strong cross-functional relationships (Product, Marketing, Data Science, Policy, Design, Customer Support, Community, Supply) to represent the host perspective and ensure incentive and education systems scale globally while adapting to local cultural contexts.
• Drive the ongoing evolution of the Superhost program, ensuring it remains an exemplar of business impact, quality, and host recognition.
• Incubate and test incentive and recognition programs for new lines of business, such as Experiences and Services.
• Define program goals and optimize program effectiveness by aligning to OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and continuously iterating based on data-driven insights and host feedback.
• Partner in end-to-end operational execution of host incentive and recognition—scoping work, securing stakeholder alignment and financial viability, managing vendors, overseeing operational excellence, and delivering measurable business impact on time and on budget.
• Provide clear and compelling communication of program strategy, performance, and impact to cross-functional partners and senior/executive leadership.
• Partner with production and marketing teams to deliver high-quality, on-brand programs—including recognition campaigns, benefit frameworks, badging, incentive systems, requirements policies, and supporting education.
• Advocate for and implement creative approaches to incentive design, balancing strategic rigor with innovative, engaging solutions.
• Mentor and support junior team members, fostering a culture of excellence, inclusion, and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Senior leader with 12+ years of experience in incentive and loyalty programs, Strategy, Marketing, B2B education, or a proven track record of designing and scaling loyalty/rewards systems that drive engagement, behavior change, and measurable business results.
• Strategic thinker able to zoom out to design holistic frameworks and zoom in to ensure every detail is thoughtfully executed.
• Strong data and analytics acumen, including financial literacy, with experience using insights to optimize programs and demonstrate impact.
• Exceptional communicator, skilled at engaging diverse audiences including executive leadership and external partners.
• Adept at navigating ambiguity, influencing key partners, and aligning teams around clear priorities.
• Demonstrated success managing operationally complex programs in a global, matrixed environment.
• Experience designing inclusive programs with cultural sensitivity for diverse, global audiences.
• Experience and curiosity using LLMs/Generative AI to deepen research, accelerate work, and create prototypes.
• Deep connection to Airbnb’s mission and a passion for fostering Connection and Belonging.

Location

This position is US - Remote Eligible. The role may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed to with your manager. While the position is Remote Eligible, you must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity.

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.

We strive to also provide a disability inclusive application and interview process. If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in order to submit an application, please contact us at: [email protected]. Please include your full name, the role you’re applying for and the accommodation necessary to assist you with the recruiting process.

How We'll Take Care of You

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs, and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. This role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits.

Pay Range: $192,000 — $240,000 USD

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance, or an accommodation, please let your recruiter know once you are contacted about a role.

A Note on Recruiting Scams

Scammers sometimes pose as Airbnb recruiters to get money or personal information from candidates. A few things that will always be true for Airbnb’s hiring process: our open roles are posted on Airbnb’s Career’s Page at careers.airbnb.com, and our recruiters correspond only from @airbnb.com or @ext.airbnb.com email addresses. Our recruiters will never ask for your Social Security number, bank account details, passport, or payment app information while you are interviewing. We’ll also never ask you to pay a fee, send money, deposit or cash a check, or purchase work-related equipment (such as a company laptop) during the interview process. We encourage candidates to remain vigilant of these recruiting scams and not share sensitive information if you do not believe an individual is actually affiliated with Airbnb.