Supplier Engagement Manager

Have you experience in a Managerial Negotioating/Contracting/Product role within the Travel Industry? Are you educated to a degree level? Are you looking for your next exciting challenge and motivated to help grow a business?

I have a well known Inbound Travel company based in the South East London/Kent area who are looking for an experienced Supplier Engagement Manager.

Summary of Role:

Drive existing and create new strategies for developing and negotiating relationships with destination and commercial partners to achieve preferred long term and tactical rates, added value, inventory, override and marketing funds as appropriate to the company plans and budgets
Core Accountabilities:

-Identify, support and grow destination marketing relationships in all destinations, with the aim of securing co-op marketing contributions.
-Responsible in alignment with key European and US based teams to propose, plan, outline and achieve the co-op marketing budget.
-Fully accountable for leading and coordinating support to achieve the co-op marketing revenue budget, including the effective communication of room night production (RNP) opportunities secured by the supplier engagement team.
-Represent brands at appropriate trade shows based on approved plans - including return on investment cases, ensuring comprehensive preparation, prompt follow-up and information and training as appropriate is delivered to teams.
-Liaising with the Marketing and partners to ensure that co-op campaign is seamless execution in line with the agreed plans.
-Preparing appropriate contractual and non-disclosure agreements in a timely, comprehensive and accurate manner, for Directors' signature, and keeping clear available records.
-Conducting all role activities and hand-off to other to timelines agreed to ensure projects maintain on schedule.
-Preparation, maintenance and controlled distribution of production statistics in general and related to specific activities.
-Preparation of proof of performance, aligned with Marketing and Finance, including preparing timely invoicing for agreed activities based on agreements and budget phasing.
-Analysis of the business intelligence reporting tool to detect trends, measure activity and make well founded recommendations to the Management Team.
-Undertaking product market research to produce business plans/recommendations to ensure that all business opportunities are optimised
-Communicating with all major stakeholders (internal and external) to achieve business objectives.


Supporting Secondary Objectives:


These areas are secondary to the core role, which is the primary requirement. Time spent on these activities would be agreed with the line manager subject to core objectives being on track and to business need.

-Identify and react to identified hotel, ground handling (inc. escorted tour, wholesalers and ancillary providers) and car rental buying opportunities and needs - mindful of the SE/SSI team responsibilities - then negotiate to achieve favourable terms for rates, added value, inventory and co-op marketing funds.
-Identify and react to airline buying needs and opportunities then negotiate to achieve favourable terms for rates, seats as appropriate and co-op marketing support.
-In line with buying brief meet objectives for procurement of product
-Achieve buying brief to company objectives for procurement maintaining traction to achieved the desired outcome.
-Ensuring 'contracting level' competitor analysis to ensure that all negotiations achieve at least competitive outcomes before agreements are made and contracts are handed off to other teams.
-Supporting the Product and Commercial team including gap analysis, line-up, copy, product planning, product development etc.
-Manage and maintain productive relationships with third party land product suppliers.
-Support fam. trip planning and procurement of partner support direct or through the USA-based team.
-Supporting the Commercial team including gap, competitor and margin analysis, uncompetitive resolution, price match challenges, margin and commercial planning.

Requirements:

-Degree level educated
-Strong, relevant and demonstrable destination co-op marketing lead negotiation experience
-America, Caribbean and Mexico product knowledge and destination contacts.
-Longhaul destination procurement management experience
-Flexibility and preparedness to work over weekends for reasons of core accountability, and to participate in duty manager rota

Desirables:

-Strong, relevant and demonstrable hotel, airline and ground handling
-Knowledge of Sherpa Rez, Tandem, TMP (in house systems) and MS Word, Excel , Outlook, PowerPoint and GDS systems
-Knowledge of UK outbound long-haul travel Industry
-GDS / preferably Worldspan and Amadeus OR preparedness to learn


PACKAGE:

A competitive salary of up to £50,000 annual salary is on offer for the right person.
Normal working hours will be 9 - 17.30, but as you would expect - lots of events, including weekend or out of hours working and some international travel.

INTERESTED:

To apply for the position of Supplier Engagement Manager please Click 'apply' to submit your CV
This role is being managed by Joe@traveltraderecruitment.co.uk / Tel: 0203 887 9444
Please note that only candidates who meet the shortlisted requirements will be contacted