Leading specialist Wilshire based tour operator, who strive to offer unique packages are seeking an experienced Contracting Manager to create and maintain strong contractual relationships with their key suppliers, ensuring a good mix of both competitive and exclusive rate agreements.
You will have previous experience of working in a similar role, with strong negotiating skills. In return you will be working for an established company, who pride themselves on their brand. Salary is dependent on experience circa £35k pa - £40k pa plus extensive benefits!
THE ROLE
- Manage the briefing and contracting timetable with the Product teams, managing expectations around deadlines and budgets
- Develop and maintain key supplier relationships with jointly agreed vision and strategy. Drive agreements that are regularly reviewed.
- Develop a travel timetable to research and negotiate product briefs creating new supplier opportunities and well as strengthening current agreements.
- Monitor destination arrival statistics and seek strategic initiatives in order to drive incremental market share for Imagine.
- Agree and take ownership of processes with the Operational team to ensure contracted products are operationally viable and provide an excellent customer journey.
- Ensure zero liability and take proactive action to minimise any financials risks of contracting. Ensuring all stock is managed and released with suppliers in a timely manner.
- Develop sales, room night, rate data, year on year, competitor analysis and recommend rate requirements to help aid negotiations.
- Review Customer Feedback and look to ways to improve ground products and the customer journey with the product and service team.
- Understand the of pricing strategy, margins and volumes associated with each contracted product
- Own contracting plan to support the Up-Sell Strategy (post booking / pre departure sales)
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
- Be able to adapt to internal processes and relay complex information in a concise way to peers/contracting executives
- Experience in contracting, negotiating and maintaining new supplier partnerships
- Experience in negotiation skills preferred
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills plus excellent numeric ability
- Excellent attention to detail, innovative thinker, and creative problem solver
- Excellent command of Microsoft Office (Excel/Word) applications and computing skills.
- Ability to undertake travel abroad when required by the business
THE PACKAGE:
Starting salary is negotiable and dependent on experience, but in the region of £35k pa - £40k pa. There are extensive benefits including: Company pension, Discounted travel. There are excellent long term career prospects too. This role is currently offering office/hybrid working in their office based near Swindon, so you would need to be within a commutable distance.
INTERESTED?
If you are keen to be considered please follow the instructions to apply, attaching your CV. For any questions, please contact Suzanne on or email