Product and Contractor Manager - Europe

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Job Introduction

Product and Contracting Manager - Europe - Saga Holidays

Salary £55,000- £65,000 (dependent on experience)

Permanent

FT - 35 hours

Hybrid - Home/London/Ashford Office a couple of times per month. With occasional travel to our Crawley office

Here at Saga Holidays, we are looking for a European Product and Contracting Manager.

The Product and Contracting Manager role is critical to ensuring our customers' holiday experience is the best it can possibly be. You will take ownership for designing and contracting hosted hotels and special interest holidays with a constant eye for detail and an enthusiasm for giving our customers an exceptional and sector leading experience on every holiday. You will source the best overseas partners both commercially and service-orientated, innovating new products and destinations that inspire and excite our customers and truly set the benchmark for a hosted holiday. Your responsibility is full circle and will focus on really understanding our customers; from research, design and contracting, through operational effectiveness to refinement and quality control.

Role Responsibility

• Developing new, innovative and commercially successful holidays aligned to the product strategy, appealing to both existing and first-time-buyers
• Support the Product Director in delivering a strategy for product innovation and sector leadership.
• Take a pro-active, leadership approach to innovation, proposing new brand-enhancing products and services to delight our customers
• Managing a team of Product Developers and Executives
• Refining and re-engineering existing product to optimise performance and customer experience
• Contracting and negotiating with suppliers, securing best in market rates and exclusive deals, offers, overrides, marketing funds and other commercial advantages
• Ensuring products meet company Health & Safety standards with necessary due diligence
• Renegotiating with suppliers; reacting to market pressures as necessary and seeking exclusive offers to maintain maximum competitiveness in the market place
• Managing allocations and stopsells to maximise sales potential
• Briefing Marketing on new products, securing images and copy checking brochures and DM
• Awareness of competitor activity and using customer insights to identify and implement commercial opportunities
• Being an active part of the Quality process; working closely with internal and external partners to continuously improve customer satisfaction
• Working closely with internal stakeholders (Aviation, Commercial, Marketing, Sales and Operations)
• Travel as needed to attend trade shows, source new suppliers, research new product ideas and gain knowledge of destinations
• Representing at the highest levels with supplier organisations, political bodies and trade contacts
• Delivering informative and engaging product training to all relevant areas of the business and directly to customers
• Play a key role in any crisis situation

The Ideal Candidate

• A proven track record in travel Contracting and Product Management
• Excellent European product and destination knowledge
• Able to be a senior ambassador for the company
• To be able to speak Spanish is desirable
• Exceptional negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (written & verbal)
• High level of numerical skills
• High level of commercial and operational experience
• Initiative, diplomacy, tact and sound judgement
• Highly organised and disciplined
• Ability to follow through targets and objectives
• Flexibility to travel, sometimes for extended periods and sometimes at short notice

Package Description

Everyday our colleagues deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. We believe exceptional work deserves even more exceptional rewards, that's why we have put together an amazing benefits package for all colleagues.

We offer total flexibility over where you work you choose a place that you feel most comfortable and productive, either from home or in one of our hubs in London, Ashford or Sandwich.

BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO ALL COLLEAGUES:

• Our working week is 35 hours per week, these can be worked flexibly to suit your working style
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Option to purchase additional leave up to 5 extra days
• Pension scheme matched up to 10%
• Life assurance policy on joining us
• Wellbeing programme
• Colleague discounts including family discounts on cruises and holidays
• Range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Grandparents leave
• Company performance related annual bonus - Up to 5%
• Income protection
• Access to Saga Academy, our bespoke learning platform

About the Company

Over the past 70 years we have become the UK's specialist provider of products and services to people aged over 50 in the UK. The Saga brand has become one of the most recognised and trusted brands amongst UK consumers in this demographic, recognised for its high quality products and exceptional standards of service. These include cruises and holidays, insurance, personal finance and the Saga Magazine.

At Saga we are committed to treating all employees fairly and to offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement. We value diversity not just because it is the right thing to do, but because diverse teams perform better.

We're passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Championing diversity is important to us, and diverse teams really are the best ones. We're dedicated to creating a culture where every colleague feels like they belong. So that at Saga, more than anywhere else, you can be your best, be yourself and make a difference.

Fair consideration is given to all applicants, including those with disabilities and those over who are over the age of 50. As champions of age inclusivity and signatories of the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, we are proud of our multigenerational teams. We are also an official Disability Confident Committed employer and ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible and we will make reasonable adjustments as required. For more information on our DEI policies please visit our Saga Careers page.

Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the Talent Acquisition Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga will not be responsible for any fees related to CVs received in this unsolicited manner.

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Saga Group