Product Director - Travel and Tourism

SUMMARY:
Executive Management

POSITION INFO:

Introduction:

Our established and fast-growing client is professionalizing and expanding its Destination Management Services and is looking for a senior product manager to take the lead in redefining their product strategy as well as expanding their regional footprint.

With their new technology platform they have launched a powerful DMS tool for their agents, and would like to build on this foundation of technology with further expertise, access to product and improved sales service.

Our client expects the successful candidate to be well known in the industry both by suppliers as well as by Agents, in order to increase the profile of their travel solutions.

The Role

Although our client is already active as a Destination Management Company and ground handler in Kenya and Tanzania, we expect the candidate to take a leading role in (re)defining their East Africa product strategy as well as work on an aggressive yet sustainable expansion strategy in new regions of interest.

The candidate’s key responsibilities will be:

-          Product Management & Strategy (entire product portfolio)

-          Regional (Product) Expansion into regional sub-Saharan Africa

-          Product and new region training to  Commercial teams

-          Agent Relationship stimulation (especially for new regions)

-          Supplier content/imagery generation/auditing

-          Supplier Health & Safety auditing

-          General Supplier Management

-          Possibly: Incident/Emergency Management

-          Possibly: Operational Management/Traveller Management in new regions

-          Possibly: Debtor/Creditor management assistance

Using your extensive knowledge of the Product landscape you will build, manage, and optimize an extensive portfolio across all key regions and subregions in Africa, including accommodation, transport, and activity services. To ensure the clients DMS’s sales channel partners are best enabled to benefit from the most trusted and accessible product portfolio, you will develop and maintain appropriate portfolio standards in terms of health, safety and the environment, as well direct all efforts to secure the required content for the platform in a scalable, efficient and timeous manner.

Key areas of responsibility:

Key Requirements for the role:

-          10+ years of operations and commercial experience, with at least 5+ years at management level, of a leading DMC/OTO, active in Southern Africa – [or other relevant executive-level experience and demonstrated ability to drive key commercial and operations outcomes]

-          Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to clearly identify, pursue and seize value creation opportunities in a data-driven approach

-          Team and partner management skills

• To develop, lead and retain a team of inhouse and partner managers and associates that strives for project excellence and delivery, commercial success and is respected for its leading knowledge base across Safari Africa

-          Proven success in negotiating industry-leading terms and access [with top 5 product suppliers]

• Excellent commercial and negotiation skills with a powerful combination of analytical, strategic, and relational skills coming into play too

-          Excellent relationship building skills with a history of joint success alongside partners

• Relationship building skills to ensure the DMS’s objectives are met

-          Process management skills and attention to detail – underpinned by an ability to build scalable processes

• Process optimization and project management expertise to ensure timeous and accurate rates and content availability and
• Ensuring that all product availability has undergone a vetting process and safety/insurance audit

-          Keen entrepreneurial mindset to identify growth opportunities

-          As a key point of contact to the outside market representing our client, upholding and contributing to the reputation of the company as a leading safari operator

-          The values are company values that play an important role in how we define ourselves and set us apart. We place high value on living these values in our everyday work practices

NB! This job is now closed. You can apply for other jobs by uploading your CV.