Product and Contracting Manager

Position Summary

As the Product and Contracting Manager for the USA & Canada DMC, you will oversee all facets of product development and contracting. This includes spearheading product and destination enhancements, managing contracts and supplier relationships, and nurturing the growth of the product team. Your role is pivotal in aligning these functions with the DMC's brand identity and overarching strategy.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Develop and maintain a high-quality, creative, and unique portfolio of products and services for the FIT segment (with some overlap in Cruise and Group segments) including hotels & resorts, sightseeing tours & excursions, attractions, multi-day packages, specialist guide services, and transfers.
• Manage contracting of accommodation and land services, sourcing and reviewing new products, overseeing auditing, securing exclusive/insider access offers, and differentiating the DMC from the competition.
  and conducting analysis of sales & travel trends & competitor activity
• Identify and explore opportunities for business growth & develop new experiences and destinations that match client demand by working closely with the Travel Consultants team and researching and visiting hotels, sites & attractions, and assisting with FAM trip itinerary planning and VIP bookings.
• Develop and nurture supplier relationships.
• Conduct annual hotel bed briefs and ongoing product portfolio reviews to refine, refresh, and remove underperforming hotels and products.
• Conduct product training to consortia, TOCs, and A&K sales teams as well as the DMC’s travel consultants and operations specialists on suppliers and itineraries.
• Design new itineraries for the DMC, TOC’s, and key clients.
• Support Travel Consultants if they have questions about suppliers, destinations, and itineraries.
• Manage natural disasters as they affect guest itineraries. This includes wildfires, floods, pandemics, and other incidents that have a major impact on DMC programs.
• To work & collaborate with the marketing team on strategic and seasonal projects as well as assist in copywriting, adding product and destination descriptions, garnering images, and sourcing promotions for inclusion in Newsletters.
• Manage annual pricing projects for the TOC’s, key AKORN clients, and internal itineraries.
• Manage a staff of (currently) 2 including Product coordinator and Travel Studio Administrator, ensuring product and supplier data is properly handled and loaded.
• Champion a culture of collaboration, open communication, clear direction, accountability, and performance management with strong internal collaboration between Product, Travel 
• Consultants, and Operations and externally with the TOCs., and key agents.
• Ensure workflow management and annual planning so the team members have clear direction and skills to enable them to perform their duties.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership skills.
• Self-motivated, highly organized, pro-active, and flexible.
• Systematic, detail-oriented, and logical approach to solving problems, with the ability to incorporate creativity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including copywriting ability.
• Strong work ethic with a real commitment to continuous improvement.
• Strong customer service skills ensure issues are resolved swiftly and to the satisfaction of our guests.
• Demonstrated adaptability, initiative, and a collaborative perspective.
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Office Applications.

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in a business discipline preferred and/or equivalent related industry experience.
• Minimum of two years of proven experience with product, contracting, or operations in the travel and/or hospitality industries
• Good knowledge of USA/Canada destinations in the luxury travel market is preferred but not essential.

Special requirements

• Must maintain a valid passport.
• Attendance at after-hours trade functions and site inspections.
• Ability to travel and sometimes with little advance notice.