At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic initiatives in the Travel and Gaming sector to drive growth and performance.
- Company: Join a leading bank with a focus on innovation and excellence.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of travel and gaming while inspiring high-performing teams.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership skills and strong commercial acumen required.
- Other info: Based in London, with excellent networking opportunities in the industry.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Join us as a Head of Travel and Gaming, where you’ll play a pivotal leadership role driving strategic initiatives, optimising performance, and delivering sustainable commercial growth. This role requires a leader with commercial acumen, exceptional relationship‑building capability, and the ability to deliver results through strategic thinking and effective team leadership. You will be a key member of the Hospitality & Leisure, Travel and Gaming Leadership team, guiding and supporting our UK client base while shaping the future direction of the Travel and Gaming portfolio.
Essential Skills / Basic Qualifications
- Proven leadership capability with the ability to inspire, coach and develop high‑performing teams, including strong sales coaching experience
- Strong commercial acumen, with a track record of supporting teams to deliver against and exceed sales targets and KPIs
- Excellent client communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to build and manage effective relationships across a range of stakeholders
- Solid understanding of the Travel sector
- Demonstrated experience within payments, including Sales, Account Management and leadership responsibilities
- Experience leading change initiatives and guiding teams successfully through periods of transformation
Desirable Skills / Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in sales reporting and performance analysis (training can be provided)
- Established network or knowledge of travel or gaming industry contacts
- Strong sales presentation skills, with the ability to influence and engage clients effectively
- Effective communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders
- Experience monitoring customer satisfaction, proactively addressing feedback, and resolving issues promptly
- Ability to analyse market trends and client feedback to inform strategy and drive continuous improvement
This role may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant for this role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job‑specific technical skills. This role is based in London.
Purpose of the role
To manage sales and set the strategic direction. Provide support to the bank's senior management team, and to manage sales risk across the organisation.
Accountabilities
- Development of strategic direction for sales, including the implementation of up to date methodologies and processes.
- Management of sales, including oversight of colleagues and their performance, implementation of departmental goals and objectives, oversight of department efficiency and effectiveness.
- Relationship management of sales stakeholders, including identifying relevant stakeholders, and maintenance of the quality of external third party services.
- Development and implementation of policies and procedures for sales.
- Management of sales risk, including identification of potential risks, development of strategies to mitigate those risks, and maintenance of alignment between the bank’s sales and compliance functions.
- Monitoring the financial performance of sales department, including revenue, profitability, and cost control.
- Conducting thorough market research to understand market trends, competitive landscape, and regulatory changes to identify market opportunities.
Vice President Expectations
To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/ processes; deliver continuous improvements and elevate breaches of policies/procedures. If managing a team, they define jobs and responsibilities, planning for the department’s future needs and operations, counselling employees on performance and contributing to employee pay decisions/changes. They may also lead a number of specialists to influence the operations of a department, in alignment with strategic as well as tactical priorities, while balancing short and long term goals and ensuring that budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements.
If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others. OR for an individual contributor, they will be a subject matter expert within own discipline and will guide technical direction. They will lead collaborative, multi-year assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions.
Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management on functional and cross functional areas of impact and alignment. Manage and mitigate risks through assessment, in support of the control and governance agenda. Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work your team does. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the organisation functions to contribute to achieving the goals of the business. Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategies. Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought comparing and selecting complex alternatives. In‑depth analysis with interpretative thinking will be required to define problems and develop innovative solutions. Adopt and include the outcomes of extensive research in problem solving processes. Seek out, build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders in order to accomplish key business objectives, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.
All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.
Head of Travel and Gaming employer: Barclaycard Payments
Contact Detail:
Barclaycard Payments Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Travel and Gaming
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the travel and gaming sectors. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share specific examples of how you've inspired and developed high-performing teams. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a manager, but a true leader who can drive results.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready to discuss market trends! Brush up on the latest developments in the travel and gaming industries. Being able to talk intelligently about these topics will show that you’re not only passionate but also well-informed, making you a more attractive candidate.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got a streamlined application process that makes it easy for you to showcase your skills. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team. Don’t miss out on the chance to land that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Travel and Gaming
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Head of Travel and Gaming role. Highlight your leadership experience and commercial acumen, as these are key aspects we’re looking for. Show us how your skills align with our needs!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Use specific examples that demonstrate how you’ve driven results in previous roles. We love seeing quantifiable achievements that reflect your ability to exceed sales targets and KPIs.
Be Authentic: When writing your application, let your personality shine through. We value authenticity and want to get a sense of who you are beyond your professional qualifications. Share your passion for the travel and gaming sectors!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it reaches us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Barclaycard Payments
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Head of Travel and Gaming, you'll need to demonstrate strong commercial acumen. Brush up on your sales figures, KPIs, and any relevant market trends. Be ready to discuss how you've previously exceeded targets and what strategies you used to achieve those results.
✨Build Rapport with Stakeholders
Effective relationship-building is key in this role. Before the interview, think about how you can connect with the interviewers. Research their backgrounds and the company’s recent initiatives in travel and gaming. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed relationships in the past.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This position requires inspiring and developing high-performing teams. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've led teams through change or transformation. Highlight your coaching experience and how you align team goals with broader business objectives.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face questions that assess your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Think of scenarios where you've had to analyse market trends or customer feedback to inform strategy. Practise articulating your thought process clearly and confidently.