Travel Trade Manager - M&T Partnerships in Manchester

About the Role

The role is responsible for driving revenue growth and visitor volumes across Manchester United's Museum and Stadium Tour business through the development and management of travel trade, group sales, tourism, corporate and commercial partnerships. It leads the strategy for engaging domestic and international travel operators, destination management companies, coach operators, tourism bodies, online travel agents and commercial partners, positioning Old Trafford as a leading visitor attraction and must-visit destination. The postholder identifies new commercial opportunities, develops strategic partnerships and maximises sales performance across key markets. The role works within a high-performance environment and collaborates with internal teams to deliver joined-up visitor experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the travel trade sales strategy to increase Museum & Stadium Tour revenue and visitor numbers.
• Build and maintain relationships with UK and international tour operators, wholesalers, online travel agencies and destination management companies.
• Identify new market opportunities and sales channels across key domestic and international tourism markets, and negotiate commercial agreements, rates and partnership terms with travel trade partners.
• Represent Manchester United at industry conferences, trade shows, networking events and sales missions, and work with tourism bodies, visitor economy organisations and destination marketing agencies to maximise exposure.
• Identify and secure strategic commercial partnerships that drive visitor growth and incremental revenue.
• Develop group sales opportunities across education, corporate, leisure and special interest markets, and explore opportunities for packaged experiences, hospitality, retail and wider club offerings.
• Manage partnership performance through regular reviews and commercial reporting, and deliver revenue-generating campaigns with key stakeholders and partners.
• Own and deliver annual sales and revenue targets, monitoring visitor trends, booking patterns and market insights to optimise commercial performance.
• Analyse sales data and produce regular reports, forecasts and recommendations, develop pricing, promotional and distribution strategies to maximise yield, and monitor competitor activity to strengthen market position.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Hospitality, Retail, Partnerships, Finance and Operations teams to deliver joined-up visitor experiences, and support the development of new products, experiences and commercial offers.
• Act as a key ambassador for the Manchester United brand within the tourism and visitor attraction sectors, and maintain strong internal relationships to ensure commercial initiatives are effectively executed.
• Lead, coach and develop team members where applicable, foster a commercially focused and customer-centric culture, establish clear objectives and performance measures for the sales function, and promote continuous improvement and innovation within the department.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Proven experience in travel trade sales, attraction sales, tourism, hospitality or commercial partnerships.
• Strong track record of delivering revenue growth and exceeding sales targets.
• Experience managing relationships with tour operators, travel agents and tourism partners.
• Commercially focused with strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building capability.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic sales plans.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.

Preferred Skills

• Experience within a major visitor attraction, sports organisation, entertainment venue or tourism destination.
• Knowledge of the UK and international tourism sectors.
• Experience using CRM and sales management systems.
• Degree-level qualification in Business, Tourism, Hospitality, Marketing or related field.

Workplace

Manchester United offices

Benefits & Perks

• Annual Incentive Scheme to reward dedication and hard work.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and an opportunity to purchase additional holiday days.
• Electric Vehicle scheme via Octopus and cycle to work scheme.
• Simplyhealth Cash Plan supporting everyday healthcare needs.
• Wellness Support with access to mental health resources, digital health checks, and nutritionists through Aviva Digicare+ Workplace.
• Exclusive Discounts through the United Rewards platform, giving access to exclusive deals from the club and partners.
• Gym Facilities in onsite locations and opportunities for regular social events and team-building activities.
• Enhanced family Leave Benefits and policies.
• Enhanced Career Development with access to professional learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning, and internal training programmes.
• A Supportive Work Environment that values diversity, equity and inclusion, and individual growth.

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