Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader in Crawley

Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader in Crawley

Crawley Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
IAG Loyalty

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and transform our Long Haul or Short Haul destination strategies for growth.
  • Company: Join IAG Loyalty, a dynamic organisation shaping the future of travel experiences.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional development.
  • Other info: Diversity and inclusion are at our core; we welcome all backgrounds.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in the travel industry while leading innovative change.
  • Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in travel, with a strong commercial mindset.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

We’re IAG Loyalty, one organisation with two ambitious, growing divisions across Loyalty and Holidays. Each has its own goals, strategy and team, but together we’re united by a shared vision: to create a more rewarding world of travel and experiences. Our Holidays division, including British Airways Holidays, connects customers to thousands of destinations worldwide through seamless, end‑to‑end travel experiences. Our Loyalty division is home to Avios, the global loyalty currency, enabling millions of members to collect and spend rewards across travel, retail and financial services.

We’re on an exciting journey of growth and transformation. Two leadership opportunities to shape the future of one of the UK's most diverse holiday destination portfolios are rare. Our Product & Sourcing team is at a pivotal point. Ambitious growth plans and continued investment in technology mean we’re strengthening our existing leadership capability. We are recruiting for two equivalent leadership roles — Head of Long Haul and Head of Short Haul. Roles that have a clear mandate to accelerate change, deliver the next phase of our destination strategies and embed new ways of working, while building on the team’s strong foundations.

Working together, these roles will shape the future of the destination portfolio with each leading their own major portfolios. Reporting to the Head of Product & Sourcing, you’ll lead either our Long Haul or Short Haul destination portfolio, its strategic portfolio management and sourcing strategy. This principally includes the British Airways Holidays brand but will broaden to encompass other markets and brands over time. Few roles offer this genuine opportunity to transform how the business makes decisions about product, sourcing and commercial priorities. You will have a remit to shape strategy, modernise workflows, embrace automation and support the use of AI and new technology. It’s a chance to make a measurable commercial difference, in an area where there is significant scope to unlock further growth.

To identify where the significant future growth opportunities exist, where investment should be focused, defining the direction, and then building the capability, ways of working, team performance and commercial outcomes to make it happen. Working closely with your Destination Head of counterpart and the broader leadership team, you will lead your team through this transformation. Ensuring they are commercially focused, customer‑led, adaptable and aligned to the evolving Product & Sourcing operating model. As a member of the Product and Sourcing Leadership team, alongside leaders from Enablement and Product Development, you will build a collaborative leadership environment, to deliver shared strategic outcomes.

We are based in Crawley and work a hybrid model of two days in the office and three from home. Travel will be required as needed. You must have a flexible approach and be willing to travel regularly throughout the year to support business priorities and stakeholder engagement.

What you’ll get up to

  • Drive growth and portfolio performance: Lead destination strategies for your area, defining where the biggest growth opportunities lie and turning market, product and commercial insight into clear priorities. Drive profitable growth by improving how destinations are selected, developed and managed to increase commercial and customer performance. Prioritise effectively across a broad destination portfolio, focusing resources where they will create the greatest value.
  • Lead commercial strategy and partnerships: Shape contracting approaches, challenging existing methods and identifying the most efficient and commercially effective ways to secure product. Step into key partner negotiations where senior leadership is needed, building strategic relationships and helping unlock growth opportunities. Champion transformation while maintaining BAU, ensuring day‑to‑day delivery continues while new ways of working, technologies and processes are embedded.
  • Lead a team through the next stage of transformation: Lead and develop a high‑performing team, creating clarity, pace and accountability while guiding people through ongoing change. Help the team build on strong foundations, raising capability and commercial impact over time. Act as a collaborative leader within the leadership team, contributing to shared outcomes, supporting joined‑up decision‑making and helping build a more unified function.

What we need from you

  • Leadership and change: You’ll be an experienced people leader, capable of bringing teams together around a shared direction and creating momentum in a changing environment. You’ll have experience shaping and driving organisational growth, change and evolution, setting the direction for your teams and leading them through transformation while maintaining strong performance. You’ll be comfortable operating with ambiguity, able to make progress where priorities, structures or ways of working are evolving.
  • Commercial and strategic leadership: You’ll bring a strong commercial mindset, with a track record of delivering measurable growth across sales, profit, margin or portfolio performance. You’ll be able to balance strategic thinking with execution, identifying future opportunities while ensuring strong delivery today. You’ll have experience making decisions across complex portfolios, knowing where to invest, where to optimise and where to challenge existing approaches. You’ll bring experience in product strategy, sourcing strategy or both, with the breadth to operate credibly across the full remit of the role.
  • Influence and stakeholder management: You’ll be a credible senior leader, able to build trust quickly and communicate with authority both internally and externally. You’ll be collaborative by nature, working across teams to align priorities, solve problems and deliver shared outcomes. You’ll be persuasive and influential, comfortable challenging constructively and helping others move from ideas to action.
  • Experience and mindset: You’ll have held a senior destinations, product, sourcing or commercial leadership role within travel. Bringing a strong product and destination knowledge, along with a proven understanding of how to build, manage and grow a successful portfolio. You’ll be pragmatic and delivery‑focused, combining long‑term thinking with the ability to keep execution moving at pace. You’ll be motivated by opportunities to improve how things work, embracing automation, AI and new technologies to unlock smarter growth.

Both Head of Short Haul and Head of Long Haul are available. To ensure we consider the strongest talent across both opportunities, applications are through a single advert. Apply once and you will automatically be considered for both roles. We will close the role by the end of Friday 24th July.

Diversity and Inclusion: Our vision is to create a more rewarding world of travel and experiences. Delivering that requires diverse thinking and inclusive leadership. We are committed to building a workplace where people feel they belong and are valued for their perspective. Inclusion drives better decisions, stronger performance and more innovative outcomes. We actively encourage applications from people with different experiences and backgrounds, and are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair, inclusive and accessible.

Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader in Crawley employer: IAG Loyalty

IAG Loyalty is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Crawley where innovation and collaboration thrive. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide ample opportunities for professional development and leadership training, ensuring that our team members can shape their careers while contributing to a diverse holiday portfolio. Our inclusive culture fosters creativity and teamwork, making IAG Loyalty a rewarding place to work for those seeking meaningful impact in the travel industry.

IAG Loyalty

Contact Details:

IAG Loyalty Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader in Crawley

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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader in Crawley

Leadership
Change Management
Commercial Strategy
Strategic Thinking
Stakeholder Management
Team Development
Product Strategy

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Passion for Travel:In the travel and tourism industry, your love for exploration and different cultures should shine through in your application. Make sure to share personal anecdotes or experiences that highlight your enthusiasm for travel—this can really set you apart when applying for the Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader role at IAG Loyalty.

Highlight Your Customer Service Skills:Customer service is king in travel and tourism. When detailing your work experience, focus on situations where you provided outstanding service or resolved customer issues, as this demonstrates your ability to ensure client satisfaction. Include specific examples in your CV to show that you're ready to face the challenges of the Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader position at IAG Loyalty.

Keep Your CV Travel-Themed:When it comes to CV conventions in the travel industry, think of including any relevant certifications or training you've completed, like first aid or tour guiding courses. If you've travelled widely yourself, don't hesitate to mention that—it's all about showing your background fits the globetrotting vibe of IAG Loyalty.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not only explain why you're a great fit but also reflect your personality! Use this space to express what excites you about the travel sector and how you can contribute to IAG Loyalty's adventures. Share any unique perspectives or ideas you have to enhance the travel experience, especially as a full-time Head of Long Haul or Short Haul — Growth Leader.

How to prepare for a job interview at IAG Loyalty

Show Off Your Travel Knowledge

For a role in travel and tourism, it’s vital to demonstrate your knowledge of different destinations, cultures, and travel trends. Brush up on popular destinations and recent changes in travel restrictions. We suggest bringing some interesting travel stories or experiences to share—this can help you connect personally with the interviewer!

Prepare for Customer Scenarios

Expect to be hit with customer service scenarios during the interview. They might ask how you'd handle a challenging traveller or resolve a booking issue. Think of a few real-life examples from your experiences, even if they’re just from customer service roles. This will show that you're ready for the field and have the right mindset to tackle on-the-ground challenges!

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In a full-time travel position, there are often irregular hours and spontaneous travel opportunities. Be sure to convey your flexibility and willingness to embrace the unpredictable nature of this industry. Let’s showcase that enthusiasm for travel and how it drives your decision-making!

Know the Tools of the Trade

Get familiar with travel booking systems and tools, such as Amadeus or Sabre. If you have experience using any specific software or even social media for travel promotions, bring that up! We want to show that you can hit the ground running and adapt quickly to their processes at IAG Loyalty.