General Manager - Sales & Customer Experience

Summary Organise, motivate and develop our team of tailormade travel advisors to achieve performance targets, including customer satisfaction. Proactively contribute both strategically and practically to the senior leadership team to support the future growth and success of an entrepreneurial employee-owned business. Showcase an impressive natural flair for customer centricity, ensuring we offer, and are able to deliver, the right holiday every time. Demonstrate commitment to our company values by taking a one-company approach, being proactive and resourceful, taking responsibility, inspiring team members, colleagues, customers and business partners and always acting in a genuine manner. Support the Managing Director on a day-to-day basis across all people and customer management areas of the business. Deputise for the Managing Director when required. The Role Inspire and actively mentor the team of travel sales advisors to meet and exceed weekly and monthly sales targets aligning with overall revenue and business targets. Coach and develop the travel sales advisors to achieve their individual potential and proactively address any issues of under-performance. Plan and manage resources efficiently across the sales team, including work rotas, to ensure business targets can be achieved. Recruit, train and integrate new office-based and remote members into the sales team. Analyse existing processes, systems and customer journeys and recommend/ introduce change where necessary to streamline and uplift performance. Understand the impact of customer needs and trends in the market, and how these vary by source market, identifying how our solutions address them and where we can make improvements. Gain in-depth knowledge about our customers and products, based on thorough analysis of customer feedback, performance and market data, in order to provide input to the setting of monthly and annual business targets and recommendations for continuous improvement. Prepare accurate management information reports and forecasts for the Managing Director and Company Board. Build and nurture relationships with colleagues, direct customers, travel trade and key business partners. Identify opportunities to use technology or re-organise to improve processes across the sales team and the business in general. Participate in the 24/7 duty office rota to provide support for customers on holiday. Skills and Experience At least three years’ recent experience in leading, developing and motivating a sales team in a customer-centric, high-value consultative environment. Knowledge of lead management and customer journeys and supporting technologies. Track-record in contributing to the delivery of business success and exceptional customer service. Strong numeracy, analytical skills and commercial sense. Familiarity with forecasting, revenue management, margin analysis and P&Ls. Excellent communication and negotiating skills. Working knowledge of the geography of the UK and Ireland. A belief that a holiday in the UK or Ireland can be just as good as one abroad. A desire to contribute at a senior level to the success of a customer-focussed, employee-owned business.