Purchasing Executive -Europe

Tour Partner Group is a leading DMC for the UK, Ireland, the Nordics and Baltics. We bring together more than 300 destination specialists, designing B2B travel for Groups and FIT. Along with our MICE division, HORIZONS by Tour Partner Group, we are the experts in creating authentic experiences and memories that last a lifetime. We have offices in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Copenhagen, and Phoenix. Our mission is to deliver personally tailored, authentic tours.

Responsibilities

• To place qualified group requests and to ensure that the right product has been offered at the best possible rates.
• Working with the Contracts Manager – France, and Head of Contracts, Europe to collate, manage and maintain the key events calendar.
• To work with the Contracts Manager – France and Head of Contracts, Europe to collate pre buying series dates for key clients in key locations.
• To communicate with clarity in writing to all suppliers, ensuring a high level of attention to detail.
• To ensure maximum usage of allocation and bed bank space is being implemented where relevant.
• Attending familiarisation trips, networking events, trade shows and supplier meetings to enhance existing supplier relationships as well as create new relationships.
• To work towards ensuring the department is buying at the best possible rates to maximise margins.
• To negotiate and secure the best working commercial Terms & Conditions, in line with our sales offering to clients.
• To vary duties to contract across our product portfolio (e.g., hotels, restaurants, guides, and coaches) if needed.
• To understand the needs of the clients and the source markets in which the company is operating, obtaining this information through discussions with colleagues and attending internal training sessions.
• To negotiate and book space to be sold for events where the department is pro-actively promoting a date for group travel, or a series, and to manage this space.
• To take a proactive reaction to issues/errors such as book outs and present to your Line Manager a solution for consideration.
• Assisting with training for new joiners to the business, along with refresher training / cross training where needed.
• Liaising with internal clients, i.e. Commercial, Operations and Sales.
• Constant dialogue with the Purchasing Team for Europe, as well as Sales, and the Account Management teams to ensure that client/hotel timeline requirements are met.
• Contributing to the delivery of the overall Europe Contracts strategy.
• Assisting the Head of, with the implementation and roll out of internal departmental procedures i.e Busy dates, estimated rates.
• Ensuring all contracts are loaded correctly into Tourplan for company wide use.
• Running various reports, comparing charts, updating the system if necessary to keep an overview of your allocated areas.
• Assisting in the placing of group series business within the budgets and standards expected by the client.
• Represent TPG at specific applicable industry events.
• Visiting key hotels as needed and other hotels where necessary, to ensure quality is maintained and producing hotel meeting reports for the company, post those meetings.
• Dealing with book-out situations and supplier issues.
• Supporting the Head of, in contracting allocations and series allocations when needed.
• Supporting with placing hotels in other locations as needed.
• To flexibly support team members of the same region (and other regions where business requirements demand) to fulfil their role as and when needed, for business reasons such as productivity, expertise absence, illness etc.

Your profile

• Strong administrative skills.
• Second European language.
• Full driving license.
• Good time management and self-management skills.
• Good organisational skills and, in particular a keen eye for detail.
• Strong IT command for Excel and preferably TourPlan.
• Ability to develop strong teamwork and collaboration.
• Outstanding interpersonal and networking skills.