Retail Partner Manager in Manchester

About Us

At Travel Counsellors, our customers, communities, and colleagues are at the heart of everything we do. For over 30 years, we've empowered 2,200+ independent travel agents worldwide, helping them build successful businesses while providing deeply personal, human connections with their customers. Supported by a talented team of over 400 people in our Support Offices, we create unique travel experiences that keep customers coming back. Named the Best Place to Work in Travel (2022) and ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work (2023, 2024 & 2025), we’re expanding rapidly and looking for exceptional individuals to join our Head Office team.

About Us

At Travel Counsellors, our customers, communities, and colleagues are at the heart of everything we do. For over 30 years, we've empowered 2,200+ independent travel agents worldwide, helping them build successful businesses while providing deeply personal, human connections with their customers. Supported by a talented team of over 400 people in our Support Offices, we create unique travel experiences that keep customers coming back. Named the Best Place to Work in Travel (2022) and ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work (2023, 2024 & 2025), we’re expanding rapidly and looking for exceptional individuals to join our Head Office team.

About The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Commercial Team as a Retail Partner Manager, playing a key role in shaping and delivering the strategy, growth and commercial performance of Travel Counsellors’ product portfolio.

The Retail Partner Manager defines and delivers the strategy, growth and commercial performance of Travel Counsellors' retail product portfolio. The role combines product and portfolio strategy, supplier relationship management, commercial negotiation, contracting, trading insight and proposition development to deliver sustainable TTV and margin growth. It identifies gaps and new product opportunities aligned to Travel Counsellors' premium strategy, and works cross-functionally to turn insight into compelling product, stronger supplier value and measurable commercial outcomes.

Principal Accountabilities

• Set and lead strategy, priorities, objectives and commercial plans for key product lines, aligned to the wider Travel Counsellors proposition and premium strategy.
• Own the optimisation of portfolio sales, margin, conversion, product mix and customer value by using trading insight to improve proposition, supplier terms, sales focus and commercial performance.
• Use customer, Travel Counsellor, market, competitor and trading insight to identify portfolio gaps, emerging opportunities and actions for sustainable TTV, margin, adoption and customer-value growth.
• Own the identification and delivery of opportunities to optimise sales, margin, conversion, product mix, rebooking and customer value across the portfolio.
• Develop and manage strategic supplier relationships, account plans, performance reviews, commercial negotiations, commercial agreements and relevant TC Package contracts.
• Identify, evaluate and develop new and emerging product opportunities, building commercial cases and taking viable opportunities from insight through assessment, development and delivery.
• Actively use AI, automation and digital tools to find better ways of working, improve insight, reduce manual effort and strengthen commercial decision-making across product, trading, supplier management and sales enablement.
• Work with Destination and Relationship Management teams to grow sales through the Travel Counsellors Tour Operation proposition and develop differentiated product.
• Lead the retail trading rhythm; monitor TTV, sales, margin, Phenix performance, supplier performance and product trends, translating data into clear recommendations and tracking impact.
• Work with Marketing, Sales, Training and supplier partners to deliver campaigns, training, incentives, product experiences and advocacy that improve Travel Counsellor awareness, adoption and sales.
• Deliver agreed partnership, event, conference and wider supplier-income objectives, while balancing strategic development with day-to-day commercial delivery.
• Support initiatives focused on retention, rebooking and customer value.

Required Experience

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in commercial management, product, trading, supplier management or a related travel industry discipline.
• Demonstrable experience in travel product/portfolio management, supplier partnerships, commercial negotiation, contracting and performance analysis.
• Strong capability with data, reporting and digital/AI tools, with flexibility to travel for supplier meetings, product experiences, events, conferences and training.
• Comfortable working with multiple priorities and meeting agreed deadlines.

Our Benefits

• Competitive salary + annual bonus
• Flexible hybrid working
• Career development opportunities
• 25 days holiday (increasing to 28 after 5 years)
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity pay
• 1 day paid charity day
• Company events and incentives
• 3x salary death in service benefit
• Pension scheme
• Private Medical Insurance or Healthcare Cash Plan
• Free breakfast and beverages

Inclusive Recruitment at Travel Counsellors

Travel Counsellors is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, gender, disability, or any protected characteristic. We provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process and will make every effort to accommodate reasonable adjustments where required. We believe diverse perspectives strengthen our team and encourage all to apply.

For more information about this role – and others – at Travel Counsellors, please do not hesitate to contact the Talent Acquisition team at talentacquisition@travelcounsellors.com