Product & Contracting Manager in Gravesend

Hospitality Line are looking for a Product & Contracting Manager to join their team. Reporting to the Commercial Director, the Product & Contracting Manager will be responsible for contracting predominately restaurants and attractions in the North of England & Scotland to fulfil their Key trade/B2B and B2C demands. A key function of the role is to ensure existing and new supplier relationships are built and maintained to maximize all commercial opportunities.

Throughout the year it will be anticipated that you will spend approximately 50% of your time attending site visits, FAM trips, visiting clients, and attending workshops across the UK and Ireland.

• Negotiate competitive rates and conditions for all land services notably restaurants & attractions.
• Secure contracts with suppliers in line with the purchasing strategy and remit advised from the Commercial Director.
• Product development – source new venues and be proactive in proposing new products appropriate to the various sales channels.
• Provide product updates and presentations of new products or packages to B2B clients.
• Propose, plan and attend business trips and meetings in order to negotiate and renegotiate contracts.
• Ensure existing and new supplier relationships are built and maintained to maximise all commercial opportunities.
• Organise and attend FAM trips. Attend key industry events, workshops and networking opportunities where required.
• Ability to travel to key destinations in the UK, particularly Ireland and Scotland and to Northern Europe when required.
• Prepare and analyse statistics via software products to benefit effective negotiations and product analysis for re-contracting.
• Develop and maintain commercially advantageous business relationships with suppliers.
• Provide the Operations team with product updates and respond to day-to-day queries.
• Ensure all contracts are completed accurately and in full with all information being set up in a timely fashion.
• Liaise with all internal departments to ensure all departments are fully up to date including finance, systems, sales & marketing.
• Negotiate added-value deals, overrides and special offers.
• Constantly challenge yourself to increase product knowledge and identify potential suppliers to support their product offering.
• Investigate and resolve service complaints.
• Ensure high service quality standards are met year on year and promptly deal with queries from colleagues and suppliers.
• Support sales functions with production of quarterly sales material, e-shots and customer rates sheets.
• Enter contracts into the in-house HLG database.

• A least two years' experience in the travel industry preferably in a purchasing role within the UK Inbound market.
• Confident and passionate about succeeding in the role.
• Strong commercial acumen, adaptable, reliable and flexible, with a responsible attitude and possess the ability to respond to tight deadlines.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• The ability to build effective relationships.
• The ability to deal with competing priorities effectively.
• Self-motivated and good working under pressure.
• Good knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (English).
• The ability to handle multiple projects, whilst maintaining meticulous attention to detail and a can-do attitude.
• An enthusiastic and strong team player.
• Additional languages desirable particularly German or French as is a knowledge of UK and Northern European cities.
• Desirable – Previous experience in a UK travel industry.
• Experience of the UK inbound market.

You will be required to travel to Ireland & Scotland approximately 8-10 times per year plus additional ad hoc travel to other destinations in the UK & Northern Europe.