Director of Contracting UK & Ireland
Director of Contracting UK & Ireland

Director of Contracting UK & Ireland

London Full-Time 43200 - 72000 Β£ / year (est.) No home office possible
W

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a high-performing team to drive hotel partnerships and commercial success in the UK & Ireland.
  • Company: WebBeds is a global leader in accommodation distribution for the travel industry, offering innovative solutions.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a dynamic work environment with opportunities for growth, collaboration, and international exposure.
  • Why this job: Join a passionate team and make a real impact in a fast-growing market with endless possibilities.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in hotel partnerships, strong negotiation skills, and a proactive leadership approach required.
  • Other info: Hybrid working model available; travel within the region may be necessary.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 Β£ per year.

What you will do on your journey with WebBeds.

As the Director of Contracting, you will lead our sourcing strategy across one of WebBeds\’ most critical markets. This senior leadership role combines team management, commercial strategy, and high-level supplier engagement. You will play a key role in shaping the regional hotel portfolio, negotiating strategic partnerships, and ensuring consistent delivery against commercial objectives. Through collaboration with internal stakeholders and external hotel partners, you will drive performance and ensure WebBeds maintains its competitive advantage in the UK and Ireland.

In this role you will:

Manage hotel partnerships, drive commercial performance, and ensure portfolio growth in line with market demands. The ideal candidate brings strong leadership experience, a solid background in hotel contracting, and a passion for delivering high-impact commercial outcomes.

Key Responsibilities.

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing contracting team.
  • Define and execute the hotel partnership strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
  • Collaborate with regional peers across Northern Europe to drive consistency and best practices.
  • Develop strategic partnerships with top-performing hotels and chains.
  • Achieve regional revenue, margin, and competitiveness targets within the B2B distribution landscape.
  • Negotiate optimal inventory, rates, and availability to maximize sales potential.
  • Analyse portfolio performance, identifying trends, gaps, and emerging opportunities.
  • Work cross-functionally with Sales, Revenue Management, Marketing, Finance, and Operations to ensure seamless execution.
  • Champion WebBeds\’ value proposition to secure long-term, strategic partnerships.
  • Ensure hotel portfolio diversity, coverage, and quality aligned with regional market demands.
  • Drive data-led decision-making to enhance competitive positioning.
  • Lead internal initiatives to improve contracting processes and team efficiency.

The skills we would love to see in your suitcase.

  • Proven track record in hotel partnerships and commercial management within the UK & Ireland market.
  • Strong negotiation skills; and relationship-building abilities. Able to develop, and maintain, strong and trusting relationships with hoteliers and colleagues.
  • Pro-active team leader.
  • Accurate with attention to detail.
  • Well-developed written and verbal communication skills (internal and external) in English.
  • Able to work well under pressure and motivated to succeed.
  • A solid working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook.
  • Aptitude for leading and motivating a team.
  • Ability to delegate competently.
  • Able to communicate internally and externally in an effective and timely manner.

WebBeds is a global digital travel marketplace for the travel trade, an intermediary connecting hotels and other travel service suppliers to a distribution network of travel buyers all over the world. We connect hotels looking to fill rooms with buyers trying to find rooms. In short, we source bookable content, integrate, aggregate and merchandise that content in our platform, then distribute it to a global network of travel trade buyers, who sell to the travelling public.

Our Products range from a Retail Online platform, Integration Connectivity hub and distribution APIs to name but a few and our systems are 100% cloud hosted processing up to 8.3bn search requests daily, with 17million rooms nights sold in FY24. We deliver amazing outcomes using leading edge technology through innovative and creative thinking; and products help our partners deliver amazing travel experiences, enabling travel the world over.

Some things that make us stand out!

  • We are a truly global travel organisation, with a global footprint.
  • We have 1200+ people speaking 50+ languages in 120+ cites across 50+ countries.
  • We partner with over 500,000 properties in more than 39,000 locations.
  • We work with more than 50,000 travel buyers in 140 source markets.
  • We have an amazing team delivering valuable outcomes using innovative tech and creative, lateral thinking.

Working at WebBeds

WebBeds is a fast-paced, results-driven business and that is reflected throughout our company, in our technology, product and perhaps most importantly – in our people. Visit β€˜Careers’ for jobs around the world of WebBeds.

Global and regional hotel chains, independent hotels, apartments, resorts, attractions, transfer and sightseeing companies and more – can sell their products through WebBeds by connecting to a global network of over 50,000 online and offline travel buyers through robust solutions that provide greater inventory control to simplify distribution, and leverage WebBeds enhanced analytics to inform inventory optimisation choices – saving costs and increasing revenue.

Online travel agencies, retail travel agents, corporate travel managers, tour operators, wholesalers, tourism boards, super apps, DMC’s, group providers, airlines and more – can integrate the hundreds of thousands of hotels and ground services in the WebBeds marketplace through simple and seamless API connectivity, or they can search, shop and book online through one of WebBeds trade only booking sites.

Our operation.

We operate globally through four geographic regions – Europe, Asia Pacific, MEA (Middle East and Africa) and the Americas – with over 2,000 travel professionals working in 120 cities across 50 countries worldwide. WebBeds also operates specialist brands JacTravel DMC and UHl. JacTravel DMC provides tailormade travel arrangements for offline FIT and groups traveling to the UK, Ireland and key mainland European destinations to the international travel trade. UHI is a genuine pioneer, providing online pilgrimage travel services to travel agencies worldwide.

WebBeds is a travel brand of the Web Travel Group, an ASX 200 listed company (ASX: WEB) operating global digital travel businesses.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Director of Contracting UK & Ireland employer: WebBeds

WebBeds is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work culture that empowers employees to innovate and influence change within the fast-growing travel industry. With a diverse team of over 1,500 professionals speaking more than 50 languages, we provide ample opportunities for personal and professional growth, all while delivering outstanding service to our partners. Located in the vibrant UK & Ireland market, this role as Director of Contracting allows you to lead a high-performing team and make a significant impact on our competitive position in the industry.
W

Contact Detail:

WebBeds Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🀫

We think this is how you could land Director of Contracting UK & Ireland

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in the travel industry, especially regarding hotel partnerships and distribution. Understanding the competitive landscape in the UK and Ireland will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to WebBeds' growth.

✨Tip Number 2

Network with professionals in the travel and hospitality sectors. Attend industry events or webinars where you can meet potential colleagues or partners. Building relationships now can give you an edge when discussing your fit for the role.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you've successfully managed teams in the past. WebBeds values a pro-active team leader, so be ready to share specific examples of how you've mentored and developed high-performing teams.

✨Tip Number 4

Research WebBeds' value proposition and be prepared to articulate how you can champion it. Understanding their unique offerings and how they stand out in the market will demonstrate your commitment and strategic thinking.

We think you need these skills to ace Director of Contracting UK & Ireland

Strategic Thinking
Commercial Acumen
Hotel Partnership Management
Negotiation Skills
Relationship Building
Team Leadership
Attention to Detail
Data Analysis
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Communication Skills
Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Target Driven
Problem-Solving Skills
Adaptability
Willingness to Travel

Some tips for your application 🫑

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in hotel partnerships and commercial management, particularly within the UK & Ireland market. Use specific examples that demonstrate your negotiation skills and relationship-building abilities.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your understanding of WebBeds' mission and values. Explain how your background aligns with their goals, particularly in leading and mentoring teams, and driving commercial performance.

Highlight Key Skills: In your application, emphasise your strong written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to work under pressure. These are crucial for the Director of Contracting role.

Showcase Your Leadership Experience: Detail your experience in leading teams and managing projects. Provide examples of how you've successfully developed high-performing teams and driven strategic partnerships in previous roles.

How to prepare for a job interview at WebBeds

✨Research WebBeds Thoroughly

Before the interview, make sure to dive deep into WebBeds' mission, values, and recent developments. Understanding their position in the travel industry and their innovative technology will help you align your answers with their goals.

✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills

As a Director of Contracting, strong negotiation skills are crucial. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you successfully negotiated contracts or built partnerships, highlighting the outcomes and benefits for all parties involved.

✨Demonstrate Leadership Experience

Be ready to discuss your leadership style and how you've developed high-performing teams in the past. Share specific instances where you mentored team members or improved team efficiency, as this role requires strong team management.

✨Prepare for Data-Driven Discussions

Since the role involves data-led decision-making, be prepared to discuss how you've used data analysis to drive business decisions in previous roles. Bring examples of how you've identified trends and opportunities through data.

Director of Contracting UK & Ireland
WebBeds
W
  • Director of Contracting UK & Ireland

    London
    Full-Time
    43200 - 72000 Β£ / year (est.)

    Application deadline: 2027-07-15

  • W

    WebBeds

Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>