At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead sales operations and enablement for a world-class cruise line, driving efficiency and productivity.
- Company: Join Windstar Cruises, awarded World’s Best Small Ship Cruise line, known for unique voyages.
- Benefits: Enjoy a fully remote role with competitive salary and opportunities for international travel.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the travel industry while working with innovative teams.
- Qualifications: 7+ years in sales operations or enablement, strong analytical and communication skills required.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace committed to personal and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Windstar Cruises is known for intimate yacht style experience and unique voyages to the world’s best small ports and hidden harbors. Its three sailing yachts and three all-suite yachts carry just 148 to 342 guests and cruise around the world.
Our Mission: We imagine and deliver personalized and immersive experiences 180 degrees from ordinary.
Our Vision: Enriching people’s perspective through inspired travel.
Our Values: Welcoming, Innovative, Now, Discipline, Serve, Teamwork, Authentic, Responsible.
This full-time, permanent role is responsible for translating commercial strategy into scalable processes, tools, insights, and enablement programs that help sales teams operate efficiently and effectively. The Manager works closely with Global Commercial, Sales leadership, Revenue Management, Marketing, Contact Center/VPC, IT, Finance, HR, Legal, Operations, and Itinerary Planning to ensure consistent execution across International, Global Accounts, Charters, and Travel Partners. The role focuses on driving adoption, improving seller experience, and delivering measurable gains in productivity, forecast accuracy, and revenue outcomes. This position will be fully remote, and must be located in the UK.
Responsibilities:
- Sales Planning & Operational Support: Support International Sales leadership in executing annual and quarterly sales plans, pipeline management, and forecasting processes. Prepare operational inputs, materials, and analytics for pipeline reviews, QBRs, and sales planning cadences. Help translate commercial priorities into operational plans, timelines, and deliverables.
- Process Excellence & Standardization: Document, maintain, and improve sales processes including lead management, partner engagement, opportunity management, quoting/contracting, and charter workflows. Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort and seller friction through process simplification and clear SOPs. Apply continuous-improvement practices to drive efficiency and consistency across regions.
- Sales Technology & CRM Administration: Act as day-to-day business owner for sales tools such as CRM, partner/travel advisor tools, content management, forecasting, and sales automation platforms. Partner with IT on enhancements, integrations, testing, and releases to ensure tools meet business needs and scale globally. Support responsible use of AI and analytics features that improve seller productivity and insight quality. Monitor data quality and adherence to governance standards.
- Reporting, Analytics & Insights: Build and maintain dashboards and reports that provide actionable insights for sales leaders and sellers. Analyze pipeline health, forecast trends, seller activity, and partner performance; surface risks and opportunities. Support forecast accuracy through consistent definitions, reporting cadence, and data discipline.
- Sales Enablement & Readiness: Execute enablement programs including onboarding, ongoing training, certifications, playbooks, and role-based learning paths. Partner with Marketing and Product teams to align enablement content with messaging, itineraries, and brand standards. Coordinate partner and travel advisor enablement by delivering scalable content, tools, and communications. Track adoption and effectiveness of enablement initiatives.
- Commercial Operations Support: Support territory design, quota setting, and capacity planning in collaboration with Sales and Finance. Assist with sales compensation administration in partnership with HR and Finance to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Support deal desk and charter approval workflows to improve cycle time while maintaining margin discipline.
- Change Management & Adoption: Execute change management plans for new processes and tools, including communications, training, and feedback loops. Act as a point of contact for field questions, issues, and enhancement requests. Partner with field champions to reinforce adoption and continuous improvement.
- Teamwork, Leadership & Budget Support: May manage or mentor analysts, enablement specialists, or system administrators. Support budget tracking and vendor management for sales operations and enablement initiatives. Model Windstar’s values and guest-first mindset; foster strong cross-functional collaboration.
Qualifications:
- Required Knowledge, Skills & Experience: 7+ years of experience in Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, Sales Enablement, or related roles. Hands-on experience with CRM and sales technology platforms, including reporting and data management. Strong analytical skills with experience building dashboards and performance insights. Demonstrated ability to document and improve sales processes and support change adoption. Experience delivering sales training or enablement programs. Strong communication and organizational skills; ability to work effectively across functions and regions. Experience and knowledge of the UK and European travel trade distribution landscape.
- Preferred Qualifications: Experience in travel, cruise, hospitality, luxury services, or B2B2C partner/channel environments. Familiarity with travel advisor ecosystems and consortia. Exposure to AI, automation, or analytics tools in a sales environment. Lean/Six Sigma, enablement, or project management certifications.
Working Conditions: Full-time, based in the UK (or as designated by Windstar). International travel as required to support sales teams, partners, and events. This job description may evolve based on business needs. Windstar is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal-opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status.
Manager, Sales Operations and Enablement in London employer: Windstar Cruises
Contact Detail:
Windstar Cruises Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Manager, Sales Operations and Enablement in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the travel and cruise industry, especially those who might know someone at Windstar. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into Windstar's values and mission. Show us how your experience aligns with their focus on personalised and immersive experiences. Be ready to share specific examples!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, drop a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation and reiterate your enthusiasm for the role. It keeps you fresh in their minds.
✨Tip Number 4
Utilise our website to apply directly! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you're proactive and genuinely interested in joining the Windstar team.
We think you need these skills to ace Manager, Sales Operations and Enablement in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that match the Sales Operations and Enablement role. Highlight your relevant achievements and how they align with our mission of delivering personalised experiences.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, don’t forget to mention any experience you have with CRM systems and reporting tools. We want to see how you've used data to drive decisions and improve processes in your previous roles.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration: This position requires working closely with various teams, so highlight your experience in cross-functional collaboration. Share examples of how you've successfully partnered with others to achieve common goals.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Windstar Cruises
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into Windstar Cruises' mission and values. Understand how they deliver personalised experiences and think about how your skills in sales operations can enhance that. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past that align with their focus on teamwork and innovation.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Since the role involves building dashboards and providing insights, prepare to discuss your experience with CRM and sales technology platforms. Bring examples of how you've used data to drive decisions or improve processes in previous roles. This will demonstrate your ability to translate commercial strategy into actionable insights.
✨Emphasise Change Management Experience
The position requires executing change management plans, so be prepared to share your experiences in this area. Talk about how you've successfully implemented new processes or tools in the past, and how you managed feedback and adoption among teams. This shows you can handle the dynamic nature of the role.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities, especially related to sales planning and operational support. Think of scenarios where you've had to overcome challenges in sales processes or improve seller experiences. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers effectively.