Director of Marketing - Tour Operations

Job Introduction

When you join Saga we welcome you with open arms and we fuel your career possibilities. We support. We encourage. We champion you to reach your full potential.

This role is an important leadership role within the Marketing team and will support the Group Marketing agenda at Saga.

You will be responsible for the overall marketing agenda and long-term marketing vision for Saga Holidays,  ensuring alignment with the group-wide marketing vision and Saga Holidays business objectives.

You will bring high-level marketing expertise that will enable you to champion the needs of the customer and create a best-in-class marketing function – leading the Saga Holidays marketing team and providing clear direction.

And in return, you can look forward to all of the responsibility and involvement of an integral role, providing you with a rewarding and fast paced career with an excellent benefits package including life assurance, pension, high street and online discounts, and concessions for holidays and travel.

If this sounds like a role for you then keep reading...

Role Responsibility

• To set the marketing strategy and plan for Saga Holidays, to achieve revenue, margin and PBT objectives
• To actively contribute to and take a key leadership and decision-making role within Saga Holiday’s senior management team, including Saga Holidays overall strategy, product and proposition development and customer experience
• Lead the development and creation of annual marketing plans and budgets contributing to commercial business plans and manage the marketing spend and efficiency
• Lead the demand generation activity for Saga Holidays, attracting new customers to plan
• Act as customer champion, understanding customer needs and driving change as necessary to ensure Saga Holidays is a relevant, preferred brand
• Continual review and innovation of marketing techniques focused on improving efficiency and effectiveness
• Champion digital capability and implementation of best practice across Saga Travel
• Continually keep abreast of market trends, competitive moves and customer expectations
• Lead relationships with external suppliers for Saga Holidays– such as media, creative and digital agencies, building strong and supportive ways of working
• Coach and develop the Senior Marketing Managers and the wider marketing team, providing the senior managers space to manage the team and operations day-to-day
• Build our employee experience to ensure the team have the right skills, competencies and are engaged. Supporting the marketing team to remove blockers and processes that make life difficult, and create a fun and rewarding environment to work in
• Ensure compliance with any relevant regulatory and Company policies and commitments

The Ideal Candidate

• Exceptional influencing skills demonstrated in a matrix organisation
• Proven change management skills, including the ability to constantly seek out and capitalise on new opportunities
• Digitally savvy with an understanding of, and desire to exploit new and emerging marketing channels and tools
• Highly numerate and literate with a strong commercial focus
• Well-developed communication and leadership skills, able to operate in a fast decision-making and entrepreneurial environment
• High integrity, capable of driving and implementing change
• Proven track record of adding value through the delivery of marketing excellence
• Ability to deliver credibility, winning the respect and co-operation of colleagues at all levels
• Ability to fit well within a robust and dynamic senior team through displaying a strong team orientation, and assertive style
• Ability to sustain the pressures of a rigorous and competitive business sector
• Graduate calibre, Ideally holding CIM/IDM  postgraduate diploma in marketing or similar
• Highly collaborative & seeks to build strong working relationships with stakeholders
• Confidence to challenge to drive best outcomes
• Adaptability to adjust and review plans when faced with obstacles and challenges in order to achieve a solution
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced commercial environment

Package Description

The standard benefits when you join Saga include:

• Option to purchase a further 5 days annual leave per year
• Free private medical insurance after 1 years service
• Pension
• AXA Be Supported
• Apples Nursery (Folkestone only and on a waiting list basis)
• Free fruit 
• Give as you earn
• Free eye tests
• Honeymoon benefit
• Sharebuy
• Salary finance
• Discounts on Saga holidays and insurance products
• A range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies
• Long service awards

About the Company

When you join Saga you will see that we are committed to treating all employees fairly and to offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement. 

We value diversity not just because it is the right thing to do, but because diverse teams perform better. Creating a culture in which everyone feels welcome and offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement is incredibly important to us. Fair consideration is given to applications from all applicants, including those with disabilities. If you need support at any point with your application please let us know as we will be happy to help.

Learn more about the Saga business by watching our Saga plc Interim results for the six months ended 31st July 2018

To all recruitment agencies: Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the HR Recruitment Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs.

Saga Group