Product & Purchasing Executive
Job Introduction
As a Group, Saga is taking to the seas in our brand new, luxury cruise ships, leading the market with innovative insurance products, and creating thousands of unforgettable memories for our loyal holidaymakers who are at the heart of the Saga brand.
Joining our River Cruising team, your primary responsibility is to assist the Product & Purchasing Manager in designing the best value for money products including the highest quality tours and hotels at the most competitive prices. You will also have responsibilities across the entire life cycle of the product from initial development and rate negotiation, ensuring its ongoing operational effectiveness and commercial strength to optimising its presentation and promotion to the market.
Working closely with the Product & Purchasing Manager, you will have a great opportunity to learn and develop with some dedicated product ownership. Establishing superb supplier relationships is fundamental to this role.
You will have excellent communication, time management skills and will be flexible as this role is likely to involve overseas travel which can sometimes be at late notice.
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 develop and deliver new product and optimise the performance of existing product in order to maximise gross profit margins across the product range
- To develop innovative and differentiated shore excursion programme
- To identify commercial opportunities and be aware of the River Cruise marketplace, new developments and competitor
- Act upon customer insights and market intelligence to deliver winning product onto the marketplace
- To hit all production deadlines in timely manner to ensure optimised speed to market
- Ensure that supplier contracts are negotiated at rates that meet market demand and customer expectations in order to meet gross profit targets
- Ensure that products put to market meets customers’ needs and expectations of the relevant brand
- Negotiate special offers and other commercial advantages that are necessary to maximise tactical marketing opportunities
- To ensure that the supplier contracting process is conducted as efficiently as possible; assist with ensuring contracts comply with the contract governance process
- Ensure that the product put to market is in line with company quality guidelines and that the company suppliers deliver unrivalled levels of customer service and product quality to Saga Holidays customers in resort
- To deliver products in a timely manner in accordance with the commercial brief provided by Market Revenue teams
- To uphold excellent supplier relationships in order to ensure maximum commercial and operational cooperation
The Ideal Candidate
Capability, Knowledge and Experience:
- Knowledge of the travel industry is desirable
- Prior knowledge of relevant holiday destinations and tourism infrastructure an advantage
- Understanding of the UK travel industry.
Education and Qualifications:
- Good standard of secondary education
Personal Characteristics:
- Commercial awareness
- Knowledge of the contracting and product development process
- Analytical and problem solving ability
- Experience of holiday product operations
- Confidence to act as an ambassador for the company
- Confidence to build strong relationships with our partners, talking frequently with hoteliers and ground handlers over the phone.
- Persuasion, negotiation, reasoning and problem-solving skills
- Initiative, diplomacy, tact and sound judgement
- Committed to creating high quality experiences for the customer
- High level of attention to detail, accustomed to working to deadlines in a fast-paced business environment
- Self-motivated approach to work and highly organised
- Understanding of the Company’s mission statement and brand values
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 2019 AGM film below:
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
