Auria Travel is a dynamic, independent travel agency offering personalised services to create extraordinary travel experiences. With a combination of welcoming retail locations and a convenient online booking platform, we make vacation planning effortless and accessible. Our team of travel enthusiasts brings decades of industry experience, ensuring expert guidance and tailored solutions for every traveler. Whether it's a weekend escape, a family holiday, or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, Auria Travel is dedicated to delivering unique journeys that perfectly suit our customers' desires and needs.
Purpose of the Role
The Branch Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, commercial performance, and operational management of the Auria Travel retail store. The role is accountable for driving revenue growth, delivering exceptional customer service, managing and developing the retail team, and ensuring the branch operates efficiently and in line with company standards.
A key element of the role is leading a modern travel retail approach that combines traditional travel agency sales with dynamic packaging and tailor-made travel design. Auria Travel works with a broad range of third-party tour operators, cruise lines, and travel suppliers, while also dynamically packaging holidays through destination management companies (DMCs), airline partners, and hotel providers to create bespoke itineraries for clients.
The Branch Manager will lead the team in confidently selling both traditional supplier products and custom-built travel experiences, ensuring the store delivers expert advice, exceptional value, and unique holiday solutions for customers.
The role requires strong commercial awareness, leadership capability, and the ability to build a high-performing retail environment focused on sales, service excellence, and customer loyalty.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Leadership and Commercial Performance
* Lead the branch in achieving and exceeding sales targets and commercial objectives.
* Drive revenue growth through proactive sales leadership and effective conversion of customer enquiries.
* Maintain strong personal sales performance while supporting the wider team to achieve individual targets.
* Promote a consultative selling culture focused on understanding customer needs and designing exceptional travel experiences.
* Support the team in selling a broad range of travel products including package holidays, cruise, tailor-made holidays, and dynamically packaged travel.
* Ensure the branch effectively utilises Auria Travel’s dynamic packaging capabilities to create bespoke itineraries using airline, hotel, and DMC partnerships.
Dynamic Packaging and Product Expertise
* Lead the team in developing confidence and capability in building tailor-made travel itineraries through dynamic packaging.
* Ensure consultants understand how to combine flights, accommodation, transfers, and experiences to create protected package holidays.
* Maintain strong working relationships with destination management companies, airline consolidators, cruise suppliers, and specialist travel providers.
* Encourage product expertise and destination knowledge to support the creation of unique and high-value travel itineraries.
* Ensure all bookings are packaged and documented correctly in line with regulatory requirements and company processes.
Team Leadership and Development
* Recruit, manage, and develop the branch team in line with company values and performance expectations.
* Provide coaching, mentoring, and development support to Travel Consultants and senior team members.
* Conduct performance reviews and provide regular feedback and development guidance.
* Create a positive, motivated, and high-performing sales culture within the store.
* Lead by example in sales performance, professionalism, and customer service.
Customer Experience and Service Excellence
* Ensure the branch consistently delivers exceptional customer service.
* Promote a personalised and consultative approach to travel planning.
* Handle complex enquiries and escalated customer situations professionally.
* Build strong customer relationships that encourage repeat business and referrals.
Operational Management
* Oversee the daily operations of the retail store to ensure efficient and compliant processes.
* Manage staff rotas and resource planning to meet business needs.
* Ensure the correct use of booking systems, CRM tools, and supplier platforms.
* Maintain store presentation and professional retail standards.
* Ensure compliance with company policies, financial procedures, and travel industry regulations.
Business Development and Brand Growth
* Support local marketing activity to build awareness of Auria Travel within the community.
* Identify opportunities to grow the branch customer base and strengthen relationships with local clients.
* Represent the Auria Travel brand professionally within the travel industry and local business network.
Supplier and Industry Engagement
* Maintain strong relationships with key tour operators, cruise lines, airlines, and DMC partners.
* Ensure the team remains up to date with industry developments and product updates.
* Encourage participation in supplier training, product events, and industry familiarisation opportunities.
Skills and Competencies
* Strong leadership and people management capability.
* Proven sales ability with a strong track record of achieving commercial targets.
* Strong commercial awareness and understanding of travel sales profitability.
* Experience in building and selling tailor-made travel itineraries.
* Understanding of dynamic packaging and the ability to combine multiple travel components into protected holiday packages.
* Strong organisational and operational management skills.
* Confident decision-maker with excellent problem-solving ability.
* Excellent communication skills and the ability to inspire and motivate others.
* High attention to detail and commitment to delivering quality customer experiences.
Person Specification
Experience
* Significant experience working within a retail travel agency environment (minimum 3 years).
* Previous management or senior leadership experience within travel retail.
* Demonstrated track record of delivering strong sales performance.
* Experience managing or mentoring a sales team.
* Experience selling a wide range of travel products including cruise, luxury travel, and tailor-made itineraries.
* Experience creating and selling dynamically packaged holidays using flights, accommodation, transfers, and experiences from multiple suppliers.
Knowledge
* Strong knowledge of travel industry suppliers including tour operators, cruise lines, airlines, and hotel providers.
* Understanding of dynamic packaging and tailor-made travel design.
* Familiarity with destination management companies (DMCs) and specialist travel providers.
* Awareness of travel industry regulations and consumer protection requirements.
* Understanding of current travel trends and customer buying behaviour.
Personal Attributes
* Strong leadership presence and ability to inspire a team.
* Passion for travel and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
* Commercially focused and results driven.
* Professional, reliable, and adaptable.
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
* Positive, proactive approach to problem solving.
The Branch Manager will be responsible for delivering:
* Achievement of branch sales and revenue targets.
* High levels of customer satisfaction and repeat business.
* Strong team engagement, development, and performance.
* Effective use of dynamic packaging to create high-value tailor-made holidays.
* Growth in local brand awareness and customer acquisition.
* Compliance with company policies, travel regulations, and operational procedures.
What We Offer
Salary & Commission
* Competitive base salary dependent on experience
* Uncapped commission structure
Package Includes:
* 30 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
* Day off on your birthday
* Familiarisation trips (subject to availability and performance)
* Training and career development opportunities
* Employee travel discounts
* Flexible rota patterns
* Opportunity to influence the growth and culture of a brand-new retail store
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