Overview
Do you have a passion for travel, an eye for exceptional experiences, and the commercial instinct to create products customers love? At Saga Holidays, we are looking for a Product Manager to help shape the future of our award-winning travel portfolio. The role involves extensive travel across destination areas, uncovering inspiring hotels, unique tours and unforgettable experiences that elevate Saga's holiday offering. You will develop new and innovative tour concepts and itineraries, sourcing and developing best-in-class products, negotiating commercial agreements that deliver outstanding quality and excellent value for money for our valued customers.
The position reports to the Director of Product and requires working from our Folkestone office at least three times a week. Occasional trips to London and overseas travel with minimal notice are also expected.
Responsibilities
* Seek out potential new suppliers and manage commercial relationships with existing ones.
* Conduct face‑to‑face meetings with suppliers and negotiate contracts in line with commercial targets.
* Work closely with colleagues in the Product and Commercial teams to ensure products are contracted at target rates within agreed deadlines for marketing campaigns.
* Develop new tours and hotel stays, open new destinations and expand existing markets in line with the product plan.
* Build strong supplier relationships and ensure optimum account management.
* Instill a deep understanding of the Saga brand in existing and potential suppliers and invest time in building supplier networks.
* Drive and deliver contributions from tourist boards to optimise marketing and promotion opportunities and improve product performance.
* Champion your product within the company, liaising with counterparts in Sales, Marketing and Studio to ensure optimum sales delivery.
* Support the Director of Product in delivering the product strategy and five‑year plan, including proposing new development ideas.
* Deliver products that meet quality expectations, help improve product scores where necessary and ensure customer satisfaction in line with target NPS and other metrics.
* Monitor sales patterns and take action to increase capacity and demand when necessary.
* Attend trade fairs and travel conferences, representing the company at the highest level.
* Ensure optimum product presentation at all times, whether via digital, web or print.
Qualifications
* Previous experience in tour operating, product hotel, or escorted group contracting in international markets (North America, Latin America, Caribbean and West Mediterranean).
* Fluency in additional languages, particularly Spanish, is an advantage.
* Proven track record of high performance in a commercial, operational or product role.
* Experience negotiating with a wide range of suppliers including hotel chains and transport providers.
* Experience working with tourist boards and external partners.
* Experience developing new travel products and expanding into new destinations.
* Background in the travel industry with strong destination knowledge.
* Strong commercial negotiation and contracting skills across tours, hotels and third‑party suppliers.
* Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
* Data analysis skills to monitor sales patterns and drive performance improvements.
* High attention to detail and numeracy skills.
* Strong written communication and presentation abilities.
* Ability to develop and deliver products in line with deadlines and campaign requirements.
* Skilled in supplier relationship management.
* Flexibility to travel frequently overseas, often for several weeks at a time with short notice.
Benefits
* 25 days holiday + bank holidays.
* Option to purchase additional leave – 5 extra days.
* Pension scheme matched up to 10%.
* Company performance related annual bonus – up to 5%.
* Life assurance policy on joining us, 4 × salary.
* Wellbeing programme.
* Colleague discounts including family discounts on cruises, holidays and insurance.
* Range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies.
* Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
* Grandparents leave.
* Income protection.
* Access to Saga Academy, our bespoke learning platform.
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