Purchasing Manager - French Speaking (Travel & Tourism)
Permanent | Office-Based
£30,000 – £45,000 DOE
Monday – Friday | 9:00am – 5:30pm
An established B2B travel organisation specialising in group and coach tours across Europe is looking to appoint a Purchasing Manager to join its London-based team. This is a replacement role, taking over from a long-standing team member who has been in post for over 11 years — offering an excellent opportunity to step into a well-structured, respected position within the business.
The role would suit an experienced Purchasing / Contracting professional, although strong junior profiles with the right industry background will also be considered.
The Role This is a hands-on, commercial purchasing role focused on ground services and hotel contracting for European tours, primarily for India-focused group travel.
Key responsibilities include:
Contracting and negotiating with hotels, transport providers, attractions, and suppliers across Europe
Managing and developing supplier relationships, including face-to-face meetings
Attending UK and European tourism workshops and events (e.g. London, Paris, Italy)
Overseas travel for supplier contracting during key periods (typically June–September)
Market research, rate negotiations, and competitor analysis
Working closely with internal teams to ensure smooth delivery of group tours
Maintaining accurate contracting and purchasing records This role requires flexibility to travel 2–3 months of the year, typically in short stints (e.g. one week at a time).
About You
Minimum 5 years’ experience within travel, tourism, or hospitality
Previous experience in purchasing, contracting, or supplier negotiations
Fluent French and English (additional European languages such as Dutch or German highly advantageous)
Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills
Comfortable attending face-to-face meetings with suppliers and industry contacts
Organised, detail-focused, and commercially minded
Confident IT skills including Excel and Microsoft Office
Full, clean UK driving licence required
Able to work in a fully office-based role Additional Information
Office located a few minutes’ walk from Harrow-on-the-Hill station (Metropolitan Line)
Interview process: video interview followed by face-to-face
Supportive, collaborative team environment
Role offers long-term stability and progression within the travel sector