Global Sales Manager - Emerging Markets

Big Bus Tours LTD London United Kingdom Global Growth
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Company Description

Big Bus Tours is the world’s largest operator of open-top sightseeing tours, fuelling the spirit of adventure in 20 world-famous cities across four continents. Beginning its journey 27 years’ ago, with a fleet of only three buses, Big Bus Tours has swiftly expanded to a global fleet of over 400 hundred  open-top buses, turning 5 million tourists into explorers, every year. Big Bus Tours operates in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Istanbul, Miami, Muscat, Rome, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Darwin, Sydney, Vienna, Washington DC and Dublin, with a sightseeing concept designed to provide a flexible approach to city discovery. Each open-top bus tour provides a hop-on, hop-off facility at a variety of interesting locations, with complimentary additions to enhance the visitor sightseeing experience. In February 2015, private equity firm Exponent purchased Big Bus Tours, with a shared vision to make Big Bus Tours the number 1 thing to do in each world-famous city.  In 2016, Merlin Entertainments PLC became a shareholder, offering a natural synergy with Big Bus Tours and Merlin attractions and experiences around the world. With entertaining guides and commentary and knowledge of the latest events in each city, the Big Bus City Crew leaves every passenger with a story to tell.

Position

Overall Purpose

Own partner relationships and ensure increase in sale of Big Bus tickets through distribution partners (any business retailing Big Bus tickets to their customers) with a particular focus on the Middle East & Australasia B2B Markets.  Responsibilities include planning, prospecting and account management, leveraging best practices to ensure that we maximise sales/revenue. 

The individual will work closely with the wider local & international sales and marketing teams in all cities as well as the Central Technology and Product teams.

The role currently covers 21 destinations in 13 countries around the world providing an opportunity to work with a variety of local and international partners.

Key Areas of Accountability and Responsibility

Planning

  • Devise a sales plan for the territory to include growth from existing partners in the territory as well as recruitment of new partners with timescales, sales projections and costs
  • Identify opportunities to enter new markets and activity sector or to sell a new attraction

Prospecting/ Negotiating

  • Actively attend relevant trade events, representing Big Bus and where relevant its attraction partners
  • Negotiate deals with partners to either increase sales or reduce costs, ultimately leading to business growth – this could be a distribution partner selling Big Bus tickets or an attraction whose tickets will be sold by Big Bus

Account Management

  • Establish a reporting process in conjunction with the partner to monitor and identify growth opportunities
  • Drive a “pursuit of excellence” culture & motivate partners in order to exceed goals and maximize the sales execution
  • Develop a trusted advisor relationship with key partners, customer stakeholders and executive sponsors
  • In conjunction with other city teams and Global team, ensure the timely and successful delivery of information to partners according to their needs and objectives
  • Assist with high severity requests or issue escalations as needed

Requirements

Knowledge

  • Excellent understanding of travel industry with an ability to assess demand thus ensuring that we plan sales & promotional activities in a timely manner
  • Proficiency in additional languages will be an advantage

Skills

  • Proficient in use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics and Google Analytics
  • Excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills
  • Demonstrate ability to present and influence credibly and effectively at all levels of the organization, including executive and C-level

Experience/Qualifications

  • At least 3 years’ experience in sales function within the travel industry , with a proven track record in managing partner relationships
  • Experience in delivering partner-focused solutions based on customer needs and ability to solve complex problems effectively
  • Proven ability to manage multiple projects at a time while paying strict attention to detail
  • Budget management & reporting experience in managing marketing budgets and ensuring diligent use of budgets to attain maximum impact

Competencies

  • Communication – Ability to express ideas or facts in a clear and persuasive manner. Convince others to own expressed viewpoint.
  • Planning and Budgeting – Ability to establish efficiently an appropriate course of action for self/others to accomplish a goal.
  • Technical Knowledge – Possesses an in-depth knowledge of the area and can effectively apply that knowledge to solve a range of problems.
  • Analytical – Effectiveness in identifying problems, seeking pertinent data, recognising important information and identifying possible causes of problems.
  • Results Orientated – Consistently delivers required business results; sets and achieves achievable, but aggressive, goals; consistently complies with quality and service standards and meets deadlines; maintains focus on company goals.
  • Customer Focus – Exceeding customer expectations by displaying a total commitment to identifying and providing solutions of the highest possible standards aimed at addressing customer needs.
  • Commercial Awareness – Able to understand the key business issues that affect the profitability and growth of an enterprise and takes appropriate action to maximise success.

Other information

Please note that working remotely is part of the role.

Working Hours and Conditions

Core working hours are 9.00am to 6.00pm on Mondays to Fridays and such additional hours as may be necessary for the proper performance of her duties.  The role involves frequent travel (through different time zones) and the necessity of overnight stays, it is accepted and understood that mobility and the need to work flexible hours is an integral part of the role.