Product Trading VP - STA Travel - Dallas

Job description

Role Purpose:

The Product Trading VP is responsible for leading the overall strategic direction of STA Travel’s Product department, ensuring decisions are made with the commercial aspect of the US business in mind and for budget creation and delivery on all product categories, including Air, Accommodation, Globally Preferred Touring and Ancillary products. Reporting directly to the President and Chief Operating Officer, this position must drive strong supplier relationships to leverage opportunity, with a major focus on key airlines and contracting.

Key Responsibilities:

Management of pricing (through internal MI and competitor analysis) to ensure STA Travel is competitive while exploiting opportunities to increase margin wherever possible
Implementation of an effective and clear directional-sell policy
Maximization of overrides (both air and land) through deal tracking and tactical activity (promotions, pricing, incentives etc.) to hit targets
Creation of a close working relationship with group Product purchasing to ensure the USA delivers on group commitments.
Drive weekly trading meeting ensuring activity is aligned to budget needs - and all merchandising opportunities are leveraged
Driving strong tactical offers on a regular basis to support trading needs
Creating exclusivity on local basis be that through negotiation or re packaging products
Manage and negotiate local commercial contracts
Lead, manage and motivate the Air and Land product team
Work closely with the global STA Travel Product team, ensuring sharing of best practice and implementation of successful product / product marketing campaigns where necessary
Champion supplier relations and be accessible to air and land partners
Manage product marketing funds to ensure promotion of all product and use of preferred marketing funds
Work closely with Tourism Boards to leverage new product and marketing funds
Work closely with the Online and Creative teams to ensure regular tactical offers and appropriate product placement to increase sales of preferred products
Constantly monitor competitor companies to ensure we have the best contracts and tacticals in the market
Manage the overall strategic direction of the STA Travel Product, including analysing current vendors and seeking new vendors to fill existing product gaps
Manage the team to ensure price competitiveness and immediate reaction to maximise yield

Other duties as assigned

Desired Skills and Experience

Key Skills:

Demonstrate trading leadership, tactical or strategic (i.e. solve immediate budget challenges, create new products that contribute to P & L bottom line)
Excellent commercial understanding
Excellent negotiation skills, with past experience dealing with airlines and other vendors
Ability to communicate to a global team, experience working in a global company preferred
Exceptional relationship building skills
A strong understanding of the US travel market, in particular air
Leadership skills and the ability to lead and motivate a strong team
Ability to work under pressure, prioritize and time manage

Other Requirements:

Minimum 5-7 years travel related experience with concentration in a Product based role, with comprehensive experience in air products
Leadership experience a must
Ability to travel up to 50%
Microsoft & PowerPoint Proficient
Ability to work long hours and weekends, if assigned
Ability to exert up to 15 lbs. on a regular basis.

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