Groups and Incentives Operations Consultant (BH_G&I_OpsConsultant) at andBeyond

• &Beyond is built, almost entirely, on the strength of remarkable people who give passionately to their roles, work tirelessly, and have the guest experience at the core of their focus daily and care of the sustainability of our communities and environment.  Every single ‘&Beyonder makes a huge difference to our success and our contribution to the world, regardless of their role or function. For this reason, we choose ‘&Beyonders’ very carefully – they are the strength and the future of this company.

KEY OUTPUTS:

• Accountable for coordinating and executing land tour programs and events
• Support the administrative preparation and management of travel files, ensuring effective operations and quality control measures
• Must be available to travel with groups and assist with on-site coordination
• Work closely with the Groups & Incentives Reservations Manager and Operations Manager to maintain a strong commercial focus, ensuring all files are profitable and margins remain in line with &Beyond guidelines
• Provide proactive support to the Group’s and Incentive’s team
• Maintain good relationships with partners and monitor adherence to service level standards by suppliers
• Support and communication with accounts teams to ensure debtors are collected timeously and inform management of any potential bad debt
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date information on all confirmed services
• Assist with preparations of all travel documentation and operating schedules ensuring prompt delivery
• Ensure compliance with country travel restrictions in the administration, planning, and execution of traveling groups.
• Provide recommendations to Operations Manager and Groups Reservations Manager to improve guest experiences and customer service
• Ensure all client and/or guest complaints are forwarded to Operations Manager and Groups Reservations Manager to be replied to immediately and follow process
• Be on call for any major emergencies and immediately alert the client and Regional Touring Manager
• Assisting with special projects and any other duties as assigned by Management

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED:

• In-depth knowledge of the tourism industry, including travel industry channels, current trends, destination management, and customer expectations
• Good understanding of terms and conditions, markets in which andBeyond operates in, product knowledge, third party and andBeyond Product destinations
• Relevant understanding of Business to create and formulate a strategy and make commercial decisions.
• A passion for delivering service excellence
• A good knowledge of South Africa, Southern and East Africa with the ability to provide recommendations and assistance preferable
• Experience of crisis management protocols and procedures, including emergency response and risk mitigation strategies

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:                                                                                      

• Minimum of 4 - 5 years previous inbound tour consulting experience required.

SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Strong administration skills with meticulous attention to detail
• Organization and time management skills - experience in delivering results in a fast-paced performance-orientated environment.
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Able to keep up with moving priorities, projects, clients, and technology.
• Able to think clearly in emergencies and ensure smooth tour operations in accordance with schedules
• Excellent communication skills (E.g. verbal, written, reporting and body language)
• Good understanding of terms and conditions, product knowledge, general knowledge, third party and andBeyond Product destinations
• Financial analysis, modelling and management
• Understanding and knowledge of the different markets in which andBeyond operates in
• Understanding of travel industry channels
• Excellent computer skills including: Excel (essential), Tourplan (preferred) or any other reservation system, MS Office applications, Teams, WETU
• Analytical skills
• Negotiation skills
• Experiential Creativity (Crafting Experiences)
• Yielding