Head of Accommodation

Salary and Benefits: Circa £55,000
Reporting to: Managing Director, Global Business Travel
Direct reports: 1
Location: Home based, with regular travel to events required (both UK & overseas)

About The Advantage Travel Partnership

The Advantage Travel Partnership is the UK’s pre-eminent business network representing travel agents and travel management companies.

Its members are all independently owned travel businesses who operate across 750 locations throughout the UK, representing a large proportion of the UK’s travel agency landscape. In addition, Advantage’s global network footprint continues to expand with representation in 83 countries across 96 network partners who work together in servicing corporate accounts.

Collectively, as a global network our members generate over £15.6 billion in global sales annually - with £7.6 billion from travel sales from its UK membership - and cater for many millions of holidaymakers and business travellers by assisting them with their travel arrangements.

Since its inception in 1978, the Partnership has upheld its distinctive ownership structure as one of the UK’s only member-owned travel networks.

What you’d be doing…

You will be responsible for driving the strategy within Advantage for the full accommodation sector with the accommodation and wider supplier partnership teams. This includes the management of our Global Accommodation Programme, looking after a range of existing partnerships in the form of account management as well as increasing the business by introducing new supplier partners to help achieve Advantage’s key objectives and goals. You will be sourcing and constantly evaluating our accommodation portfolio across all distribution channels.

This is an amazing opportunity to join a fantastic company at a very exciting time. As head of Accommodation, you will report to our Managing Director, Global Business Travel. You would work alongside a team of friendly, dedicated professionals across the full Advantage business. The team works closely together and is also tightly connected to both our members and business partners.

To do this, you would…

Manage a team and oversee the production of the annual corporate hotel programme of over 40,000 hotels running the full end of end process from RFP to final proofing and distribution as well as marketing preferred partnerships.
Create, oversee and drive the overall accommodation strategy, including the management of UK and global network partners using the hotel programme.
With your team, oversee and manage all the hotel partner negotiations with major chains including IHG, Hilton, Accor, Hyatt, through to smaller chains/brands and individual hotels – to build long-lasting relationships, gaining the best rates for members and to grow the income for Advantage through hotel participation.
Drive the strategy and oversee the management of commercial partnerships with Bedbanks and Serviced Apartment Providers.
Ensure the team has the relevant technology tools to manage and negotiate the RFP process, distribution of accommodation product and data reporting.
Create the strategy for implementation and oversee the marketing programmes and services, ensuring Advantage continues to innovate and grow incomes.
Present at agent and supplier conferences and growing awareness and support for the Global Accommodation Programme through the individual agencies and hotel partners.
Working closely with the Advantage Global Business Travel team to respond to members’ needs and drive the adoption of the accommodation programme.
Attend industry events/functions (daytime, evening and weekends), representing and acting as an ambassador of The Advantage Travel Partnership.
Attend relevant Business Travel member events, internal and external.
Actively look for ways to add further commercial value to members and Advantage centrally.
Follow and understand trends in the accommodation sector and look for ways to use data both internally and externally to drive performance.

To be successful in this role, you would have experience of…

At least 5 years in a commercial environment within the business travel/hotel industry
Working in a commercial or supplier management environment, building relationships with business partners and be competent in face-to-face meetings and selling.
Understand contracts and management of these agreements.
Working with and supporting marketing processes
Communicating externally while understanding your audience to adapt message accordingly.
Networking and attending business travel events, including presenting at Advantage member events and those across wider industry.
Managing multiple projects in a fast-moving environment, meeting strict and tight deadlines on a regular basis
Keeping up to date with all the industry developments and challenges
Comfortably liaising with all management levels

And be…

Excellent at interpersonal, language and communication skills
Good at prioritising and have excellent organisational skills
Positive and flexible in your attitude towards project completion
Commercially astute and aware
An excellent team player
Able to work independently with a level of autonomy
Naturally enthusiastic and committed
Knowledgeable and aware of the business & products
Interested in your own self-development
A strategic thinker, problem solver and decision maker
A natural influencer and negotiator

You will also be OK with having to do some…

International and domestic travel, evening work and function attendance

What you get in return

Immediately after you start:

Single cover Private Medical Insurance (plus ability to include dependants at an additional cost)
25 days leave, plus Bank Holidays, increasing a day per year after two years’ service (to a max of 28 days)
Ability to buy an additional 5 days of leave per year
Birthday off
Volunteering day off
Reward Gateway – benefits, discounts, and well-being platform
Great travel discounts
Eye care – up to £60 per year
Life Assurance Cover (4 x salary)

After 3 months:

Contributory pension scheme - employer contributes a generous 5% (minimum 3% employee contribution)

And then after probation:

Subsidised gym membership
Cycle 2 Work scheme (salary sacrifice)
Potential non-contractual end of year bonus (terms and conditions apply)

You want to apply? Excellent. Here’s how…

It’s easy. All you need to do is send us your up-to-date CV. Send all details and questions to [email protected].

Due to not having a sponsorship license, we can only accept applications from people within the UK who can prove their right to work.

At Advantage, we embrace the diversity of culture, gender, physical capability and thought. We firmly believe that true innovation cannot happen without this real-life variety in our working community. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where people of all walks of life aspire to work.