Job Description
The Product Development Manager oversees, expands and innovates a collection of journeys for marketing and selling purposes. This role helps to create innovative travel for our Luxury Custom Travel team through the development of our product offerings in our trip portfolio and through working collaboratively with our key partners to develop programs. Exercising discretion and independent judgement; this position sets pricing guidelines, ensures quality control and supports marketing efforts through the implementation of medium-specific trip materials. This position also serves as the team’s procurement lead to set product delivery, service and commercially-minded terms with our partners.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Own the custom travel innovation process of ideation, testing and implementation of our trips library by working with internal and external partners
- Manage and report on data to support decision making around trips to build a strategic array of destinations and with an innovative approach to servicing our guests’ needs
- Set product delivery, service and commercially-minded terms with our partners by establishing and maintaining SOP's, conducting RFP's and ensuring post trip feedback for our partners
- Responsible for detailed supplier communications, year-round pricing and pre-journey advertisements
- Vet and consciously build rapport and relationships with domestic and international vendor via email and phone communication. You will understand the capabilities of each vendor and support them to ensure they produce exceptional guest experiences
- Manage the administrative elements of DMC relationships including; crafting schedules, identifying best options and possibilities, determining any complexities that need to be communicated to the Private Travel team for all custom journey trips
- Manage Softrip database by overseeing functions and maintenance including training, daily user assistance, and providing assistance to build private and/or custom trips
- Work cross-functionally with our Marketing teams to curate and execute Custom Travel Team material
- Collaborate with Custom Travel Admin to update custom journey documents including the plotting chart, sales piece, final documents template and website as well as proofing all pre-trip documentation