Managing Director (Contracting & Procurement)

The Travel Corporation; London; Hybrid; GBP 165,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the travel sector is seeking a Managing Director for its procurement division. This key role ensures strategic contract oversight and supplier performance while promoting operational excellence and leading a diverse high-performing team. With a strong focus on cost-efficiency and innovation, this position is crucial for driving the company's objectives across EMEA markets.

Benefits

Annual travel credit

Flexible remote work options

Paid days off for volunteering

Professional development courses

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing complex business operations.
• Deep understanding of EMEA supplier sourcing and procurement processes in travel.
• Experience within the travel, tourism, or hospitality industry strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic procurement agenda ensuring excellence in supplier selection and cost efficiency.
• Monitor competitor activity and oversee procurement functions across diverse categories.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements and lead digital transformation of procurement processes.

Skills

Executive Leadership

Contracting & Procurement Expertise

Strategic Thinking & Commercial Acumen

Stakeholder Management

Operational Excellence

Technology & Systems Proficiency

People Leadership

Crisis Management & Decision-Making

Sector Knowledge

Job description

Managing Director (Contracting & Procurement)

Managing Director (Contracting & Procurement)

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Managing Director (Procurement and Contracting), Tracoin Services Ltd

ABOUT US

Our philosophy at The Travel Corporation (TTC) is simple, we create enriching experiences for travelers by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value. As a global business with over 100 years of experience in the travel industry, our ethos of being ‘Driven by Service’ ensures we keep our values of passion, people and purpose at the heart of everything we do - designing and running immersive, innovative and responsible travel experiences for our guests across 70 countries. Join us in creating life-changing moments for every guest across our award-winning brands and experience the TTC difference.

OUR VALUES

• Driven by service
• An inherent passion for travel
• Commitment to our customers and to our people
• Commitment to corporate social responsibility and our 5-year sustainability strategy

ABOUT TRACOIN

Tracoin Services Ltd delivers end-to-end contracting and procurement services—including accommodation, transport, meals, ground handlers, and experiences—for TTC’s travel brands across the EMEA region. Tracoin supports leading brands such as Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Uniworld, TCA, Costsaver, and Contiki.

Role Overview:

The Managing Director leads Tracoin’s strategic procurement agenda, ensuring excellence in supplier selection, contracting, and procurement across all categories. The role safeguards brand differentiation, cost efficiency, capacity and supplier performance while collaborating closely with TTC’s global brand, product, operations and yield teams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES

Strategic & Commercial Leadership:

• Set and execute Tracoin’s strategic direction in line with TTC’s business goals.
• Monitor competitor activity and market trends to maintain commercial advantage.

Contracting & Procurement Oversight:

• Ensure all procurement activity adheres to TTC brand standards, delivers consistent guest experiences, sufficient capacity and achieves year-over-year cost control with minimal increases.
• Ensure we contract directly with suppliers wherever possible and commercially feasible.
• Maintain and grow strategic supplier relationships across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
• Oversee all core procurement and contracting functions, each led by a functional head reporting to the Managing Director:
• Hotel and Ground Handler Contracting: Supervision of scheduled and adhoc accommodation contracting, including Pre/Post stays. Management of contracting and service delivery from regional ground agents in select destinations (e.g. Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Asia, Africa).
• Transport: Oversight of supplier agreements for Long Distance Coaches, local coaches and other means of transport such as trains, ferries, etc.
• Experiences (including Meals): Contracting of destination experiences and dining, aligned with each brand’s USPs and optional activity strategy.
• Approve all contractual documentation (via DocuSign), ensuring compliance with GDPR, insurance, and legal requirements.
• Lead the digital transformation of Tracoin’s contracting processes and reporting to support accurate rate requests, streamlined quoting, enhanced visibility, and improved decision-making across the business.

Experiences Reservations:

• Oversee the end-to-end reservations process for contracted experiences across all supported destinations.
• Ensure reservation accuracy, inventory control, and timely updates across systems.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to resolve availability or service issues.
• Monitor booking trends and adjust operational procedures to maximise availability and guest satisfaction.
• Transport Operations
• Ensure alignment between contracted transport services and actual delivery, including coach logistics, transfers, and on-tour support.
• Liaise with transport partners to resolve operational issues and manage performance.
• Collaborate with product and operations teams to align transport planning with itinerary requirements and guest expectations.
• Provide strategic oversight for all transport operations, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and high service standards.
• Ensure alignment with yield and pricing teams to support optimal materialisation and profitability.

Leadership & Culture:

• Lead, develop, and support a high-performing management team.
• Drive recruitment, performance reviews, DEI initiatives, and employee engagement in partnership with TTC’s People & Culture function.
• Ensure compliance with employment and operational requirements in local offices, including France and Italy.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Partner with TTC Brand, Product, Sales, and Marketing teams to deliver brand-aligned contracting, support promotional campaigns, and negotiate agent incentives.
• Serve as primary contact for major suppliers, including hotel chains, ground handlers, and experience providers.

SKIILS & EXPERIENCE

• Executive Leadership: Proven experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing complex business operations across international markets.
• Contracting & Procurement Expertise: Deep understanding of EMEA supplier sourcing, contract negotiations, procurement processes, and cost management in the travel or hospitality sector.
• Strategic Thinking & Commercial Acumen: Strong commercial awareness, analytical mindset, and ability to align operational execution with long-term business objectives and market opportunities.
• Stakeholder Management: Skilled at building and managing senior-level relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Operational Excellence: Track record of delivering scalable solutions and operational efficiencies across diverse geographies.
• Technology & Systems Proficiency: Competence in Microsoft 365, CRM platforms, procurement systems, and leading digital transformation initiatives within a contracting or operational environment.
• People Leadership: Proven ability to attract, retain, and develop talent while fostering a high-performance, inclusive, and values-driven culture.
• Crisis Management & Decision-Making: Calm and pragmatic under pressure, with strong judgment and accountability in resolving business-critical challenges.
• Sector Knowledge: Experience within the travel, tourism, or hospitality industry is strongly preferred, particularly with familiarity across EMEA markets.

You’ll enjoy an annual travel credit, the flexibility to work from anywhere for two weeks each year, and two paid days off to volunteer for causes close to your heart. Additionally, you’ll have access to professional development courses that help fuel your passion and growth. Be part of our mission to MAKE TRAVEL MATTER, while working in a dynamic, hybrid role that blends both office and remote work.

The Travel Corporation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We not only encourage and support diversity in the workplace, we celebrate it! If you feel you have the skills and experience to thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment, we want to hear from you!

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Associate

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Other

• Industries

  Travel Arrangements

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