Sales Director, UK & Emerging Markets

Hurtigruten; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global travel company is looking for an experienced Sales Director to oversee commercial strategy across the UK and Emerging Markets within EMEA. This senior leadership role includes managing the regional sales team's performance in a B2B and B2C context, developing key partnerships, and finding new market opportunities. Ideal candidates will have over 10 years of senior sales experience, strong commercial acumen, and proven leadership capabilities. The position offers hybrid working arrangements and a competitive benefits package.

Benefits

Dynamic work environment

Opportunities for development

Staff rates on ships

Competitive benefits package

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in a senior sales or commercial environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading and scaling sales teams.
• Experience within Cruise, Travel, or Leisure sectors desirable.

Responsibilities

• Own the sales strategy across the UK and Emerging Markets.
• Lead and develop a regional sales team.
• Build relationships with strategic partners.
• Drive budget management and ROI optimisation.
• Identify new market opportunities.

Skills

Exceptional communication

Senior sales leadership

Commercial acumen

Data-driven mindset

Inspirational leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Adaptability in fast-paced environments

Education

Degree-educated or equivalent experience

Tools

Power BI

Salesforce CRM

Job description

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Sales Director to lead and deliver our commercial strategy across the UK and Emerging Markets within EMEA. This is a senior leadership role with full ownership of regional sales performance across B2B and B2C, responsibility for key strategic partnerships, and a mandate to grow market share through both existing and new routes to market.

You will act as a senior commercial leader and external ambassador for the business, working closely with executive stakeholders while leading and developing a high-performing regional sales team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own, develop, and deliver the sales strategy across the UK and Emerging Markets (B2B & B2C)
• Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing regional sales team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with strategic partners, agencies, and distribution networks across the region
• Drive effective budget management, forecasting, and ROI optimisation with key partners
• Identify and develop new market opportunities, partnerships, and routes to market to expand regional footprint
• Work closely with Marketing, Revenue Management, and Product teams to ensure aligned go-to-market execution
• Represent the company at industry events, trade shows, and partner forums across the UK and EMEA
• Act as a subject-matter expert internally, anticipating market, commercial, and regulatory challenges and recommending improvements to processes, products, or services

Leadership & Impact

• Operate with significant autonomy, setting goals and determining approaches to critical commercial initiatives
• Lead cross-functional and department-level projects
• Influence senior internal and external stakeholders on matters of strategic importance
• Make decisions with a direct and material impact on company performance, revenue, and long-term growth

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to operate credibly at executive level
• Proven senior sales leadership experience within Travel, Cruise, Hospitality, or Leisure
• Strong commercial acumen, including contract negotiation, pricing strategy, and margin management
• Data-driven mindset, confident using insights and analytics to guide strategy and decision-making
• Inspirational people leader with a track record of building, coaching, and retaining high-performing teams
• Strategic thinker able to translate vision into clear, executable sales plans
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, both internally and externally
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, changing environment with a hands-on leadership approach

Experience & Qualifications

• Degree-educated or equivalent relevant experience
• 10+ years' experience in a senior sales or commercial environment
• Demonstrable experience leading and scaling sales teams
• Experience working across international businesses and markets
• Existing B2B relationships and sector connections highly advantageous
• Experience within Cruise, Travel, or Leisure sectors desirable
• Strong experience using Power BI or similar tools to review and drive performance
• Knowledge of Salesforce CRM desirable but not essential

Personal Attributes

• Results-driven with a balanced mid- to long-term strategic outlook
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Able to shape departmental strategy and align operational goals accordingly
• Encourages collaboration across teams and with external stakeholders
• Motivates others through clear goal-setting and continuous feedback

What we offer

• A dynamic and inclusive work environment where your ideas are valued
• Opportunities for professional and personal development
• Staff rates on our ships for you and your family
• Hybrid working arrangements, minimum 2 days in the office to support work-life balance
• A competitive benefits package