Product and Client Relationship Lead

TravelPeople; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A travel and tourism company with operations in Cape Town seeks a Partnership Manager to develop relationships with key stakeholders and innovate product offerings. The ideal candidate will have 3–5 years' experience in the travel industry, preferably with a Destination Management Company or similar. Responsibilities include maintaining partnerships, understanding core brand values, and driving business growth through strategic alignment. A passion for destinations and strong collaboration skills are essential to thrive in this small, focused team.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3–5 years' experience in the travel and tourism industry.
• Exposure to product development and/or client account management.
• Experience in a Destination Management Company, tour operator, wholesaler, or travel agency.

Responsibilities

• Build partnerships with key stakeholders.
• Understand customer's brand values and client base.
• Deliver business growth by aligning strategies.
• Stay updated on destination developments.
• Monitor performance and market share with data.
• Identify opportunities for product innovation.

Skills

Strong partnership skills

Understanding of commercial distribution

Familiarity with international inbound market

Team player

Job description

POSITION OVERVIEW:

PART OF A SMALL, FOCUSED TEAM reporting to the Head of Commercial & Product and working closely alongside the UK Commercial Partnership Manager, the role provides the day-to-day contact and support to key stakeholders for our clients. Product innovation, destination expertise and a detailed understanding of static and dynamic distribution and operational performance are the hallmarks of followme2AFRICA. This role encompasses these opportunities and challenges in a fast paced environment.

The ideal candidate must be comfortable working within a small team and ideally be familiar with the international inbound market to Southern Africa. A passion for our destinations and products, along with an understanding of the region’s commercial distribution should be complimented with strong partnership skills.

We are a small team spread across London and Cape Town with strong core values around Integrity, Teamwork, Excellence and Courage that keeps us Ahead of the Game. A genuine team player who lives and works by these values will thrive as part of team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Build a trusting, growth led partnership with the key stakeholders within the assigned customer and suppliers.
• Understand the customer – core brand values, their client base, markets in which they operate, distribution challenges, training & engagement needs.
• Deliver business growth by aligning customer and fm2 strategies across the business.
• Keep up to date with in-country (destination) development and innovation to ensure destination, product, service and commercial opportunities are proactively optimised.
• In collaboration with the commercial team, be data-led in monitoring performance, market share, trends and opportunity for tactical activity.
• Identify and bring to the Commercial & Product team, opportunities for product innovation to ensure followme2AFRICA continues to have USPs.
• Be guided within the role by the followme2 mission statement.

Mission Statement – ‘Create value for our suppliers and clients and together deliver the best in country experience for our guests’.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS:

This is product focused role that closely aligns with product development and client partnership. Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience within the travel and tourism industry, preferably in a Destination Management Company (DMC), tour operator, wholesaler, or travel agency environment, with exposure to product development and/or client account management.