Product Contracting Manager

My client is seeking a confident, ambitious, and experienced Product & Contracting Manager for Southern and East Africa.

This role offers a unique opportunity for exceptional candidates who excel in tackling challenges, navigating dynamic change, and driving continuous growth. We are looking for top-tier professionals with relevant experience and an established network of supplier relationships across Africa. As a key member of our team, you will be the primary liaison with our valued suppliers, ensuring access to the best products on the market. Acting as an ambassador for the company, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our product offerings.

Leveraging your expertise in product procurement and thorough analysis of destinations, suppliers, and products, you will be responsible for curating a selection of premium offerings featured across the company’s portfolio of websites, social media channels, and training materials. Additionally, you will empower our sales and marketing teams with the product and supplier insights they need to thrive in their day-to-day operations.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate best-in-industry terms and conditions with product suppliers to ensure competitive advantages.
• Ensure all supplier agreements align with the company’s standard payment terms and conditions.
• Secure overrides and consistently work to increase gross margins.
• Identify and communicate new and exciting product offerings, company-specific specials, and combination deals to the sales teams to maximize profitability.
• Plan and execute ongoing training programs to enhance destination knowledge and supplier expertise across the company.
• Organize regular supplier training sessions, site inspections, and familiarization trips; evaluate and monitor sales consultants’ product knowledge and proficiency.
• Design, implement, and manage product development strategies tailored to various destinations and key source markets.
• Use an analytical approach to product management, optimizing performance based on specific KPIs to be agreed upon.
• Oversee the management and maintenance of all product information across platforms, ensuring all product details, pricing, logistics, and branding are accurate and up-to-date.
• Collaborate closely with the Rates & System team to ensure supplier contracts, training materials, and rates are updated in internal systems.
• Provide support to consultants by assisting with supplier issues, product queries, and overall troubleshooting as needed.
• Analyze and monitor sales performance against targets with key suppliers, working alongside sales and marketing teams to drive consistent improvement.
• Develop and implement product strategies for key source markets in partnership with sales managers, aligning product offerings to meet market-specific needs.
• Ensure all products featured on social media platforms, websites, and newsletters align with the brand’s image and messaging.

Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in product and contracting management.
• Regional Knowledge: Extensive supplier knowledge across Southern and East African destinations.

Skillset

• Thrives under pressure with strong problem-solving capabilities.
• A collaborative team player with excellent multitasking skills.
• Organized, punctual, and professional in presentation.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to optimize performance based on data-driven insights.

Advantageous Experience

• Familiarity with source markets such as Germany, North America, Latin America, France, and Asia.
• Experience with systems like Travelyst or TourPlan.

Education

Degree

Key Skills

Time Management, Data Analytics, Analytical, Agile, Requirement Gathering, Strategic Thinking, Visio, Communication, Problem Solving, Market Research, UML, Cross Functional Teams