Reservations Manager- African Safari Travel

Reservations Manager - African Safari Travel

Are you passionate about African safaris and experienced in leading a high-performing team? Our client, a leader in luxury safaris, is seeking a Reservations Manager to drive sales, lead a talented reservations team, and ensure smooth and efficient operations across their Private Safaris business. This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of delivering exceptional customer service while fostering a motivating and supportive team environment.

Job Purpose

As the Reservations Manager, your primary objective is to serve as the key sales driver and the main point of contact for key accounts, while managing the daily operations of the reservations team. You will lead, motivate, and train the team to ensure that all aspects of the Private Safaris business run efficiently, aligning departments and streamlining workflows to deliver outstanding customer experiences and maximize profitability.

Key Responsibilities

1. Maintain and strengthen relationships with customers and clients.
2. Gather valuable agent feedback regarding sales and product needs.
3. Use your in-depth knowledge to guide the team through the customer journey and become the subject matter expert.
4. Meet and exceed sales targets in line with business expectations.
5. Understand and investigate customers and operators’ business requirements to ensure solutions align with their needs.
6. Monitor and ensure the quoting and operational accuracy of the reservations team.
7. Ensure operational excellence on a daily basis, ensuring smooth workflow and efficiency.
8. Plan and distribute the workload effectively, in cooperation with the Head of Department (HOD).
9. Oversee quotation checks, conduct spot checks, and focus on cost and margin awareness.
10. Guide the team to meet agent Service Level Agreements, deadlines, and sales targets.
11. Analyze and act upon turnaround time and workload reports to enhance performance.
12. Promote and improve the expertise of staff in system use and process optimization.
13. Drive profitability through margin control, upselling, sales training, and using barter / override agreements.
14. Foster effective communication between teams to improve service quality based on customer feedback.
15. Ensure the team uses the product shelf as set out by the Product Team and resolve complaints as needed.
16. Work closely with the HOD to define the staff requirements, write job descriptions, and take part in the recruitment process.
17. Keep records of staff leave, off days, and any additional hours worked.
18. Cultivate a high level of team motivation and maintain a positive team spirit.
19. Ensure clear communication and information sharing within the team through regular meetings.
20. Set clear targets for the team and conduct annual performance appraisals.
21. Be involved in disciplinary procedures as required.
22. Support the development of staff by providing proper training in coordination with HR.
23. Maximize the potential of the team by cross-training consultants.
24. Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and collection processes are followed.
25. Assist the team in resolving account queries.
26. Ensure adherence to financial processes such as Papertrail and invoicing.
27. Demonstrate a sound understanding of cost, profit, net, and gross selling prices.

Additional Responsibilities

1. Stay informed about the customer product shelf and Private Safaris' sales and product priorities.
2. Stay up to date on competitors’ products.
3. Occasionally travel on educational and familiarization trips to Southern Africa and report back to the team with insights and training.
4. Provide excellent customer care and communication at all stages of the reservation process.
5. Maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive management information.

Required Skills and Experience

1. Proven experience in a reservations management role within the travel industry, preferably in safari or luxury travel.
2. Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, guide, and develop a team.
3. Excellent communication, organizational, and customer service skills.
4. Strong financial acumen with experience in cost and margin management.
5. Familiarity with reservation systems and processes.
6. A passion for African safaris and in-depth knowledge of Southern Africa’s travel offerings.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to lead a dynamic team in a leading African safari company. If you are passionate about the travel industry and have the leadership skills to drive success, we want to hear from you! Join a company that values expertise, customer care, and team development.

Apply now to take the next step in your career and lead a high-performing team delivering unforgettable safari experiences!