Destination Services Procurement Lead

ph3About Kuoni Tumlare /h3 pAt Kuoni Tumlare, we deliver truly inspiring and innovative solutions and experiences that create value both for our Partners and Society at large. Our wide portfolio of products and solutions is built on 100+ years of destination management experience. /p pOur solutions include series tours, technical visits, educational tours, Japanspecialist travel consulting, as well as meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. Our product portfolio includes MyBus excursions at destinations as well as guaranteed departure tours devised and delivered by our Seat-in-Coach specialists, Europamundo (EMV) and MyBus Landcruise. /p pWe cater to a wide range of customer needs in close collaboration with our trusted suppliers and powered by our team of destinations experts - enabling us to make a real difference to the world. /p h3About The Business /h3 pOur Destination Management services form the core of our business. Together with our destination experts, our sales and account management teams generate business by partnering with our customers (Tour Operators, Travel Agencies) to shape exciting itineraries suited to their traveler’s needs. We take care of everything from ground support, hotel bookings, sightseeing, restaurants, and local guides; all while providing 24/7 customer support so that travelers from over 50 countries can enjoy memorable travel experiences worry free. /p h3About The Role /h3 pThe Destination Services Procurement Lead is responsible for sourcing, contracting and managing services across assigned destinations, ensuring adequate capacity, high quality standards, competitive pricing and operational reliability. The role also provides direct people leadership to a team of three DS Procurement professionals, ensuring clear priorities, workload allocation, performance management and team development. /p pThe role owns the commercial relationship with suppliers and partners and contributes to the achievement of company targets by optimizing costs and contractual conditions, securing access to critical services and developing a reliable and competitive supplier portfolio aligned with business and market requirements. /p h3Key activities /h3 ul liContract services in line with market plans, contracting guidelines and agreed timelines /li liDevelop and maintain a reliable network of suppliers and local service providers, ensuring adequate coverage by destination, language and market requirements /li liEnsure sufficient capacity and availability to support both series and ad hoc business, proactively identifying gaps and alternative solutions /li liManage procurement and contractual arrangements for all services, ensuring alignment with booking procedures, operational requirements and supplier conditions /li liEnsure accuracy, completeness, competitiveness and compliance of all contracted services and related information in company systems /li liMonitor supplier performance, proactively addressing quality issues and implementing corrective actions in cooperation with Operations and Customer Service /li liRegularly review contract utilization, supplier allocation and non-contracted service usage, identifying opportunities to improve portfolio coverage and cost efficiency /li liNegotiate competitive rates, payment terms, cancellation conditions, supplements and other commercial conditions, supporting margin optimization and company targets /li liIdentify and develop alternative suppliers and contingency solutions for destinations or services with limited availability or operational risk /li liCollaborate closely with Operations and Planning on supplier allocation, capacity planning and entrance requirements, ensuring alignment between the contracted portfolio and operational demand /li liSupport Sales and internal stakeholders with destination and supplier expertise, identifying solutions for specific market or client requirements /li liBuild and maintain effective relationships with suppliers and local partners, fostering long-term cooperation and continuous improvement /li liContribute to the development of new products and opportunities related to cultural attractions, guided services and destination experiences /li liLead, coach and develop a team of three DS Procurement professionals, setting clear objectives and supporting individual development /li liPlan and allocate team workload and priorities, ensuring contracting deadlines, operational requirements and business priorities are met /li liMonitor team performance through regular one-to-ones, feedback and performance reviews, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement /li liEnsure consistent procurement standards, processes and ways of working across the team, acting as escalation point for complex supplier, operational or commercial matters /li /ul h3Complexity /h3 ul liManagement of categories characterized by limited capacity, seasonal demand and high operational dependency /li liManagement of a broad and diverse network of individual guides, associations, attractions, transports, restaurants and local suppliers across multiple destinations /li liNeed to anticipate capacity shortages and secure alternative solutions, particularly in high-demand destinations and peak periods /li liManagement of critical entrances subject to availability constraints, booking windows, cancellation policies and changing supplier procedures /li liBalancing commercial objectives with operational reliability, quality requirements and market-specific needs /li liHigh level of coordination with Operations, Planning, Sales and Customer Service /li liRequires solid destination knowledge and the ability to react quickly to operational or supplier-related issues /li liPeople management responsibility for a team of three DS Procurement professionals, balancing team development with category and operational priorities /li liAvailability to travel up to 25% /li /ul h3Knowledge , Skills , Personal Characteristics /h3 ul li5 years of experience in contracting, procurement, operations, product management or supplier management in the travel industry /li liSolid knowledge of destination services; experience with guide services, attractions or entrance management is an advantage /li liProven negotiation and supplier management skills, with the ability to build agreement with stakeholders at all levels /li liAbility to manage capacity, availability and operational constraints across multiple destinations /li liWell-developed analytical skills, covering supplier performance, contract utilization and cost analysis /li liAbility to identify operational risks and develop alternative sourcing solutions /li liWell-developed organizational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines /li liExcellent communication and stakeholder management skills in English (additional languages are a plus) /li liAbility to work effectively across Procurement, Operations, Planning, Sales and Customer Service /li liPrevious people management or team leadership experience, with the ability to coach, develop and motivate team members /li liGood IT skills, including Microsoft Office, relevant operational and contracting systems, AI tools and BI/reporting tools /li liFocus on results, with a proactive and solution-oriented approach /li liClear and effective communicator /li liApproachable and collaborative /li liCommercially minded /li liHighly organized /li liMotivated and proactive /li liAccountability for own area of responsibility /li liPragmatic and solution-oriented /li liFlexible and adaptable /li liAbility to anticipate issues and identify alternatives /li liAble to work autonomously and to manage concurrent deadlines /li liWorks collaboratively with others /li liPassion for travel and destination /li /ul h3What We Offer /h3 ul liOpportunity to work in an international environment. /li liDiverse Inclusive culture. /li liLearning and training opportunities for growth. /li liDedicated Employee Engagement Activities. /li liFlexible Hybrid Working. /li liCompensation Range (Annual Gross Salary): €55.000 - €60.000 /li /ul /p #J-18808-Ljbffr