Head of Product (DMC/Safari)
- Cape Town, Western Cape
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Tourism, or related field.
- 8-10 years' experience in senior product or commercial roles within a DMC or similar.
- Proven leadership of cross-functional teams, including product and systems/technology.
- Strong knowledge of Southern African travel products
- Experience with operational systems relevant to travel product delivery (e.g., Tourplan).
- Demonstrated success in driving revenue growth and operational efficiency through product and systems strategies.
- Exceptional leadership, negotiation, and communication skills.
- Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Product & Commercial Acumen
- Systems & Process Optimisation
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Market & Trend Analysis
- Supplier Partnership Management
- Customer-Centric Thinking
- Influencing & Negotiation Skills
- Define and execute the product strategy in line with company goals, contracted agents, and source market priorities.
- Translate market trends and client insights, with the support of the team, into innovative product concepts and enhancements.
- Oversee the team's execution of full product lifecycle, from ideation with agents, through launch, audit procedures, and continuous improvement.
- Monitor and analyse product and sales performance, adjusting strategies as needed.
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Product Management and Systems teams, fostering a high-performance culture.
- Foster a proactive, commercially minded culture within the Product team, encouraging active participation in sales discussions and product positioning.
- Set clear objectives, priorities, and KPIs for both teams.
- Promote collaboration between product, reservations, operations, marketing, and systems functions.
- Ensure both teams are aligned to strategic business goals and deliver measurable value.
- Set the overarching commercial framework for supplier contracting, rates, and overrides.
- Guide product managers in supplier negotiations, ensuring profitability and competitiveness.
- Develop and approve, in collaboration with CEO, key supplier agreements and strategic partnerships. Oversee risk management related to supplier agreements and service delivery.
- Oversee the strategic management of core operational system (Tourplan)
- Ensure systems team optimises to support product delivery, pricing and data accuracy, reporting, and client communications.
- Drive system improvements, in collaboration with the CEO, and integrations that enhance efficiency and client experience.
- Ensure products and systems together deliver a seamless, high-quality client experience.
- Ensure products and systems together with sales/reservations, embed client feedback into product and system improvements.
- Act as the strategic link between the customer facing teams, ensuring brand and company goals are achieved
- Maintain an in-depth understanding of competitor offerings, market shifts, and source market trends.
- Identify, in collaboration with the team, emerging destinations, experiences, and product categories to expand the portfolio.
- Ensure the sales/reservations team has the tools, knowledge, and positioning needed to succeed.
- Support business development efforts with market insights and product recommendations.
- Enable and coach the Product team to confidently engage in sales conversations, supporting account growth through effective product storytelling and solution selling.
- Medical Aid
- Life Insurance
- Death & Disability insurance
- Funeral Cover
- Hybrid office environment with flexible work hours
- Study Leave available for relevant business-related studies
- Financial assistance for your studies (after min. one year of working with us)
- Long-service award bonus