Current Opportunities
This position at TPI is for a relationship-focused individual with appropriate industry experience to complement the existing team of professionals as they support the needs of the company’s cross-country network of over 900 independent Travel Advisors and agencies.
Position Objective:
This position is directly responsible for ensuring the current and future business development needs of TPI are met as they relate to ensuring the successful onboarding and sales growth of new TPI travel advisors. Working closely alongside Sales and Marketing this objective will be met through the following, but not limited to:
- Participating and contributing to the development and execution of corporate business plans and budgets.
- Coaching and mentoring those in the position’s prevue to deliver on their objectives, including both staff and Advisors.
- Designing and delivering specific services and solutions to help the company and its advisors run their businesses most efficiently and effectively in the areas of recruitment as well as impacting these same areas in Sales and Marketing.
Major Work Activities:
- Assist in the development and execution of TPI’s corporate and departmental business plans as it relates to areas within the position’s prevue.
- Oversee the planning and execution of recruitment activities to proactively recruit new travel advisors and agencies to join TPI.
- Regularly analyze recruitment, growth, and retention information with Sales and Marketing against plan and take appropriate action to increase recruitment and travel sales growth.
- Proactively build and maintain relationships with TPI advisors.
- Assist in the development and execution of training initiatives to support corporate and departmental objectives, including but not limited to initial business planning activities with advisors as part of the onboarding process with Sales.
- Work closely with Marketing to identify areas where recruitment and sales growth can benefit.
- Maintain relationships with TPI’s marketing, event, and travel industry partners as appropriate.
- Maintain monthly, weekly, and daily contacts with other TPI team members as appropriate to ensure consistency and appropriateness of communication and service/program offerings.
- Provide performance reviews and recommendations for each team member with the position’s prevue.
- Manage all aspects of human resource requirements within the areas of responsibility.
- Keep on top of industry news, trends, for potential development of TPI services and solutions.
- Other duties as related and required to the success of travel sales, advisor retention, and recruitment.
Key Competencies:
- The position requires a minimum of 10 years of travel industry experience with demonstrated success in areas relevant to the position.
- Demonstrated participative leadership/team management experience. Experience in developing and delivering strategic business plans.
- Flexibility to adapt and respond to the changing needs of the industry and work environment.
- Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent computer skills and some knowledge of industry software (Sabre, ClientBase).
- Excellent understanding of technology as it relates to sales. Excellent understanding of process and procedure.
- Post-secondary training in operations, management, travel, adult education and communication skills a definite asset.
- CTC or CTM accreditation an asset.
All interested candidates should send a copy of their cover letter and resume in confidence to zgedeon@tpi.ca. We thank all interested respondents; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.
Position Objective:
The Regional Professional Development Manager will be responsible for delivering innovative training sessions to drive and sustain performance as well as providing effective coaching and training support the TPI Advisors to effectively generate more sales. The RPDM is responsible for increasing the sales volume in their region in the following ways but not limited to:
- Coaching and mentoring TPI Advisors to build their business with focus on TPI tools (Sabre, CBO, Grasp reporting tool), marketing and sales with a focus on advisors in each region.
- Setting personal development plans and business plans with individual TPI Advisors.
- Identify sales opportunities within the region and support through sales initiatives and promotions.
- Create networking opportunities for TPI Advisors in region by conducting regional meetings and gatherings.
Major Work Activities:
- Increase sales and maintain peak performance in the region through the delivery of training and mentoring, including coaching, workshops and ongoing overall business assessments.
- Proactively build and maintain relationships with TPI Advisors.
- Facilitate and coordinate training presentations with individual and groups of Advisors.
- Identifying training, development and sales needs within the region.
- Implement and execute personal development plans and business plans with individuals.
- Develop and improve associate skill and confidence levels in the areas of the sale of travel, marketing, group and niche products.
- Maintaining and delivering training to new and experienced Sales Agents covering a variety of sales skills techniques as well as TPI Technology Tools.
- Monitoring and reviewing the progress of TPI Advisors through phone calls and in person visits.
- Gather and identify regional marketing opportunities from suppliers and via travel trend analysis.
- Gather and identify regional gaps in the areas of training and personal development and work with the national team to develop plans to minimize these gaps.
- Swiftly respond and implement effective solutions to meet emerging Advisor needs.
- Keep on top of industry news, trends, promotions and specials and communicate to Sales Director for potential redistribution and/or development.
- Work closely with the Sales Director to facilitate identified components of the TPI Sales Strategic Plan.
- Assist with the onboarding of all new associate and affiliate Advisors in each region.
- Analyze regional sales reports by Advisor and identify key areas of growth.
- Create regional business plan to include marketing and training based on the national strategy.
- Focus and redirect, if necessary, the TPI Advisors’ sales to preferred partners.
Key Competencies:
- The position requires a minimum of 8 years of direct retail leisure travel industry experience. With a minimum of 5 years’ experience in mentoring and developing travel advisors.
- Experience in developing and delivering strategic marketing and business plans for independent business owners.
- Incumbent must have an excellent computer skills and knowledge of industry software (Sabre & CBO) & strong written and interpersonal skills and knowledge of MS Office suite.
- CTC or CTM accredited preferred.
- Customer service focus, excellent communication skills.
- Demonstrate positive attitude including being flexible with changing needs of clients and changes in travel industry.
- Travel within the region will be required.
All interested candidates should send a copy of their cover letter and resume in confidence to chay@tpi.ca. We thank all interested respondents, however only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.
Overall Description:
As a professional travel advisor, you will counsel, provide options and book travel for TPI Advisor’s clients or members of our TPI Head Office team. A high degree of accuracy and organization is required, in addition to a positive approach with all TPI Advisors and their clients. Approximately half of your time is spent managing other agents’ files and their clients, while they are away, for one- or two-week durations, such as training periods, vacation time or conferences. You are able to close sales on behalf of the agent you are representing for new TPI business; and able to manage questions and/or changes as needed for existing bookings while their TPI agent is away. In the remainder of your time, you will manage the additional services such as selling Allianz Insurance, and Virtuoso products. Flexible to work between Sabre or Clientbase, depending on usual system of the TPI advisor you are covering.
Position Overview:
- Provide options and quotes in a timely manner, considering preferred suppliers and airline agreements, meeting all deadlines for payments and ticketing
- Offer appropriate insurance products with all sales and advise proper documentation required
- Communicate all actions on files (using both PNR remarks and email summaries) so that other agents can follow what has been done and what is outstanding for any vacation coverage transactions
- High level of customer service to our members – TPI Advisors, and their clients – communicating via phone, and email. High level of internal customer service with other team members via in-person, email, phone and online messaging
- Coaching independent travel advisors with correct use of TPI systems, travel industry standards, policies and procedures as required
- Ability to multi-task, prioritize daily workflow, report on your weekly activities
Key Competencies:
- Minimum 3 years previous experience as a corporate or leisure travel agent required
- Confident in booking and ticketing air travel, including BSP tickets, exchanges, refunds and group travel; familiar with industry supplier booking engines
- Knowledge of suppliers in Canadian regions to provide competitive pricing and reliable products, including TPI Preferred Suppliers
- Confident in Sabre workspace for handling corporate travel requests
- Confident in Clientbase to build profiles, Res Cards and invoicing for advisors that do not use Sabre
- Experience in obtaining competitive quotes and making bookings for group travel
- High degree of organization and accuracy in entering data for reservations, invoices and emails
- Handle executive travel team requests with discretion
- Ability to prioritize, be resourceful and use judgment in handling time-sensitive inquiries
- Customer service focus, excellent communication skills, and problem-solving skills
- Reliable team player regarding attendance, punctuality, sharing information, completing tasks within deadlines
- Demonstrate positive attitude including being flexible with changing needs of clients and changes in travel industry
- Bilingual English/French an asset
Work environment:
- Supportive team environment in Winnipeg, MB
- Usual hours of this position are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm CST, however occasional evenings and/or weekends may be required with TPI Support team.
Please apply in confidence to alosics@tpi.ca by Sep 9, 2019.