Commercial Director

• Apr 2019 - Present

Sales & Retail Management Consultant

• 2013 - Present

Head Of Sales

• Jan 2016 - Mar 2019

Responsible for delivering the holiday sales budget across multiple channels. Leading the Channel Managers and their Teams including:- Contact Centre, Groups, Coach, Partnerships / new business development and the hotel based sales and reception teams across the UK.Designed and executed a new business development strategy for Partnerships engaging over 100 accounts to deliver on target volumes utilising bespoke contracts to exploit the commercial opportunities identified securing c40% incremental Guests.Recruited Contact Centre Leader to execute a change piece embedding a performance culture across a restructured Team of 65 handling c450K contacts over multiple platforms. Efficiency gains of 25% and sales conversion growth of 20% in 24 months.Introduced a team development matrix to secure talent and encourage personal growth and longevity resulting in a significant double-digit reduction in attrition and improved ENPS and Team Engagement scoresDesigned and executed a multi-channel sales strategy to deliver on target sales, achieving industry leading occupancy levels in excess of 96% and securing on budget EBITDA.Grew profitable B2B sales 20% ahead of budget year on year through effective key account management of over 200 coach partners leveraging exceptional guest return rates to optimise yield.Delivered on-site holiday sales KPI's, leading highly motivated Hotel Sales Managers to perfect their brand standard ‘Counsellor Sales Process’ with their Teams to drive industry leading levels of on-site rebooks, up to 30% in key locations.Executed local marketing initiatives promoting individual hotels supported by on site point of sale and effective merchandising of future breaks.Team satisfaction survey results for 2016 & 2017 demonstrated a step change in motivation levels to score outstanding engagement and ENPS, amongst the very best in the business.

Director & Principal Change Architect.

• Jun 2013 - Jun 2016

A Consultancy working with the Travel Industry in the UK providing professional services in:-• Sales & Marketing Strategy: - Working with businesses to create, shape and deliver Sales & Marketing deliverables across multiple channels including account management and business development.• Learning & Development strategy: - Empowerment and Team Motivation programmes to transform the impact of teams to win for their Customer and themselves.• Customer Contact Centre Leadership: - Managing the BAU agenda and shaping change in modern contact and customer service centres. Employee Engagement and Motivation specialists.• Customer Journey & Business Transformation: - Shaping review of the Customer experience and project managing the change required to deliver business transformation goals and objectives.

Head of Specialist Contact Centre, Thomas Cook Scheduled Businesses

• Jan 2006 - Apr 2013

Leading the call centre & homeworking division sales and Customer services teams (c400 FTE at peak) handling customer contact for complex tailor made holidays. Responsibility for all call centre metrics, customer service, people, operational strategy and full P&L. Sales budgets exceeding £1/3 Billion•Re focussed management coaching, raising levels of measured employee engagement significantly and resulting in a 21% increase in sales conversion performance across all Specialist Sales brands. •Designed and delivered shift realignment and contract change that delivered 28% cost reduction & savings to £1M, resulting in efficiency gains of over 20% in 2012 exceeding expectations.•Lead a comprehensive Customer Journey review project across the Specialist areas over multiple locations. Re-engineered operational processes and enhanced service delivery, enabling savings exceeding £120K and further contributed to transformational sales performance year on year.•Set up a new one call resolution team for TC Fully Escorted Tours. Uniting Sales, Operations and Customer Services functions delivering payroll savings to £150K, best ever sales conversion of 28% and re booking retention of 85% in 2012 a 35% improvement on prior year.•Conducted comprehensive research, then launched a restructured ‘high touch’ Weddings Team in 2010 transforming the Customer experience and winning ‘Best Wedding Operator’ at the British Travel Awards in 2012•Introduced a new call centre ‘integrity team’ resulting in 3 successive years of accuracy improvement valued at over £100K also establishing an effective succession plan for potential managers.

Head of Sales Signature Holidays

• Sep 2004 - Jan 2006

Responsible for trade commercial relations for the scheduled tour operator. Lead a team of National Account Managers, and the agency support team. Negotiated commercial agreements with consortia, multiple agencies and affinity partners supporting them in the field and on the trade conference circuit.•Developed a Web based training intervention used by 6000 agents in the UK to improve product knowledge. Received positive feedback and grew share.•Planned, co-ordinated and escorted large overseas seminar trips for travel agents, generating new sales and strengthening supplier relationships. Groups up to 200 in size.•Renegotiated robust commercial agreements with agents delivering record sales in 2005•Large audience speaker on the travel conference circuit, received excellent response •Set up agreements with Thomas Cook Retail to share Customer Data and begin creative direct mail campaigns including loyalty initiatives for TC Escorted Tours.•Launched a Web based sales solution for the 800 plus Thomas Cook Retail store network and established a web coaching team to support the introduction. Achieved the initial usage target after just 3 months.

Regional Sales Manager - Retail

• Jun 2000 - Aug 2004

Training Manager - Retail

• Dec 1996 - Jun 2000

Store Manager, Sales Consultant

• Mar 1983 - Dec 1996