Travel Manager

Travel Manager ¦ Central ¦ Permanent - Full time

Something Extraordinary Every Day™

As our Travel Manager, you will lead the Travel Desk Team. You will be responsible for the travel policy of The Bicester Collection and also manage the service providers. You will ensure that the travel desk is operating seamlessly everyday and high quality of service is delivered to the internal customers.

What you will be doing

• Review, update, and maintain travel policies across The Bicester Collection
• Develop preferred supplier arrangements at a Global level to services all areas of the Business
• Manage third party suppliers and agents; regularly review and renegotiate agreed rates and service level
• Manage the travel budget within business guidelines
• Manage Amex Business account – liaising with Portman and VR accounts teams where necessary
• Act as a representative of a friendly efficient business travel service that exceeds expectations
• Ensure that the day to day operations of the travel desk is seamless
• Manage the resources and ensure that the support for the day to day operations is sufficient, especially during the peak periods
• Lead the team by example and be responsible for the teams performance and development
• Be responsible for timely and accurate business travel arrangements for internal customers
• Prepare itineraries, hotel and car rental confirmations, vouchers, boarding passes and pre-seat selection
• Assist clients in cost effective route solutions for their travel needs
• Provide advice on visa, passport and security requirements relating to the destination and confirm the issuing details for each reservation

What makes you special

We are looking for an individual who can display the following experience and skills:

• Solid prior experience in business travel on travel products, reservation and accounting systems; international exposure is preferrable
• Computer literate and high proficiency in Microsoft Office; understanding of the Web and internal web packages is advantageous
• Thorough understanding in the areas of destination geography, including expedient cost-effective and preferred travel routes
• Strong negotiation and 3rd party management skills
• Customer centric with the ability to provide accurate and timely advice to the internal customers
• Strong problem solving and decision making ability
• Strong prioritisation skills with the ability to prioritise own workloads and those of the team
• Ability to develop rapport quickly with all levels of internal customers

There’s no one quite like us

The Bicester Collection are the worlds’ leading luxury shopping destinations, and we are committed to creating magical and memorable experiences for our guests. Taking the name of the founding Village, The Bicester Collection distinguishes the 11 Villages in Europe and China as one collection of destinations for our guests, our brand partners, our travel and tourism partners, our corporate and financial media, and our internal teams.

Why we’re exceptional

The key to our success is the quality and commitment of our people. In return for your hard work and commitment to our values, you’ll receive a generous salary and we’ll also reward you through our Feel Good Programme which offers the following benefits:

• Lifestyle - Our Lifestyle benefits include life assurance, income protection, pension, leisure travel insurance, an electric car scheme, a discounted shopping portal, discounts across our Villages, a referral bonus and season ticket loans.
• Physical - Our Physical health benefits include private medical cover, virtual doctor support, dental insurance, health screening, a cycle-to-work scheme, eye care and flu vaccinations.
• Mental – Our Mental health benefits include access to professionals as well as support from trained mental health 'first aiders' from across the business, an employee assistance programme and free access to Headspace and Thrive, two of the most well respected mental well-being apps.
• Social - Our social programme is designed to help us connect and, most importantly, have fun! Benefits include yoga classes, summer parties, outdoor team activities, time away from the office to enjoy special occasions such as birthdays, getting married, moving house and, of course, taking a well-deserved break.

Come and live your story with us

At The Bicester Collection, we are focused on attracting and retaining the best talent. We believe in fostering an open culture, which supports our people to thrive and creates a sense of belonging. Working at the Bicester Collection means entering an inclusive space where all perspectives are valued, ideas are shared freely, and creativity is encouraged.