ATD/DSD to Appoint Country Manager for Ireland

Attraction Tickets Direct / DoSomethingDifferent.com invite applications for the position of Country Manager – Ireland, with a closing date of Sunday 20^th April 2014. The successful applicant will manage the Dublin office and represent the DSD brand in Ireland in the travel trade. 

He/she will be based in Dublin 2, will report to David Gawn, Sales and Operations Director, and will have a salary of €35-37,000 per annum plus a company bonus. To apply, send a full curriculum vitae, accompanied by a covering letter, to: [email protected]. Only successful candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Established for more than 10 years, ATD Travel Services is the UK and Ireland’s leading provider of attraction tickets to the major theme parks of Florida. USA. Already operating in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Brazil, the company is looking to continue its successful decade of organic growth. See www.atdtravelservices.co.uk for further information on the company.

The direct consumer brand Attraction Tickets Directs (ATD) has operated in Ireland since October 2008 and has seen substantial growth each year. Operating from Dublin, Attraction Tickets Direct Ireland has retained its position as the number one in its sector.

Launched in 2006, DoSomethingDifferent.com (DSD) is the trade brand of parent company ATD Travel Services, and now offers more than 2,000 global experiences and attractions, mainly to the travel trade, and continues to add new destinations to its portfolio. DSD has seen exceptional growth over the past four years, with Ireland realising 375% year-on-year growth in 2013.

Applicants

A flexible all-round team player and self-starter, you should ideally have experience in field sales and people management. You will possess an outgoing, positive and professional attitude combined with strong commercial, administration and time management skills. A first-class communicator, you have the ability to recognise opportunities and implement sales strategies to achieve our ambitious sales objectives – your determination to succeed will clearly define you from your peers.

Job Purpose

• Manage our Dublin office with two direct reports, improve sales to both direct and trade customers
• Represent the DSD brand in Ireland in the travel trade
• Look to establish the DSD brand as the single source for all overseas attractions, experiences and tours in the online and offline Irish retail trade market
• Increase trade and direct sales across the country to agreed target levels
• Visit agents, following up on all stages of the sales cycle, from prospecting to closure of sale
• Identify new opportunities to increase turnover and profit, selling these initiatives in to key partners

Main Activities

Account Management: DoSomethingDifferent.com

• Establish and develop positive relationships with all retail partners
• Educate, train and service the needs of key trade accounts
• Support your accounts by attending trade and consumer events, such as holiday shows
• Ensure a monthly / quarterly call plan is in place in line with agreed sales objectives
• Utilise all available trade / competitor intelligence to identify competitor staff incentive schemes, overrides and competitions; suggest new initiatives to the management team and implement agreed strategies
• Maintain a close working relationship with the DSD office team and include them in your plans to provide support with sales calls, training, road shows and consumer events
• Host familiarisation trips and entertain key accounts, while ensuring there is appropriate follow up to maximise all available sales opportunities
• Ensure that personal knowledge of both DSD operations and DSD product are of the highest standards and are kept up to date

Management and Relationships

• Take responsibility for the Dublin office, including the overseeing and management of: 1. Two direct reports, 2. Telephone enquires and sales from direct and trade customers, 3. Document dispatch
• Provide class leading customer service
• Engender a positive relationship with the DSD team in London with constant inclusion / liaison over your accounts
• Positive relationships with all internal departments, including Marketing, System Development and Operational teams
• Contribute to positive external supplier relationships, with partners such as Universal, Disney and SeaWorld Parks
• Represent Attraction Tickets Direct with suppliers and industry partners in all areas

Sales and Reporting

• Achieve regional sales targets, in order to achieve the overall ATD and DSD budgeted sales and profit goals
• Provide a weekly sales report on your activity, successes, focus areas, and support requirements
• Ensure all initiatives are authorised in advance and signed off by management
• Report accurately on all areas of expenditure verses budget

Trade Advertising and PR

• Play a proactive role in shaping trade and consumer PR messaging by working in conjunction with the company’s PR agency and DSD marketing teams
• Provide input and creative contribution to all marketing strategies and social media including Facebook
• Collate and submit regular feedback on the market and trading conditions and opportunities
• Promptly disseminate all tactical activity, POS and sales collateral to maximise messaging and exposure

Skills, Personal Attributes and Experience

• People Management – ability to motivate and manage staff to realise their potential
• Customer service skills – self motivated with excellent customer service standards
• Organisational ability – exhibits good organisational skills and time management skills
• Communication – possesses excellent relationship management skills
• Drive to get the job done / Results focused – innovative, and driven to exceed targets
• High standards – focuses on the client with a high attention to details at all times
• Initiative – thinks about new approaches and innovative ways of promoting the company
• Team Working – has the ability to work well as part of a team and to contribute ideas for the benefit of all
• Flexibility – has a flexible attitude to working hours in line with business needs in addition to servicing your designated sales area; the job will require extensive travel in Ireland, including representing the company at trade and consumer shows, and overseas for product training purposes with regular overnight and weekend travel expected
• Influence – has the ability to influence clients / customers to achieve sales targets
• Energy and Tenacity – has the desire to succeed, and have fun doing so.