Sales Manager - New Business

SUMMARY:
An inbound tour operator and ground handler company that specializes in tailor-made and group travel across Southern Africa is looking for Sales Manager - New Business.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
The role combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution. It suits someone who enjoys working at the intersection of commercial strategy, relationship management, and market development, while remaining adaptable to the changing dynamics of the global travel environment. The Sales Manager acts as a trusted partner to wholesalers and a key link between the market and the internal teams, delivering the experience.

POSITION INFO:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Sales/Marketing Diploma or Degree preferred; demonstrable track record in new business acquisition within inbound wholesale travel is essential.
• At least 7-10 years’ experience in the Inbound travel industry
• Knowledge of Southern African Destinations, tourism products, geography, and logistics
• Clear understanding of pricing structures, margins, volume strategies, and commercial agreements
• Awareness of global travel trends, market shifts, and external factors influencing demand
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical writing skills
• Must demonstrate strong critical thinking capabilities and problem-solving skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail are imperative

• Own end‑to‑end responsibility for driving profitable new business growth through the acquisition and activation of new international wholesale partners across assigned and emerging source markets.
• Identify, shape, and convert market opportunities into contracted wholesale production, with disciplined alignment to strategic growth priorities.
• Deliver against agreed revenue, margin, and volume targets, maintaining clear accountability for pipeline creation, conversion velocity, and sustained production.
• Develop and execute market‑specific sales and market entry plans that align with the company commercial strategy, brand positioning, and long‑term growth objectives.
• Maintain a strong, measurable sales pipeline, proactively managing momentum across extended wholesale sales and negotiation cycles.
• Translate market opportunity into sustainable, profitable revenue, protecting margin integrity while strengthening the company's position as a preferred inbound partner.
• Be accountable for corrective action where performance, pipeline quality, or conversion targets are not being met

• Build, deepen, and monetise strategic wholesale relationships with international wholesale partners, engaging at multiple decision‑making levels (product, contracting, sales, and leadership).
• Act as a trusted commercial partner to wholesalers, providing relevant market insight, product guidance, and destination expertise.
• Present and promote the company’s Southern Africa offering consistently and competitively across all markets.
• Deliver trade presentations, partner training, and market engagement activities (including trade shows, roadshows, and virtual sessions) to support partner conversion.
• Manage partner feedback effectively, ensuring market intelligence informs product development and service improvements.

• Open, contract, activate, and scale new trade partnerships, from initial engagement through to contracting, activation, and production.
• Lead commercial negotiations, including pricing structures, net rates, overrides, marketing support, and volume commitments, ensuring margin sustainability.
• Ensure all SLAs, agreements, and contractual terms are clearly defined, implemented, and monitored.
• Work closely with internal account management, product, and operations teams to ensure new agents and partners are effectively onboarded and supported.
• Monitor partner performance against KPIs and implement corrective actions where required to optimise growth and profitability.

• Ensure all new business and market initiatives deliver profitable and sustainable returns, aligned to margin targets.
• Prepare accurate forecasting, costing, and commercial assessments for new partners, products, and markets.
• Manage pricing discussions with confidence, maintaining discipline around margins, costs, and yield across multi‑country itineraries.
• Coordinate with systems, operations, and finance teams to ensure pricing accuracy, cost recoverability, and solution affordability.
• Contribute to financial performance reviews, identifying risks, opportunities, and corrective strategies to protect revenue and margin.
• Exercise commercial judgement when assessing opportunity viability versus resource and margin impact

• Track global travel trends, competitor activity, and external market factors impacting demand for Southern Africa.
• Translate market insight into practical go‑to‑market actions, partner targeting strategies, and product positioning recommendations.
• Act as a key conduit between international markets and internal teams, ensuring commercial decisions reflect real market need and opportunity.
• Contribute meaningfully to sales strategy discussions, annual planning cycles, and new market entry assessments.

• Collaborate closely with product, operations, systems, and finance teams to ensure sales commitments are operationally
• Ensure smooth handover from sales to operations, maintaining brand integrity and service quality.
• Uphold New Frontiers’ values, reputation, and service standards
• across all markets and partner.