JOB DESCRIPTION

Sales & Marketing Manager

POSITION DETAILS

Position: Sales & Marketing Manager
Department: Sales & Marketing
Reports to: General Manager
Location: Arusha, Tanzania
Employment Type: Full-time

ABOUT OUR CLIENT

Our client is a premium Tanzanian travel company specialising in creating exceptional travel experiences by connecting mainland safari destinations with the luxury of Zanzibar. The business offers a seamless range of safari, mountain, island and luxury travel experiences to international travellers, travel agents and strategic industry partners.

With a strong focus on quality, collaboration and responsible tourism, our client is committed to showcasing Tanzania through expertly coordinated travel experiences and outstanding guest service.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Sales & Marketing Manager is a senior commercial role with direct responsibility for driving revenue growth, developing international trade relationships and expanding the company's presence across key source markets.

The successful candidate will be an experienced luxury travel sales professional with an established international industry network and a proven ability to generate business through relationships with luxury travel advisors, tour operators, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), foreign representation companies and other high-value trade partners.

Working closely with the General Manager and Reservations & Sales Manager, the role will lead the sales strategy, manage key accounts, develop international representation partnerships, coordinate trade activation initiatives and oversee overall commercial pipeline performance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Sales Strategy, Revenue & Pipeline Management

• Develop and implement a comprehensive sales strategy aligned with the company's commercial objectives and growth targets.
• Identify and prioritise key international source markets, distribution channels and potential trade accounts.
• Build, manage and maintain a qualified sales pipeline, ensuring consistent prospecting and business development activity.
• Establish measurable sales and revenue targets, monitor performance and drive conversion.
• Maintain accurate sales forecasts and provide regular reporting on pipeline performance and revenue opportunities.

2. International Trade Network & Foreign Representation

• Utilise and expand an existing international database of luxury travel advisors, tour operators, DMCs and strategic trade partners.
• Leverage established industry relationships to generate new business opportunities and secure profitable partnerships.
• Identify, appoint and manage suitable foreign representation companies across priority international markets.
• Establish clear expectations, territories, performance measures and commercial objectives for representation partners.
• Monitor representation performance and assess return on investment.

3. Key Account Management & Trade Partnerships

• Proactively acquire, develop and retain high-value international trade accounts.
• Build strong relationships with key decision-makers through regular engagement, sales calls, presentations and industry networking.
• Support commercial negotiations, contracting and partnership agreements.
• Develop and maintain account plans for priority trade partners.
• Ensure consistent follow-up on sales opportunities and maintain strong long-term partner relationships.

4. Trade Sales, Marketing & Market Activation

• Develop and lead the company's trade-show, roadshow, webinar, sales-trip and FAM (familiarisation trip) strategy.
• Identify and engage targeted buyers and trade partners ahead of industry events.
• Ensure all trade activities have clear commercial objectives, measurable outcomes and structured post-event follow-up.
• Oversee sales-driven marketing initiatives, partner communications and trade marketing collateral.
• Work with relevant internal resources to ensure marketing activities support lead generation, brand positioning and revenue conversion.

5. Commercial Coordination, CRM & Reporting

• Work closely with the Reservations & Sales team to ensure alignment on product knowledge, pricing, margins, availability and quotation requirements.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date CRM records, account information and sales activity.
• Monitor and analyse sales performance across source markets, distribution channels and trade partners.
• Prepare regular commercial reports, pipeline updates and revenue forecasts.
• Identify opportunities for improved sales processes, market penetration and commercial performance.

6. Team Leadership

• Provide direction, guidance and support to the Marketing Assistant.
• Set clear priorities, responsibilities and performance expectations.
• Ensure marketing support activities are aligned with the broader sales strategy.
• Encourage accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement within the team.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

Performance will be measured against agreed commercial objectives, including:

• Revenue and gross profit margin achieved against targets.
• Qualified sales pipeline value and conversion rates.
• Accuracy of sales forecasts and commercial reporting.
• Number of new active trade accounts secured and revenue generated from new partnerships.
• Growth and productivity of the international trade database.
• Performance and return on investment from foreign representation partners.
• Conversion and revenue generated through trade shows, roadshows, sales trips and other trade activities.
• Key account engagement, relationship development and retention.
• CRM accuracy, consistency and overall sales administration standards.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 8–12 years' senior sales experience within the luxury African travel, safari, Destination Management Company (DMC) or high-end tour operating industry.
• An established and demonstrable international trade database, with existing relationships across the luxury travel sector. This is an essential requirement.
• A proven track record of generating substantial revenue, developing new source markets and converting international trade relationships into confirmed bookings.
• Strong understanding of international travel trade structures, foreign representation models, contracting, commission structures and distribution channels.
• Experience in managing key accounts and developing strategic international partnerships.
• Proven experience representing a travel business at international trade shows, roadshows, sales missions and FAM trips.
• Excellent presentation, communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to manage sales pipelines, analyse performance and prepare accurate forecasts.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong organisational and CRM management skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally as required.
• A relevant tertiary qualification will be advantageous; however, proven commercial performance, industry experience and the strength of the candidate's existing network will carry significant weight.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

This is a commercially demanding senior management position with direct accountability for revenue generation and business growth.

The successful candidate must be highly networked, commercially driven, proactive and confident in building relationships across international markets. They must be comfortable working independently, managing multiple trade relationships and delivering against measurable sales targets.

The role requires close collaboration with the Tanzania-based Reservations, Operations and Partnerships teams to ensure that sales initiatives are aligned with operational capabilities and the overall guest experience.

Frequent international travel, industry events, sales calls across different time zones and ongoing engagement with international trade partners will form an integral part of the position.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

This job description outlines the primary responsibilities and requirements of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties. Responsibilities may evolve in line with the operational and commercial requirements of the business.