Product Manager

Tauck is recognized as a world leader in deluxe escorted vacation tours, and they are seeking a Product Manager to lead and manage the design, preparation, and implementation of tour series programs. The role involves ensuring guest satisfaction, managing budgets, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance and develop new products.

Responsibilities:

• Own performance and execution of collection of tours, including tour design, continuous enhancement, choreography &implementation of all tour elements. Working closely with WWO Management for guidance on tour design, major enhancement & New Product development. Requires strong creative and logistics / planning talents and effective communication skills
• Lead annual contracting process for tours, collaborating/providing direction to the Purchasing team
• Proactively offer and recommend product enhancement and new product development opportunities
• For new products, establish and lead new product development, lead pre-season training/rehearsal travel, train TauckDirectors, develop technical itinerary detailing all operational elements, suppliers, update operational tour budget, create appropriate contracting information, and provide yield, sales and marketing support
• Assure that new suppliers are prepared to welcome Tauck guests, by arranging pre-con meetings
• Seek and incorporate feedback from internal & external customers (Operations, Purchasing, Reservations, Finance, TD’s andTD Management, Guest Relations, sales & guests) for tours in region
• Ensure all deadlines are met in Product Planning Calendar, which includes internal systems updates and broader companycommunications (e.g. training, creative review)
• Ensure that each tour meets or exceeds brand standards
• Provide accurate and timely information to all internal departments as necessary with day-to-day needs
• Owns cash management of the tour budget. Ensures accurate costs (cash and budgeted) are current in all systems.Communicates cash budget changes to TD/suppliers. Identifies and manages cost variances
• Partners with Yield & Finance to identify fixed costs and release penalties
• Meets or exceeds passenger, cost of sale, cash management and customer satisfaction goals. Responds to customer lettersand feedback in a timely manner
• Provide timely response/support to Crisis team during on-tour crisis
• Ensure tour components and guest experience follow local health & safety compliance
• Participate in weekend/off-hours duty coverage
• Owns the business travel planning calendar and budget for assigned tours/regions
• Additional responsibilities or skills may vary by region or type of tour (e.g. cruise knowledge, event development)
• For PM’s overseeing River or SSC products; o Oversee accuracy of sailing schedules, docking locations and ship deployments for all products and note such as required in all internal systems. o Coordinate and communicate with multiple tour director staff per tour departure (vs. one on land tours). o Plan tour components for up to 160 guests per departure using multiple coaches, Tauck staff and local guides. o Work closely with ship partners to ensure that Tauck Brand Standards for onboard meals, service and entertainment are met on all vessels

Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree in a business discipline and/or equivalent related applicable experience
• Past experience designing tours or events
• Ability to be flexible and work through multiple tasks concurrently, quickly and accurately
• Must possess outstanding interpersonal skills and develop partnerships with multiple departments
• Excellent time management skills and proven ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment
• Detail oriented and strong organizational and analytical skills
• Ability to adapt to new situations and maintain a positive attitude
• Proven technical/computer systems aptitude
• Proficient in MS Excel, Microsoft, PowerPoint
• Ops Manager, Mariposa, Web Contracting and iSeries a plus
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
• Excellent oral and written communications skills to communicate the Tauck brand
• Ability to travel up to 100 days per calendar year, and for extended periods as needed. By way of example, one month in destination for new product development or enhancement