Contracts and Rates Specialist
When a traveller watches the sun rise over the Serengeti or listens to the roar of a lion in the Kruger, they think it’s magic. But you know better. You know that unforgettable travel experiences aren’t just born; they are meticulously crafted, negotiated, and hardcoded into reality.
At Innovation Advance, we are thrilled to be partnering with one of the most respected, established names in the Destination Management (DMC) space to find their next Contracts and Rates Specialist. This position is not considered a standard data-loading job; it is a pivotal role acting as the logistical backbone of a premium Product Team.
What’s In It For You?
Let’s skip the standard laundry list of “must-haves” and talk about what this career move actually means for your growth, your impact, and your daily life:
- A Seat at the Strategy Table: You aren’t just capturing data. You will be actively researching new properties, spotting market trends, and collaborating on developmental projects that shape how African travel is delivered.
- The Ultimate Product Playground: If you know the Southern African travel landscape, this is your canvas. You’ll be working with some of the finest luxury lodges, boutique hotels, and experience providers in the industry.
- Get Out of the Office: Our client believes you can’t manage what you don’t know. You will have opportunities to attend industry training, product presentations, and trade shows, as well as embark on educational/familiarization trips to experience the magic firsthand.
- Master the Tech Frontier: Elevate your career by supporting the cutting edge of travel tech, working closely with API integrations and optimizing how Tourplan connects world-class suppliers to global agents.
- A Culture of Autonomy & Impact: You will be the go-to expert solving complex puzzle pieces between Product, Reservations, and Finance. Your vigilance directly protects revenue and ensures global agents experience absolute seamlessness.
What You’ll Actually Be Doing
Think of yourself as the Air Traffic Controller of travel products. Your mission involves:
- The Art of the Deal: Nurturing incredible relationships with top-tier suppliers, reviewing seasonal contracts, and helping negotiate the best possible rates, overrides, and exclusive value-adds.
- The Blueprint Maker: Ensuring that complex terms (child policies, cancellation clauses, guide rates) are translated perfectly into the Tourplan system, eliminating friction before a booking is even made.
- The Gatekeeper: Catching discrepancies and revenue leakage before they happen, keeping Agent Portals pristine and accurate.
- The Trend Spotter: Keeping your finger on the pulse of competitor products and current affairs affecting Southern African tourism.
Who You Are
You love the travel industry, but your superpower lies in the details. You get a genuine sense of satisfaction when a complex spreadsheet balances perfectly, or when a messy supplier contract is neatly untangled.
The Non-Negotiables:
- You have a Travel & Tourism qualification and 3+ years of experience in the DMC or Tour Operating space.
- You are a Tourplan Wizard. Whether your experience is in Product Setup/Loading (absolute first prize) or as an FIT Reservations Consultant/Destination Specialist, you speak Tourplan fluently.
- You can read between the lines of a supplier contract with ease and have a strong grasp of Southern African geography and hospitality products.
- Your Microsoft Excel skills are sharp, your English grammar is flawless, and your attention to detail is borderline obsessive.
Ready to build the future of African travel?
If you are a results-oriented team player who thrives in a fast-paced environment and wants to see your logistical expertise translate into real-world adventures, we want to hear from you.
