Head of Operations DMC

About the Company:Almosafer (part of Seera Group) Saudi Arabia’s Leading Travel Company

Elevating the journey for travelers from Saudi Arabia, the region & beyond, while harnessing Seera Group’s 40+ years of expertise, Almosafer supports Saudi Arabia’s vision as a national champion for tourism. Almosafer creates opportunities for outbound, leisure, and religious travel, whilst serving B2C and B2B customers, partners, and suppliers with state-of-the-art travel solutions, a digital-first mindset, and travel advisory.

About the Job: This role will be directly responsible for the effective management of the Discover Saudi Operations unit, ensuring consistently high levels of service in order to maintain the company’s image, grow the business and increase its market share, according to the long- term strategy defined by the senior management of the company. The job holder will be responsible for the set-up of systems and procedures to ensure constant service delivery levels throughout the various cities and offices within the kingdom.

Responsibilities:

• Directly responsible for the operating performance and achievement of the Operations unit’s revenue targets and profitability set for the financial year, as well as for the budgeting and effective utilisation of overhead expenses, manpower resources and capital expenditure
• Collaborate with the COE team for the contracting of all commercial items and third party suppliers related to the operation. Responsible, in conjunction with the Procurement team for the contracting and purchase of all products and services required by the Operations department, including vehicles and operational equipment. A careful balance is required between the high quality of products and competitive pricing, in order to satisfy both Discover Saudi guest expectations and the competitiveness of the company’s products
• Actively and permanently pursue the improvement of productivity and performance in the Operations section to ensure that: employee performance and motivation is consistent with corporate standards; Costs are kept under control and within budgets, to maximise revenue; Unit costs are maintained or reduced. These measures will encompass both the organisation structure of the section and the optimised use of systems
• Ensure optimum service delivery by all units within the Discover Saudi operations section, in order to enhance Discover Saudi’s image and to further gain market share. The related development of operating standards will cover all products and services, including both the back-office functions and the delivery of services in the field
• Actively pursue the improvement of safety measures in all aspects of Operations, in order to: minimise the company’s exposure to accidents and potential liability, for both staff and customers; comply with strict overseas consumer protection laws; further improve Discover Saudi’s image as the leading DMC in that respect
• Establish and manage contacts at the highest levels with local authorities, government officials and suppliers, in order to enhance the company’s image, to facilitate the operation of large or special projects and to maintain Discover Saudi’s edge over its competitors
• Actively participate in the promotion of Saudi Arabia and of Discover Saudi’s services with potential clients as well as with the media
• In liaison with the various Discover Saudi and Almosafer units, to constantly seek to develop new products for the Tour Operator (FIT & GIT) market, MICE, and Domestic segments

Profile Requirements: 

• Business Administration or ten years’ experience with a proven track record in the travel or leisure industry
• Experience in the Travel or Tourism Industry, with at least five years in a senior management position in Operations
• In-depth knowledge of the functioning of all units within a Destination Management Company
• Clear knowledge and understanding of the tourism industry
• Detailed destination knowledge
• Strong team leader skills
• Proven track record in managing supplier relationships, including purchasing/contracting
• A proven capability to organise, distribute and complete work within a multinational and multicultural environment
• Capability to understand the big picture with analytical problem-solving skills 
• Capable of leading and performing well under pressure
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in both Arabic & English
• Proactive and flexible approach, including being available in an emergency situation
• The role will involve networking and building relationships with clients, suppliers and government departments including attending social events outside of ‘normal’ office hours

Being you @ Almosafer:At Almosafer we strongly believe in diversity and equal opportunities for all candidates. We do not discriminate based on any characteristic and follow fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. Join our inclusive work environment.