Sales Manager
First Travel Solutions is the UK's leading provider of managed transport and is a division of FirstGroup plc. This role sits within our Private Hire operation. This area's specialism is providing our clients with private hire coach, minibus and managed taxi services, using only pre-approved suppliers who meet FTS's high quality standards. Our clients have a variety of industry sector backgrounds and our services could be in relation to BAU activities, events, conferences, training courses, educational trips or as a means of facilitating holidays and day-trips, etc. We operate on a nationwide basis and have ambitious growth plans. It is likely that this role will take direct responsibility for growing and managing a selection of business sectors matched to the applicants strengths and experience. The role consists of managing existing business accounts whilst also developing new clients within the given business sector, always seeking and exploiting opportunities as they present themselves. Profile building is also an import element of the role, and the successful candidate will be expected to represent FTS on industry groups and attend conferences and other business events to raise their profile.
Key responsibilities
Account Management and Business Development:
- Own and effectively manage the relationship between FTS and existing and new clients within a defined business sector.
- Develop and maintain a thorough knowledge of the client base and sales development pipeline, ensuring records are accurate on the Pipedrive CRM system.
- Develop and maintain an in-depth working knowledge of a client's operations and provide timely updates of any opportunity to expand their business or pre-warn of any factors which may diminish their business with FTS.
- Attend monthly contract review meetings, presenting monthly performance reports, KPI dashboards, highlighting trends and providing feedback on any challenges / investigations as part of the FTS Commercial Team.
- Identify challenges and opportunity around volume and margin targets and take decisive action with appropriate stakeholders.
- Accountability for the commercial arrangements i.e. maximisation of profitability through charging application / cost review, SLA compliance and service credit management
- Support and champion the FTS continuous improvement ethos (ISO accreditation)
- Work alongside the FTS teams and our key suppliers to develop plans to achieve the commercial and customer strategy and objectives of both sides
- Ensure records are kept to document meeting outputs and actions
- Develop and implement new initiatives to improve client engagement and standards.
- Drive efficiency through a prompt and professional handling of queries that impact the performance of the business
- Identify new processes and ways of working to drive quality and customer experience
- To introduce client satisfaction measurement.
- To liaise with our Operations and Compliance teams to identify process and workflow improvements to improve client satisfaction.
- To provide support as necessary to one-off major sporting / corporate event operations where required.
- To be flexible in the duties you carry out, which may vary from time to time depending on the needs of the business and your team.
- To support and deputise for the Head of Sales as required.
Skills & experience required
- Strong leadership capability
- Strong Organisational skills
- Able to engage and influence others
- Ability to present detailed information concisely
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Solution focused
- Strong communication, influencing and negotiating skills
- Customer focused and committed to service delivery
- Strong commercial awareness and evidence of business acumen
- Ability to create and analyse reports
- Self-motivated and able to work in a stand-alone role
- Account / sales / contract management
- Travel / tourism industry background + contact book
- Degree level desirable but not essential
- Must possess excellent numerical and written / grammar skills
- Ability to use spreadsheets and professional presentation software
- Valid UK driving licence
In return, we offer a fantastic selection of benefits once you've completed your probation period. They include:
- Free travel on our buses for you and your family
- Pension scheme
- The chance to buy discounted First shares.
- Discounted train travel for you and your family on ourtrain operators (GWR, SWR, TPE & Hull Trains).
- On top of this our rewards include First Xclusives where you and your family and friends can benefit from over 3,000 offers on a variety of goods and service
First Travel Solutions welcomes applications from a diverse range of candidates regardless of background, gender, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age. We aspire to be a diverse and inclusive organisation because we believe that diversity brings benefits for our customers, communities and our people. Valuing our differences and drawing on our collective knowledge and experience helps us develop new services, open up new markets and broaden our customer base.
We're making a big investment in the future and transforming the world of bus travel, which means now is the perfect time to join us!
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Controller
Location: Leeds
Salary: £20,500
Shift rotation: 8 hour shifts, 5 over 7 days
First Travel Solutions provide managed transport solutions to many of the UK's FTSE top 100 companies transporting over 1 million customers every year. We are committed to providing our customers with the very best service. Our primary objectives are to deliver a better experience through quality, safety, reliability and value for money.
Join us as a Controller in this vital, fast-moving role and you'll play your part in helping us do that. It's about working as part of our Control team within Leeds, where you'll book, manage and monitor transport services and emergency transport services for our customers in France.
Day to day, you'll be involved in the following:
- Responding to all FTS French operational customer requirements by booking emergency transport services within FTS pricing agreements.
- To manage, monitor and track all transport services in operation using the GTI system.
- Record and escalate as required any issues that may affect the safe or timely running of an operation, working within agreed KPIs.
- Liaise with French Operators to provide updates and information as required and in line with SLAs to ensure the effective running on all operations.
- Liaise with Coordinators regarding booking on/off shifts and carrying out the correct welfare checks procedure (where required).
- Maintain effective communication with Coordinators during the running of all operations to ensure that any required actions are put in place or escalated.
- Manage the provision of stand-by vehicles and record any changes.
- Completion of paperwork involved in the day to day running of the department.
- Work closely with all other FTS departments to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the business.
- To be flexible in the duties you carry out, which may vary from time to time depending on the needs of the business and your team.
Who we're looking for:
- Native/Excellent French Language skill essential
- Knowledge of French geography
- Customer focused and committed to excellent service delivery
- Professional telephone manner and excellent call handling skills
- Solution focused approach to dealing with complex information
- Ability to work as part of a team to resolve issues
- Works well under pressure
- Ability to prioritise workload, with high work volumes
- High level of attention to detail
- Empathetic and understanding manner
- Flexible attitude
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office packages, Auto Route, GTI
- Good geographical knowledge
- Familiar with railway and road transport regulations
In return, we offer a fantastic selection of benefits once you've completed your probation period. They include:
- Free travel on our buses for you and your family
- Pension scheme
- The chance to buy discounted First shares.
- Discounted train travel for you and your family on ourtrain operators (GWR, SWR, TPE & Hull Trains).
- On top of this our rewards include First Xclusives where you and your family and friends can benefit from over 3,000 offers on a variety of goods and service
First Travel Solutions welcomes applications from a diverse range of candidates regardless of background, gender, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age. We aspire to be a diverse and inclusive organisation because we believe that diversity brings benefits for our customers, communities and our people. Valuing our differences and drawing on our collective knowledge and experience helps us develop new services, open up new markets and broaden our customer base.
We're making a big investment in the future and transforming the world of bus travel, which means now is the perfect time to join us!
Apply now via this link to our Group Website.