Account Director - UAE

Accommodations Plus International (API) is the recognized industry leader in providing crew hotel and ground transportation travel technology & service solutions to commercial airlines. Established in 1984 as a small regional company, API has grown into a global provider serving 100+ airlines globally supported by 23 locations around the world and employing over 1000 full time associates.

As a result of increased demand for our services, we are experiencing great growth and will be looking to add a professional individual who would like to join us in our new office in Abu Dhabi.

Summary/Objective 
API is currently seeking an experienced Account Director  to join our company. The  responsibilities include establishing and maintaining existing client relationships within our growing network of Airline and Hotel partners with the sole purpose of generating strategic growth, through exceptional procurement delivery.

This position requires strategic vision to identify and interpret market trends and set appropriate hotel sourcing strategies. Along with excellent negotiation skills, extensive contracting experience and strong team management you will be able to deliver aggressive savings targets to provide maximum value to our customers whilst developing and maintaining progressive supplier relationships.

We would expect you to be a leader who is a strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen, customer focus and the ability to engage effectively with a broad range of stakeholders and partners to deliver business outcomes and the ability to communicate at a senior level. You will have 7+ years’ experience in procurement performing sourcing initiatives.

You’ll need to demonstrate a strong understanding of supplier relationship management, including supplier continuous improvement processes, tools and techniques with current knowledge of best practice strategic sourcing and the hotel marketplace.  

Essential Functions: (Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Client Relationship

·         Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders at all levels within the airline and hotel partners.

·         Communicate and meet with major clients on a regular basis to ensure that API deliverables are met.

·         Create client sourcing strategy based on solid market insights

·         Report on strategy and savings matrix for nominated accounts

·         Strive to create increased value for the client by providing new points of view and recommendations that are aligned with desired business goals.

·         Develop and deliver strategic account objectives.

·         Suggest solutions and innovative ideas to meet client needs

·         Handle complaints and problems in a timely and effective manner.

·         Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual reports and budget forecasts for client.

Site Inspections

·         Prepare and conduct site inspections domestically and international when required to ascertain suitability for airline in line with minimum requirements.

·         Where necessary, conduct virtual site inspections to assess a hotels suitability

·         Effectively manage union relationships as part of the site inspection process

Day to Day Account Management

·         Provide strategic leadership to expand opportunities within assigned accounts.

·         Communicate to the Vertical Leader on client performance, strategies and needs.

·         Coordinate and manage weekly meetings with designated airline to ensure sourcing deliverables remain on target and airline sign off approval processes are followed.

·         Maintain action log to ensure all parties are aware of action points and follow up resolve points are understood, leading weekly meeting to review with the airline and internally

·         Support and help prepare client communications ranging from weekly performance meetings to business reviews.

·         Assist the Research & Sourcing team in ensuring all details of a destination presentation are accurate and offered to the airline for review.

·         Document, trouble shoot and resolve operational and sourcing events

·         Become knowledgeable with API’s technology platforms for the Account Management department.

·         Maintain spreadsheets and update databases as required.

·         Support Director or Account Management on assigned projects as requested in line with the growth of the business.

Responsibilities

·         Support other Account Managers/Directors to ensure the correct process, client focus, and communication is conveyed to create exemplary performance for the client.

·         Manage multiple projects and facilitate their success from the original concept to the final implementation.

·         Provide organization, direction and coordination for business reviews, ensure savings matrix is maintained accurately .

·         Support Vertical Leader by providing coaching of other Account Managers/Directors and identifying areas for growth and training opportunities.

·         Hold weekly planned individual conference call with team members to review current work load

Key accountability's

·         Develop and implement strategic category management plans

·         Manage the central repository for contracts (salesforce), including activity planning and the timely execution of contracts.

·         Obtain data from varied sources to identify and support fact-driven opportunities. Ensure analysis is accurate, comprehensive and robust.

·         Conduct market analysis to drive hotel sourcing strategies.

·         Conduct risk analysis to continually review contracts and market opportunities and take action as required.

·         Share market knowledge and experience with other team members to support the success of other airline accounts.

·         Develop, implement and manage an appropriate SRM Strategy across your clients hotel and ground transport supplier programme

Systems requirements

MyCrewCare

·         Manage crew member feedback via our online portal for all assigned accounts ensuring any complaints are addressed in a timely fashion accordingly with our hotel partners and documented.

·         Identify where supplier performance management is required and implement performance improvement plans where necessary

·         Ensure the team add new hotels to the system and ensure all information is accurate.  

HotelExpress