Global Trade and DMC Facilitator

Collaborate with A&K’s international destination management offices and Field Sales teams to streamline the sales cycle process for all trade business from retail travel agencies. Maintain and update the global database of Travel Partners and Travel Advisors, driving engagement, conversion, and adoption to improve sales conversion rates. Ensure a high level of quality and accuracy throughout the booking process.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Manage source market requests to Destination Management Companies (DMCs), overseeing all aspects of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
• Review and validate proposals from DMCs to travel advisors, ensuring completeness, competitiveness, and accuracy.
• Follow up with travel advisors on bookings that have not converted within an appropriate timeframe.
• Collaborate with Field Sales, travel advisors, and/or DMCs to facilitate the conversion of large pending sales opportunities.
• Provide reports as needed to monitor OneIS/Travel Studio for DMC direct sales opportunities that need help converting or closing and follow up on these proposals with travel advisors.
• Track DBF activity in OneIS and DBF tracking report to monitor trends on sales conversion and resolution of DMC issues.
• Support the Field Trade Sales team by identifying and cultivating new DMC travel advisor accounts.
• Support global Field Sales teams in implementing solutions to drive process improvements and remove sales barriers.
• Determine optimal placement of requests that may fit already packaged A&K products and help facilitate the referral to TOC and closing of the sale.
• Assist DMCs and advisors in resolving issues related to the DMC payment portal, commissions/refund processing, documentation, guest relations, or service problems.
• Generate monthly conversion reports on sales.
• Support of EDST process and securing of extra services with DMCs as agents require
• Provide support to global company training strategies.
• Regularly scheduled database clean-up/management of travel partner profiles, travel advisor profiles and DMC bookings to ensure global alignment of data. Requires
• Test new features and functions within the OneIS system to assure it meets a minimum viability standard for use.
• Global Sales Administrator tasks and maintenance supporting global data quality around travel partner and travel advisor records.
• Special projects or other related duties as required

Skills and Abilities

• Experience working in or with Destination Management Companies internationally
• Sales qualification skills
• Sales closing ability with strong capacity to multi-task between multiple projects, while working to deadlines
• Thorough understanding of the DMC sales processes and components of proposal quotations and booking process for FITs (foreign independent travel)
• Thorough understanding of hotel and tour operating supplier rate structures
• Experience with Americas Retail agency markets
• Excellent time, organizational and project management skills required
• Extensive travel experience or living abroad is preferred
• Fluency in MS Office applications including Outlook, Word. PowerPoint and Excel
• Knowledge of CRM such as Sales Force and One IS

Special requirements

• Position is based in A&K USA’s office, currently located in Downers Grove, Illinois
• Evening and weekend availability may be required occasionally
• Some travel may be required occasionally

A&K offers a large portfolio of competitive benefits to all eligible, fulltime employees. Some benefits are provided at no cost to the employee, such as group life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and travel discounts through use of an IATAN Travel Professional card. Other elective benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, supplemental life insurance, pre-tax healthcare and dependent FSAs, and a 401(k) plan with generous company match.