Branch Manager - Vacation Travel - Remote

This position is open to remote work in the following approved states: WI, AL, AZ, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, LA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NC, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, WV

As one of Wisconsin’s largest travel companies, Fox World Travel has excellent perks for all Fox associates including but not limited to: competitive wages, flexible time off (vacation, sick, personal), FAM Dollars to help you explore the world, remote work, a full benefit package including medical, dental, vision, disability, company sponsored life insurance, tuition reimbursement, 401k contributions, end of year perks, and a fully engaged leadership team dedicated to treating associates like part of the family!

It is a priority that our associates demonstrate competence and character that inspires trust by integrating our core values into every action and decision. Our core values state: together we are stronger, demonstrating genuine care and concern to do what is right when no one is looking, with a focus on being curious, creative, and driven and having a work hard, play hard mentality.

A day in the life of the Vacation Travel Branch Manager may include:

• Ensuring proper human resources and company processes and policies are followed.
• Fostering effective communication with internal and external customers.
• Attending business development and travel shows, as well as other client, networking and vendor functions.
• Being innovative and recommending new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in efficiency of operations and services performed.
• When service issues are identified, recommending solutions or escalating the matter in a timely manner for support.
• Ensuring that members of the team are provided a platform to achieve their goals, whether developmental or role critical, by ensuring ongoing honest feedback (both positive and improvement related) is provided.
• Taking part in familiarization visits to new destinations in order to gain information on issues and amenities of interest to consumers.
• Maintain a favorable and collaborative working relationship with team members in all departments to foster an environment of trust and mutual respect. Drive standards and best practices whenever possible and effectively foster a culture of engagement.
• Executing disciplinary action up to and including termination.
• Providing internal communication with staff regarding vendor updates and Fox related priorities.
• Selling travel products and tour packages; sourcing products and destinations to meet consumer demands and working with our Fox Platinum Partners.
• Analyzing the P&L and other management reports to ascertain the growth of the agency and if needed, employing better work strategies to improve the business aspect of the branch, identifying and capturing all revenue opportunities with preferred suppliers.
• Other duties, projects and alternate assignments as determined by business need.
• Maintaining an optimum staffing schedule and monitoring shifts to always ensure proper staffing coverage.
• Developing and maintaining a strong support network with other peer leaders to ensure you are all striving to resolve local matters at a leader level, but while still sharing issues and solutions to the Director.
• Constantly motivating the sales team to hit their targets and ensure the profitability of the company, providing encouragement, regular coaching, and expectation setting.
• Maintaining an overview of trends and new initiatives within the travel industry and integrating into the strategy, as appropriate.
• Participating in the recruitment, selection and retention of team members, as well as payroll matters and team training.
• Remaining adept at selling techniques and knowledgeable about our products by:
  • Selling travel products and tour packages; sourcing products and destinations to meet consumer demands and working with our Fox Platinum Partners.
  • Taking part in familiarization visits to new destinations in order to gain information on issues and amenities of interest to consumers.
  • Dealing with customer inquiries and meeting their expectations.
  • Attending business development and travel shows, as well as other client, networking and vendor functions.
• Dealing with customer inquiries and meeting their expectations.
• Leading by example to reinforce superior customer service, professionalism, and alignment with One Fox Mission and Values.
• Providing continuous process improvements that lead to increased productivity and increased efficiency within the sales office operations.
• Driving standards and best practices whenever possible and effectively foster a culture of engagement.
• Developing associates toward achieving their professional goals by offering consistent constructive feedback through monthly 1:1’s, weekly team meetings and annual reviews.
• Updating knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks.
• Maintaining a high level of availability and responsiveness to staff needs. Providing the primary leadership role for any support needed for customer inquiries/complaints, phones, system connectivity, and other related issues/concerns.
• Effectively managing the sales office team, which may involve:
  • Maintaining an optimum staffing schedule and monitoring shifts to always ensure proper staffing coverage.
  • Developing associates toward achieving their professional goals by offering consistent constructive feedback through monthly 1:1’s, weekly team meetings and annual reviews.
  • Participating in the recruitment, selection and retention of team members, as well as payroll matters and team training.
  • Constantly motivating the sales team to hit their targets and ensure the profitability of the company, providing encouragement, regular coaching, and expectation setting.
  • Executing disciplinary action up to and including termination.
• Meeting and exceeding customer expectations by measuring and managing customer service to expected levels of performance related to various communication channels (chat, email, phone), NPS scores, employee engagement scores, productivity and providing value added solutions and recommendations.
• Providing guidance and training as related to industry knowledge (including supplier rules and regulations) to the sales force, as appropriate.
• Promoting positive team environment through our Fox Core Values.
• Ensuring and maintaining a work environment that attracts and retains high quality associates.
• Enhancing the organization’s reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

You’ll love this job if you have:

• Personal effectiveness/credibility.
• Customer-focus and service oriented.
• Problem analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Strong conflict management skills.
• Information gathering and analytical skills.
• Sound judgment and decision-making ability.
• Organizational, planning and research skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strategically oriented; ability to collaborate.
• Comfortably deal with highly complex situations.
• High level of communication proficiency – verbal and written; appropriate use of grammar.
• Flexibility: ability to work efficiently and effectively with frequent interruptions.
• Highly adaptive, change management and coaching skills.

This opportunity might be for you if you have:

• Ability to manage and work effectively in a team environment.
• Self-motivated; demonstrate initiative with a strong commitment to personal goals, self-development, objectives, and work ethic.
• Strong interpersonal skills and problem-solving ability.
• Strong knowledge and demonstrated proficiency of all Microsoft Office Applications.
• Ability to maintain work volume and quality consistent with expectations.
• Solid understanding of the sales and marketing process; strong business acumen.
• Possess effective listening skills with ability to determine root cause quickly, check for shared understanding and address misunderstandings promptly; solution driven.
• 3-plus years of related vacation travel sales experience with increasing levels of responsibility preferred.
• Ability to communicate with confidence and create a credible impression; maintain a favorable company image when interfacing with outside parties.
• High level knowledge of travel agency operations and procedures, travel industry, fares and markets.
• Ability to develop strong trusting relationships in order to gain support and achieve results.
• Ability to take ownership and exemplify Fox Core Values through all messaging to direct reports.
• Passionate about leisure travel.
• Ability to work flexible hours and work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities while demonstrating ability to remain flexible in a changing work environment.
• Ability to lead and coach successfully; prior managerial experience preferred.

Occasional business travel, overnight stays are required. Travel = less than 25% of time.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Note: The phrases “occasionally,” “regularly,” and “frequently” correspond to the following definitions: “Occasionally” means up to 1/3 of working time, “regularly” means between 1/3 and 2/3 of working time, and “frequently” means 2/3 and more working time.

While performing the duties and responsibilities of this position, the associate is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, climb, reach above shoulders, and move from place to place. The incumbent is frequently required to talk and listen and use hands to finger manipulate or handle. Specific vision requirements for this position include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

The incumbent may occasionally be required to lift up to 50 pounds

Incumbent must be able to travel by airplane, rail, boat and/or car at any given time as required by the position. Ability to drive to client and company locations.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an incumbent encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

For On-site and Hybrid Associates: Regular attendance is necessary to successfully perform this job; extended hours may be necessary from time to time. The incumbent works in an office environment where the noise level is low to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment including but not limited to computers, a headset, a mouse, a keyboard, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

For Work-At-Home Associates: Regular attendance is necessary to successfully perform this job;

extended hours may be necessary from time to time. This role routinely uses standard office equipment including but not limited to computers, a headset, a mouse, and a keyboard.

Occasional business travel, overnight stay may be required – up to 15%. Ability to drive to home inspection locations, if required.

If you share in our passion for teamwork, our vision to have culture, engagement, and innovation at the heart of all our initiatives, we want you to come soar with Fox World Travel! If you fit the description AND meet the qualifications, please don’t hesitate to apply online at www.foxworldtravel.com/careers.

Work hard, play hard and travel often with the Fox World Travel Team today!

Fox World Travel is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all associates to work.

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