G Adventures is the worlds largest small-group adventure travel company and weve been making epic travel memories happen on all seven continents for over 30 years.
Our mission is simple: to change lives through travel. And not just our travelers either. Since day one, our tours have been built to establish meaningful relationships with local communities, directly benefiting the people and places we visit at every step of our tours.
With the demand for travel coming back strong, we are set up and excited for this next chapter in our companys story and wed love for you to be a part of it.
Our DNA revolves around building, nurturing, and developing a diverse culture of people and a true sense of belonging, where everyone is encouraged to bring their authentic self to work each and every day. Youll have the opportunity to grow your career, and yourself, alongside a passionate, talented, and welcoming community that works hard to spread goodness around the world.
If all that sounds like your kind of thing, well, we cant wait for you to join us.
About The Role
The Product Manager, Africa works closely with the Boston Product team bridging local field expertise and local operational and supply chain realities to create an innovative and successful product offering. This role coordinates locally the work of Product with the local Operations and Buying teams to execute on the product strategy set by the Director to accelerate speed to market and innovation.
This role reports to the Director of Operations, Africa and the role is a hybrid role based out of South Africa, where a minimum number of days as set by the region, is required in the Cape Town office. Before you apply please consider whether this aligns to your location.
This role will work with local stakeholders (senior operations team, buying team, CEO management team, suppliers, and Planeterra) in identifying opportunities for new product development, product improvement, and product updates to recommend to the Director. Working closely with the Product Director and Product Specialist, will support securing all needed information to execute on new product development and product change. Responsible for the collaborative creation of draft itineraries and initial technical itineraries for review by the Director for approval. Working closely with Buyers and local Operations to ensure that the final technical itineraries and budgets for the stage gate process are completed correctly and on time. Ensuring that all services are identified, vetted and accurately described. Work closely with the Product Specialist in supporting the creation of accurate content that correctly represents the on the ground experience.
Additionally, the position will help support local Operations and Buying in site inspection, field research, supplier sourcing and vetting and other work required to provide the highest quality tours. This role is ideal for someone looking to create innovative, commercially viable and industry leading tours, all while working collaboratively with stakeholders.
This role is in place specifically to more quickly and robustly identify, help
create, and bring to market a variety of products that will continue to drive results to support the commercial needs of the business.
What You'll Be Doing
- Bridge the local knowledge gap between the Product team and the region.
- Work closely to communicate and execute on the product strategy for the region with the local senior leadership team in Operations and Buying.
- Own the execution of the stage gate process within the region.
- Identify and communicate trending destinations, activities or opportunities for new products in the region. Help make our product industry leading in each destination.
- Work with the Operations and Buying team to complete the stage gate for new and changed trips meeting production deadlines.
- Provide the Product Specialist with the needed information and content to write web, brochure and sales training content.
- Write initial content for draft itineraries and initial technical itineraries. Identifying all services that need to be budgeted and contracted by the buyers.
- Conduct site inspections, vendor brand training and product training as required.
- Identify opportunities for new optional activities and work with the Product Specialist to execute on the stage gate for the product. Initiating the contracting process with the buying team.
- Work with the Destination team on product improvement plans and NPS monitoring.
- Support global updates or audit requirements and action as necessary within the region as requested by the Product Team.
- Review and approve content change when appropriate, work with the Director for the region.
- Help support the travel style training and requirements within the region.
- Other tasks as needed and prioritized.
- 5+ years of experience, in tourism with a focus on product or operation and buying
- Advance English writing and grammar skills
- Ability to speak and write in a second language relevant to the region
- Extensive travel in multiple countries for the region
- Experience building product or running operations in the region
- Experience working collaboratively with other key stakeholders
- Advanced communication skills, both verbal and written
- Ability to move multiple projects ahead at the same time
- A team player that understands how to collaborate and build strong relationships
- Desire to be part and add to a very strong company culture
- Experience working with an international team and overseas is a plus
- Experience as a Tour Leader in the relevant region is a plus
- Competitive salary commensurate with the role
- Competitive benefits package
- Birthday day off
- Vacation time for you to recharge
- Enhanced Parental Leave
- Learning and growth opportunities
- Employee Resource Groups
G Adventures is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We consider all qualified applicants.
