Group Air Planner

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) equips companies of all sizes with the insights, tools, services and expertise they need to keep their travelers informed, focused and productive while on the road. With approximately 14,000 employees and operations in nearly 140 countries worldwide, American Express GBT empowers customers to take control of their travel programs, optimizing the return on their travel and meetings investments, while, more importantly, providing extraordinary traveler care.

We’re moving faster than ever and introducing new products, services, and strategies that will revolutionize the travel industry and bring greater value to our business customers. Our clients’ success expands our success, so we put our heart and soul into helping our clients achieve results that exceed all expectations. As the world’s largest travel management company, we are continuing to build alliances with key travel leaders and suppliers throughout the world, strengthening our position as a quality provider to companies of all sizes.

We are committed to ensuring that our global workforce experiences a culture of belonging that leverages the diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives of our colleagues, clients, partners and communities, to foster a high performing multicultural and inclusive organization. We believe that a culture where everyone feels engaged, has a voice, and is empowered to achieve their full potential, is core to our purpose and success.

A Group Air Consultant must be experienced in booking Individual Air/Rail + Group Air/Rail travel, responsible for group movements ranging from 10 to 2000+ people.

This will involve research and negotiation with airlines & rail suppliers for group allocation of seats, agreeing to supplier contracts as well as managing the seats and keeping to the supplier’s deadlines, additionally, All groups will require experience of published IATA & consolidator individual fares bookable via the GDS (preferably Sabre).

All enquires will be managed through a defined process from meeting qualification call and initial proposal to post project financial reconciliation, respecting customer and American Express Meeting & Events standards, procedures and policies.

**Responsibilities**:
- Management of multiple client’s events, from 10 people up to 1000’s including all aspects of T4M & Group Travel- Deliver outstanding service based on the clients Event Brief including research, budgets, policies, negotiation, and management of Suppliers- Planning, coordination, and execution of group Air travel- Communicate confidently amongst peers to share best practice- Achieve targeted financial results whilst delivering high quality service and demonstrate significant savings on client spend. Financial management throughout the life cycle of the booking.- Undertake continuous self-development and training.- Able to work on own initiative and within a team.- Negotiation (Financial, Contractual etc.) with suppliers- Communication with booking owners- Accurate and timely data management- Logistical coordination of the event- Maximizing of revenue per event and understanding of overall contribution to revenue and P&L- Budget reconciliation per event- Sound Company product knowledge and ability to cross sell products where possible- Financial and Data Reporting per event, per client- Additional duties as requested

Qualifications, Skills & Knowledge- Knowledge of the airline industry- Previous group or business travel experience preferred- Group and or published airline ticketing experience an advantage- GDS: Group and individual reservations: Sabre Preferable- MS Office user- Negotiation and contracting skills- Fluent Business English- Customer care excellence- Minimum of 1-3 years’ experience in Group or Individual Flight booking- Flexibility and Ability to adapt- Able to work well in a Team- Used to working under pressure- High level of attention to detail

Job specific tasks

The Group Air role contains all or some of the following tasks:
- Understand and meet Client Service Level Agreements (SLA if applicable)-
- Identify appropriate transportation options according to client needs- Creation of Client Event Proposal- Follow R-Max preferred suppliers’ program- Communication with suppliers- Confirm and manage supplier deadlines- Reminders to customer on supplier deadlines- Negotiate Group fares and conditions- Secure enquiry owner approval on budget and terms & conditions of suppliers- Collect required data according to customer policies (POs )- Secure contracts from suppliers to be signed if applicable- Sign contracts with suppliers- Utilising registration web site tools, capturing delegates’ information and sending flight offers/confirmations directly, managing delegate changes and updates is also an advantage.

POST EVENT- Refund unused flights where possible- Prepare actual budget with final cost reconciliation
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