Principal Account Manager At Sabre Corporation

Sabre is a technology solutions provider to the global travel and tourism industry.
It offers a broad range of technology solutions including, data-driven business intelligence, mobile, distribution and Software-as-a-Service solutions which are used by travel suppliers (airlines, hotels, car rental outlets, railways, cruise lines and tour operators) and travel buyers (travel agencies, travel management companies and corporate travel departments) to plan, market, sell, serve and operate their business.
In 2014, Sabre’s technology processed over $100 billion of estimated travel spending and more than 1.1 trillion system messages. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre employs approximately 10,000 people in approximately 60 countries around the world. We serve our customers through cutting-edge technology developed in six facilities located across four continents.
The company operates three brands/businesses: Sabre Airline Solutions, Sabre Hospitality Solutions and Sabre Travel Network

Sabre Travel Network
Travel and tourism is the world’s largest industry, employing 231 million people; it generates more than 737 billion dollars a year in the U.S. alone. At its center is the company that moves and shakes this global industry: Sabre Travel Network®.
We connect travel buyers and sellers through the world’s largest travel marketplace, the Sabre® global distribution system (GDS). And, through advanced technological solutions and services that are uniquely ours, we bring travel to life for millions of people each year.
Our marketplace is used by approximately 350,000 agents in 130 countries, tens of millions of corporate travelers and hundreds of millions of consumers. We link travel agencies and Travel Management Companies with more than 400 airlines, 100,000 hotels, 25 car rental brands, 14 cruise lines — every type of travel supplier under the sun — enabling them to create unforgettable experiences for travelers and fuel our industry. Our marketplace helps buyers shop, book and manage travel about 1 billion times each day — at times processing more than 60,000 requests every time your heart beats.

KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER, SOUTH AFRICA

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

• Responsible for the overall satisfaction, acquisition, retention & development of the assigned Accounts.
• Act as the link for all client needs, liaising/coordinating various departments to ensure customer support and satisfaction.
• Prepares and coordinates the major deals and maintains key customer contacts at senior levels
• Focus on deploying a superior account planning and a consultative sales methodology approach in order to maintain a high level of service and increased sales penetration to existing accounts.
• Under general direction, responsible for managing existing customer relationship/ contact and customer retention through renewals.
• Build, develop and maintain relationships with Account decision-makers to develop opportunities, maintain, and expand business within the accounts, visiting clients and performing product demos as required.
• Assume full responsibility for clients in portfolio.
• Assist the Commercial Director in Request for Proposal Response presentations to potential customers in order to acquire new Accounts.
• Gathers the market intelligence covering competitors’ products and sales strategies
• Maintain a high level of current knowledge of the product portfolio and the benefits of specific products for Accounts as well as of other account-specific information (trends, strategy, competitors, pricing, etc.).

Desired Skills and Experience

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:

• University degree, MBA an asset.
• Proven experience in account management
• Experience in managing business relationships and driving growth with customers.
• Commercial expertise – Ability to build and implement an integrated Account Development Plan. Track record of Account management including complex negotiations within very competitive environments.
• Extensive experience in selling services / products in service industries with intensive use of technology
• Proven ability to quickly understand and analyze complex technical requirements and business needs.
• Excellent presentation skills. Experience of designing and delivering training programs an advantage.
• Pro-active team player who understands collaboration and sharing.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, entrepreneurial organization, both in a team and in an independent environment.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills with the courage and willingness to challenge the status quo to drive business objectives.
• Extensive experience and network in the tourism/travel/leisure & business travel industries
• Open to change with experience of change management, innovation and transformation initiatives in a technology driven environment.
• Fluency in English.