In association with: Jet2.com and Jet2holidays
As Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ contracting team continues to grow, the operator’s director of contracting and strategic hotel relationships, John Taylor, shares what life is like on the team – and highlights all the exciting opportunities available
Q: What does your role involve?
A: I have overall responsibility for Jet2holidays’ contracting strategy, with particular focus on growth plans. To help the company grow, I identify and develop key hotel partner and agency relationships, which are the lifeblood of what we do. I am proud to run a department where everyone is committed to developing such strong commercial relationships.
Q: How did you get started in the world of tour operators, and how did you progress?
A: I originally embarked on a career in accountancy, but I quickly realised that I was far more suited to the social aspects of working in travel. My first role in the industry was driving a minibus across Europe to the Greek islands. Then I became a rep at Thomson Holidays and progressed from there.
Q: What are the core skills needed to succeed in contracting?
A: Patience and a great sense of humour are essential! Attention to detail, ability to multitask and a willingness to listen to and understand others’ points of view are also vital skills. We strongly believe that we need to be both present and open-minded when communicating with colleagues and external partners. We deal with a wide variety of people from all walks of life across many different countries, so remaining culturally aware is vital.
Q: How long have you worked for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays?
A: I joined the company in 2012. Since then, it’s been fantastic to watch the company grow from transporting around 200,000 passengers, with just four in the contracting team, to where we are today. Our most recent Atol licence is for more than 6.7 million, and we now have around 70 people in the contracting team – quite a change from when I first joined.
Q: Can you describe a typical day in the office?
A: There’s no such thing as a typical day when you work in contracting! I often set out a plan for the day, which totally changes when I arrive at the office because, in contracting, we must be flexible and take responsibility to deliver what the business expects from us. We are also heavily focusing on recruitment at the moment. The department has almost doubled over the past year, and we have undergone a restructuring that has led to more opportunities within the department. This is great news not only for our existing colleagues, but also for new joiners looking to advance their career working for the UK’s biggest and best tour operator.
Q: What makes Jet2.com and Jet2holidays a great place to work?
A: Personally, I’ve always found the company to promote an incredibly friendly and open atmosphere. When I speak to our new colleagues, they overwhelmingly comment on the fresh, friendly approach that we have in the office, and the motivation and passion of all members of the team who strive to deliver exceptional customer service. We work in an open-plan office, which allows for constant interaction across the business. We truly work as one team to deliver the “package holidays you can trust” that our customers expect.
Q: What does the future hold for the contracting team at Jet2holidays?
A: Growth, growth and more growth! As the business expands, we are focused on the continued development of the contracting department and of our team. We know that we have the best contracting team in the industry, and we are excited to bring new talent on board to join us on our journey.
Q: What exciting things are on the horizon for Jet2holidays?
A: We have our 11th base launching in Liverpool in the summer of 2024 – this will mean that around 51 million people will live within 90 minutes of one of our bases. We are also launching Morocco as an exciting new destination from October 2024. There may be more exciting news yet to come!
Q: Why should someone join the contracting team?
A: The Jet2holidays contracting team offers a fulfilling, exciting career with lots of growth opportunities within the UK’s biggest and best tour operator. The roles bring a range of benefits in addition to the base salary, and Jet2holidays has been voted by employees as one of Glassdoor’s best places to work.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays are currently recruiting for a variety of contracting roles to help support the company’s rapid growth. From entry-level contractors up to general manager roles, there will be a range of opportunities listed in the near future, so keep an eye out for more information at Jet2careers.com
PICTURES: Jet2.com and Jet2holidays