Purchasing Manager - French Speaking (Travel & Tourism)Permanent | Office-Based£30,000 – £45,000 DOEMonday – Friday | 9:00am – 5:30pm
An established
B2B travel organisation specialising in
group and coach tours across Europe is looking to appoint a
Purchasing Manager to join its London-based team. This is a
replacement role, taking over from a long-standing team member who has been in post for over 11 years — offering an excellent opportunity to step into a well-structured, respected position within the business.
The role would suit an experienced Purchasing / Contracting professional, although
strong junior profiles with the right industry background will also be considered.
The Role This is a
hands-on, commercial purchasing role focused on
ground services and hotel contracting for European tours, primarily for
India-focused group travel.
Key responsibilities include:
- Contracting and negotiating with hotels, transport providers, attractions, and suppliers across Europe
- Managing and developing supplier relationships, including face-to-face meetings
- Attending UK and European tourism workshops and events (e.g. London, Paris, Italy)
- Overseas travel for supplier contracting during key periods (typically June–September)
- Market research, rate negotiations, and competitor analysis
- Working closely with internal teams to ensure smooth delivery of group tours
- Maintaining accurate contracting and purchasing records
This role requires flexibility to travel
2–3 months of the year, typically in short stints (e.g. one week at a time).
About You - Minimum 5 years’ experience within travel, tourism, or hospitality
- Previous experience in purchasing, contracting, or supplier negotiations
- Fluent French and English (additional European languages such as Dutch or German highly advantageous)
- Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills
- Comfortable attending face-to-face meetings with suppliers and industry contacts
- Organised, detail-focused, and commercially minded
- Confident IT skills including Excel and Microsoft Office
- Full, clean UK driving licence required
- Able to work in a fully office-based role
Additional Information - Office located a few minutes’ walk from Harrow-on-the-Hill station (Metropolitan Line)
- Interview process: video interview followed by face-to-face
- Supportive, collaborative team environment
- Role offers long-term stability and progression within the travel sector
