Sales Manager

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Who Are We?

Overland Tours is a dynamic, family run tour operator creating unique and authentic small group, private and self-drive travel experiences.

Established in 2014, we have grown from a love of adventure and discovery into an ambitious Irish owned tour company with experiences across Ireland, Portugal and Scotland.

We pride ourselves on our personal approach, exceptional service and carefully designed itineraries that bring our guests closer to the places, people and culture of the destinations they visit.

This is an exciting time to join our team as we continue to grow our tours, markets and international presence.

What Is the Role?

We are looking for an experienced, commercially driven Sales Manager to take ownership of our day-to-day sales function, lead and support our sales team and play a key role in the day to day running of our Galway office.

This is a hands-on management role for someone who can drive sales, manage performance and keep the team focused on converting opportunities into bookings, while also providing strong day-to-day leadership across the office.

We are looking for someone who is proactive, commercially minded and confident making decisions, someone who takes ownership, solves problems and keeps things moving rather than waiting for direction.

Working closely with the General Manager, you will be trusted to manage the day-to-day sales operation, support the wider team, oversee key customer and supplier matters and make sound decisions within your area of responsibility.

Above all, we are looking for someone who can lead people, drive sales and take responsibility.

What Are the Key Responsibilities?

Sales Management & Performance

• Take ownership of the day-to-day management and performance of the sales function.
• Lead the sales team to achieve individual and company sales, revenue and conversion targets.
• Drive sales across our scheduled small-group tours, private tours and other travel products.
• Ensure incoming enquiries are responded to quickly, professionally and with a strong focus on conversion.
• Monitor leads, open quotes and follow-ups to ensure no valuable sales opportunity is missed.
• Oversee sales activity across direct and third-party channels, including OTAs.
• Support and oversee complex private and tailored tour enquiries, ensuring proposals are accurately costed, commercially sound and actively followed through to conversion.
• Monitor booking pace, pipeline, conversion rates and sales performance, identifying areas where additional action is required.
• Support the pricing and costing of tours, regularly reviewing selling prices, costs and margins to ensure tours remain commercially competitive and achieve agreed profitability targets.
• Actively manage and yield tour inventory based on demand, booking pace, availability and sales performance, identifying opportunities to optimise pricing, occupancy and revenue.
• Identify underperforming tours, dates or products and work with the General Manager on pricing, promotions and other actions to stimulate sales.
• Encourage upselling and cross-selling opportunities where appropriate.
• Maintain a strong commercial focus on revenue, conversion and profit margins.
• Continuously look for ways to improve sales processes, follow-up and overall conversion.
• Support other areas of the business as required, taking on additional responsibilities and projects in line with the evolving needs of the company.

Team Leadership & Office Management

• Manage, support, motivate and develop the sales team.
• Be a key point of contact for the team when questions, challenges or decisions arise.
• Play an active role in the smooth day-to-day running of the Galway office.
• Make confident and sensible day-to-day decisions within the responsibilities of the role.
• Take ownership of issues and see them through to resolution rather than allowing them to stall.
• Set clear expectations around sales targets, follow-up, customer service and accountability.
• Hold regular sales meetings and individual performance check-ins.
• Coach team members to develop their sales confidence, product knowledge and commercial awareness.
• Recognise strong performance and address areas where standards or targets are not being met.
• Identify problems early and take proactive action to resolve them.
• Ensure agreed processes and standards are followed across the team.
• Escalate significant commercial, operational or customer matters to the General Manager where appropriate while taking ownership of routine day-to-day decisions.
• Help create a positive, organised and accountable office environment where the team communicates well and works together.

Guest Experience & Customer Care

• Oversee the guest journey from initial enquiry through to pre-departure and post-tour communication, ensuring a consistently high standard of customer care.
• Ensure guest communications, itineraries and relevant tour information are accurate, clear and delivered on time.
• Review guest and guide feedback to identify recurring themes and opportunities to improve the guest experience.
• Manage and respond to customer complaints professionally and promptly, taking ownership of issues and finding appropriate solutions.
• Support the team with complex guest enquiries or situations requiring management input.
• Work closely with operations and the wider team to ensure guest feedback is acted upon and improvements are implemented.
• Ensure the personal service and attention to detail that Overland Tours is known for is maintained throughout the customer journey.

Supplier & Operational Coordination

• Oversee accommodation, activity, transport and other supplier bookings as required as part of the sales and booking process.
• Work closely with accommodation providers, activity suppliers, transport partners and guides to ensure bookings and arrangements are accurate and confirmed.
• Maintain strong, professional relationships with key suppliers and partners.
• Support tour costings, pricing and supplier negotiations, ensuring commercial considerations and margins are taken into account.
• Work closely with the operations team to ensure a smooth transition from sales through to tour delivery.
• Ensure accurate information is communicated between sales, operations, suppliers and guides.
• Identify and resolve supplier or operational issues proactively, taking ownership and making appropriate day-to-day decisions.

CRM, Pipeline & Reporting

• Take ownership of the sales pipeline and ensure CRM records are accurate and up to date.
• Ensure every active lead and opportunity has a clear next action and follow-up.
• Monitor lead sources, conversion rates, lost business and booking trends.
• Use CRM and sales data to identify opportunities and areas requiring attention.
• Track key sales KPIs and provide regular performance updates to the General Manager.
• Provide sales forecasts and insights to support commercial decision-making.
• Continuously improve sales systems and processes to increase efficiency and conversion.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who:

• Is a proactive self-starter who takes ownership and responsibility.
• Is commercially driven and motivated by sales, targets, conversion and results.
• Has strong people management skills and enjoys being hands on with a team.
• Is confident making decisions and using their own judgement.
• Doesn't need to wait for approval on every day-to-day issue.
• Can identify problems and opportunities and take action.
• Is comfortable managing a busy sales pipeline and multiple priorities.
• Can coach, motivate and hold a team accountable while remaining approachable and supportive.
• Has excellent communication, organisation and customer-service skills.
• Has strong attention to detail.
• Brings solutions and ideas, not just problems.
• Thrives in a busy, fast-moving environment where no two days are exactly the same.

Experience & Skills

• Minimum 3 years' experience in a sales, sales management or commercially focused role.
• Previous sales experience with a tour operator, travel company or similar tourism business is highly desirable.
• Previous experience managing, supervising or coaching a sales team.
• Experience working to sales, revenue and conversion targets.
• Strong experience managing leads, follow-up and a sales pipeline.
• Experience using CRM systems; HubSpot or similar would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of OTAs, tour operators, travel advisors and travel distribution channels would be beneficial.
• Knowledge of the North American travel market would be an advantage.
• Excellent knowledge of Ireland as a destination.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills.
• A third-level qualification in tourism, business or a related area, or equivalent relevant industry experience, would be an advantage.

Why Work for Us?

• Competitive salary with a performance related bonus.
• Full-time, permanent position based in our Galway office.
• A genuine opportunity to take ownership of the day-to-day sales function.
• The opportunity to lead and develop a growing sales team.
• Travel perks, including opportunities to experience our tours first hand.
• A collaborative, supportive and ambitious working environment.
• The opportunity to play a key role in the continued growth of an Irish owned tour company.

At Overland Tours, you will be joining a passionate team at an exciting stage of growth.

If you're someone who enjoys being at the centre of a busy sales team, is confident making decisions and gets satisfaction from seeing both people and sales performance improve, we would love to hear from you.

Application question(s):

• If successful, when would you be available to start? Please include any notice period you would need to give.
• This is a full-time, in-person position based in our Galway office. Are you available to work on-site in Galway?
• Please tell us about your experience managing, supervising or coaching a sales team. What was the size of the team, what were your responsibilities, and how did you support and improve their performance?
• Please give an example of how you have managed a sales pipeline and improved lead follow-up or conversion. What actions did you take and what was the outcome?
• What are your salary expectations for this role?

Work Location: In person