Product Design Specialist

**About Collette: Let Us Show You the World**

There has never been a better time to be in the travel industry. See the world, connect with others, and experience the immersive benefits of one of the trendiest industries when you join the Collette team As the longest-running tour operator in North America, our family-owned business leads the industry in innovation and expertise. Collette’s passionate team works hard to fulfill travel dreams and is always looking for talent that will help to shape the company’s future. Being part of the Collette team means having a willingness to grow, a desire to learn and ask questions, and a zest for seeing the world. From giving back to local communities to creating incredible experiences for a world of travelers and being part of a value-oriented team that cares for one another - Collette is all about the people. So, what are you waiting for? _Your journey starts here._

**Job Summary**:
The Product Design Specialist will be responsible for assisting the Design Managers in South Pacific and Asia with research for existing and new tour development. The incumbent will develop and maintain deep knowledge of travel trends and customer travel expectations, particularly in the guided travel market. A Design Specialist will be creative and ensure differentiated immersion experiences. Through mastery of their skills, the incumbent will ensure the highest level of quality and brand standards are adhered to at all times for all travel styles.

**Primary Functions**:
**Product Strategy**:

- Participate in assigned product region future strategy meeting. Share ideas on how to improve the product and other potential ways we could decrease sell price, increase customer excellence score and increase profit overall YOY.
- Work with Design Manager to understand land pricing goals required so that we can design and develop product to meet those goals through research and creative design thinking.
- Support the Design Manager with maintaining and updating select tour itineraries, package layout and vendor selections for select tour series and partner with the Product Buyer to communicate tour strategy for buying execution.
- Maintain an awareness of new travel trends, styles and destinations and work with Product Design Managers and Director to implement these trends/concepts into Collette’s product portfolio

**Research and Development**:

- Work with Design Manager’s to conduct research for select tour itinerary inclusions, this includes for all packages of your assigned territory. This would include: tour flow/pacing, daily time log, inclusions, choice on tour, dine around cities, wows on tour, local interactions, immersive experiences, etc.
- Conduct intensive research on new tour itineraries and concepts (as needed) as well as new product lines and travel stylesConduct research on potential vendors, including hotels, restaurants, gift shops, step-on guides, bus companies, any other included components and included and optional excursions.
- Research should be rooted in finding impactful and differentiated experiences that deliver optimum valueTravel to destination as needed to do on the ground research, conduct hotel, restaurant, sightseeing and other site visits as needed to be sure we have vetted product on the ground, in destination.
- Collaborate with Regional Destination Managers (RDM) and Tour Managers to help in-destination research when needed. This could be on new tour designs or assisting with finding hidden wows, new restaurants, improve or create new options, etc.
- Regularly review the product dashboard and guest surveys (as assigned) for product quality with hotels location, quality and customer service and any written information that can drive improvement on excellence overall on the survey.
- Study and review quality of meals throughout the tour.
- Identify and prioritize where improvements and necessary research should be conducted to improve overall tour quality.
- Conduct regular calls to past travelers, from all brands and channels, to understand consumer expectations, existing challenges, improvements and future of product concepts and innovations.
- Ride tours or partial tours to review quality, opportunities, potential challenges, interact with the guest and collaborate with the tour managers at least twice each year.
- Review all customer service letters to review consumer feedback and conduct research, as needed.

**Product Bundle Process**:

- In collaboration with the Design Manager, the Design Specialist would be responsible for compiling the assigned region pricing bundle with all required documents and material for a tour to be released.

**Sales, Marketing and Learning**
- Under the direction of Director of Product Design and the Design Manager, collaborate with Marketing Teams, Creative and Channel, on new tour launches, as well as new concept campaigns.
- Collaborate with the Marketing team on all channel communication and activities, this