Head of Sales

Job description

About Go2Africa Go2Africa is a leading Africa-based tour operator, trusted by travellers for over 25 years to design journeys that are seamless, personal, and deeply connected to the African continent. Every journey is crafted by a dedicated Africa Safari Expert who knows the landscape, has walked the trails, stayed in the camps, and built long-standing relationships with the people who bring each experience to life. From first enquiry to returning home, Go2Africa is known for its care, attention to detail, and ability to create safari adventures that stir the soul. This commitment to quality has earned us thousands of five-star reviews and recognition from industry leaders such as Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and the World Travel Awards. At the heart of it all is our purpose to use travel as a force for good. As part of Nawiri Group, every journey with Go2Africa helps support the vast wilderness ecosystems our guests travel to, and communities who call them home. The Role The Head of Sales drives Go2Africa’s revenue growth and sales, leading strategy, teams, and processes to improve conversion, profitability, and customer experience while delivering sustainable growth. Key Areas of Responsibility Strategy Together with the Director of Sales & Operations, translate Go2Africa business strategy into sales strategy with clear objectives aimed at achieving revenue, profitability and conversion targets. Develop and execute annual, quarterly and monthly sales plans and performance objectives. Contribute to strategic planning, forecasting, budgeting and business growth initiatives. Collaborate with senior leadership across the Nawiri Group to align sales initiatives with broader business objectives. Drive strategic transformation initiatives that improve scalability, operational efficiency and customer experience. Sales Leadership Provide day-to-day leadership to the sales team. Lead and develop the Sales Manager/s, Sales Enablement Team, and African Safari Experts. Develop KPIs and scorecards for individual sales team members and manage performance accordingly. Establish a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and customer excellence. Identify sales and product knowledge gaps and implement coaching, mentoring and development plans. Lead recruitment, onboarding and retention initiatives to ensure a high-performing sales team. Conduct regular performance reviews and succession planning activities. Commercial Performance Responsibility for team sales performance against revenue, gross profit and conversion targets. Drive continuous improvement in enquiry-to-booking conversion rates. Monitor and optimize product mix in line with agreed product strategies and profitability objectives. Identify commercial opportunities to increase revenue and gross profit performance. Monitor key sales metrics and implement corrective actions where necessary. Develop and manage annual and monthly sales targets for individual team members. Sales Operations & Pipeline Management Responsibility for the management and hygiene of the HubSpot Sales Pipeline. Oversee the complete sales funnel from lead generation and qualification through to conversion. Monitor lead quality and implement initiatives to improve sales efficiency. Utilize sales analytics and reporting to identify bottlenecks and conversion opportunities. Drive continuous improvement of sales processes and systems. Ensure effective utilization of HubSpot Sales Hub Enterprise and related technologies. T echnology, Automation & Innovation Support the implementation and adoption of AI and automation initiatives within the sales function. Drive the use of technology to improve lead qualification, lead allocation, lead nurturing and customer engagement. Support the implementation of automated quotation and sales enablement tools. Encourage adoption of new technologies and innovative ways of working across the sales team. Work closely with Sales Enablement to maximize productivity and sales effectiveness through technology. Customer Experience Together with the Director of Sales & Operations, drive initiatives aimed at improving customer satisfaction and Net Promoter Scores (NPS). Ensure exceptional customer service standards throughout the sales journey. Monitor customer feedback and implement improvement initiatives. Drive a customer-centric culture within the sales team. Operational Leadership Work closely with operations leadership to improve organizational effectiveness and team collaboration. Support operational transformation projects and change management initiatives. Contribute to shared services initiatives and cross-functional business improvement projects. Ensure effective planning and communication during operational transitions and business change initiatives. People Development Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. Partner with the Sales Enablement Manager to deliver effective onboarding, training and development programmes. Coach and mentor team members to improve individual and team performance. Support leadership development and career progression across the sales team. Qualifications • Tertiary degree or diploma in a related field. Experience and knowledge Knowledge Of: Africa and Indian Ocean Islands tourism. Online sales. HubSpot Sales Hub (Enterprise). MS Office, including Excel. Customer service strategy development. Coaching and mentoring. Business and financial acumen. Market and competitor analysis. Sales automation technologies AI applications in sales environments Sales performance analytics CRM optimization and sales process design Change management principles Experience Minimum 7+ years sales management experience. Proven sales management track record. B2C retail or travel sales experience. Luxury/high-net-worth segment experience. Consultative sales experience. Experience leading medium-to-large sales teams Experience implementing sales technology and automation initiatives Experience managing business transformation projects Experience working within data-driven sales environments Luxury travel, luxury retail or high-net-worth client experience Skills and competencies Leadership and organizational skills. Communication and interpersonal abilities. Influencing and persuasion. Analysis and innovation. Planning and organizing. Adaptability and resilience. Achievement orientation. Strategic leadership Commercial acumen Change management Sales operations management Data analysis and decision-making Technology adoption and innovation leadership Coaching and talent development Stakeholder management Cross-functional collaboration How to Apply If this sounds like the role for you, send us your CV and a motivational letter. We are looking forward to hearing from you! Why work for Go2Africa We provide our Go2African staff with: Flexible working Our Flexible Work Model offers the best of both worlds. Cape Town-based employees work 1 day per week in the Go2Africa office, located at the beautiful V&A Waterfront, and work from home for the rest of the week. Of course, our door is always open to those who prefer to work in-office more frequently. We have employees based in remote locations (from Hoedspruit to Nairobi!) – these employees work remotely, and travel to our Cape Town office for training and special gatherings. Travel opportunities We encourage our employees to visit the destinations we sell. We offer many opportunities to travel in the form of curated Educationals, site inspections, or discounted holidays at agent rates! Ts & Cs apply! Benefits Life happens, and we support our employees to deal with it. We provide permanent employees with company contributions to medical aid, retirement annuity and life and illness cover. Reward and recognition We recognize our employees based on targets, but also values. Our annual Recognition Awards are an example – colleagues vote for their peers, and there are incredible travel prizes up for grabs (plus, a good old party!) Wellbeing and ample downtime We prioritise the wellbeing of our employees. We provide wellness campaigns, mental health support and coaching, plus substantial leave benefits. We know it all lies in finding a balance between work and play. Vibrant Culture Our employees are #proudlyGo2African, and we use any excuse to celebrate our shared success. Whether it’s monthly Townhalls, interactive team buildings, our operational structure itself, or Valentine’s Day – it’s always better when we’re together! Training and development We offer comprehensive training programmes and opportunities for growth. From destination training in East Africa to designing Personal Development Plans, we support our employees to succeed. World-class tech We work on industry-pioneering systems, ensuring that the travel planning process is seamless. We give our employees access to world-class resources, which allows them to spend time on what really matters.