Head of Contracting

About the Opportunity
On behalf of our client, we are hiring a Head of Contracting to support their growing commercial and destination management teams in Vietnam. Our client is a newly established inbound Destination Management Company (DMC) and part of a prominent international travel group with over a decade of operating experience across Southeast Asia.
Joining the team as a Head of Contracting, you will lead the company's overall supplier strategy, contracting operations, and commercial sourcing function. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will take full ownership of rate negotiations, supplier data governance, and team capability building, ensuring the business remains highly competitive on cost while protecting margins, product quality, and operational reliability across international FIT, Groups, and MICE markets.
Key Responsibilities
Supplier & Contracting Strategy: Formulate and manage the overall supplier contracting strategy across Vietnam, consolidating buying power across clients and markets with hotels, cruises, transport providers, restaurants, guides, and activity partners.
Tactical & Strategic Sourcing: Lead negotiations for strategic Groups and MICE opportunities, securing optimal commercial benefits, FOC structures, meal rates, room upgrades, release periods, deposit structures, and flexible cancellation terms.
Target Pricing & Margin Protection: Work backward from target selling prices to establish supplier cost benchmarks, leading renegotiations for price-sensitive markets (e.g., Israel, India, China, and Southeast Asia) without sacrificing quality.
Data Governance & Systems Oversight: Ensure absolute data accuracy for contract validity, tariffs, and inclusions, supervising rate loading and supplier data management within Ezus and other internal management systems.
Team Leadership & Capability Building: Instill a strong cost-awareness and negotiation culture across the organization by training Sales, Reservations, Operations, and MICE teams in advanced supplier negotiation techniques.
Requirements
Minimum 5 years of relevant commercial experience in DMC contracting, strategic sourcing, hotel contracting, or tourism supplier management.
Robust, established supplier network across Vietnam, with a proven track record of contracting for Groups and MICE business.
Deep technical understanding of hotel rate structures, FOC policies, payment terms, and cancellation frameworks.
Hands-on familiarity supervising rate-loading processes and managing supplier data within travel systems (e.g., Ezus).
Strong bilingual communication skills in both English and Vietnamese.
Benefits
Bonuses & Incentives: Eligibility for 13th-month salary alongside performance incentive and profit-share bonuses based on company and individual milestones.
Insurance Protection: Full statutory Social, Health, and Unemployment insurance under Vietnamese law, plus supplementary Private Health Insurance upon completing probation.
Allowances & Perks: Meal, uniform, and applicable company allowances provided according to policy.
Time Off & Schedule: 12 days of paid annual leave plus statutory public holidays;
Career Leadership: The unique opportunity to build and lead the strategic sourcing and contracting division of an expanding international DMC group