Manager, Operations and Permitting

Travelopia; Toronto; On-site; CAD 48,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health benefits

Retirement savings plan with company"s

Generous PTO and birthday day off

Flexible hybrid schedules

Parental leave

Group-wide travel discounts

Job summary

Quark Expeditions, a Travelopia company based in Toronto, seeks an Operations and Permitting Manager for 4 months (Nov–Mar). Lead Antarctic/Arctic permitting, ensure regulatory compliance, and manage community engagement across expeditions. Hybrid work schedule with competitive benefits and travel discounts.

You will oversee IAATO/AECO scheduling, build community partnerships, and manage shore excursions end-to-end while supporting safety and exceptional guest experiences.

Qualifications

• Experience in an operational role within travel or adventure industry.
• Ability to manage complex regulatory frameworks and permitting processes.
• Experience engaging with Indigenous and local communities with cultural sensitivity.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with trust-building ability.
• Commercial acumen with budgeting experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead Antarctic and Arctic permitting processes and identify risks to keep voyages operational.
• Maintain regulatory compliance for off-ship activities and coordinate with marine operations.
• Oversee IAATO and AECO scheduling to align with industry standards.
• Develop relationships with Arctic and Northern communities and coordinate community visits.
• Build local partnerships for culturally enriching guest experiences.
• Plan and oversee shore excursions, manage budgets and contingencies.
• Provide shoreside support to field leadership across communities and regulatory areas.
• Support Operations Emergency Response and Incident Management as needed.
• Own budget planning and cost control to meet financial targets.
• Drive customer experiences to meet NPS and OSAT goals.
• Uphold safety management standards with strong risk controls.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Permit management

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Safety mindset

Excel user

Strong communication

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SharePoint

Teams

Job description

Quark Expeditions is the leading polar expedition travel company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. We operate cruises to Antarctica and Arctic regions (Greenland, North Canada, Svalbard) on board of 3 modern polar expedition ships – Ultramarine, Ocean Explorer, and World Explorer. Since 1991, Quark has been establishing a tradition of firsts in polar travel: as the first to transit the Northeast Passage with adventure travellers; the first to take travellers to the far side of Antarctica; and the first to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent with guests. Quark Expeditions is part of Travelopia, the world's leading experiential travel business, owned by KKR.

We are looking to hire an Operations and Permitting Manager to join our team! Reporting to our Senior Director of Expedition Operations, you'll take ownership of polar permitting, regulatory compliance, and community engagement across our Arctic and Antarctic voyages, ensuring every expedition is delivered safely, compliantly, and with an exceptional guest experience. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of polar adventure travel, working at the intersection of operations, sustainability, and authentic cultural connection.

Please note: this is a fixed-term contract position for 4 months, running from November through to March.

What we'll offer:

• Competitive base salary of CAD $4,700/month
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Retirement savings plan with company contributions
• Generous paid time off allowance and birthday day off
• Flexible hybrid working schedules
• Parental leave and family-supportive policies
• Charity or volunteering time off
• Group-wide travel discounts

What you'll do:

• Lead and manage all Antarctic and Arctic permitting processes, proactively identifying and escalating risks to keep every voyage operationally sound and disruption-free.
• Maintain regulatory compliance for all off-ship activities and collaborate closely with the marine operations team on emerging ship movement matters.
• Oversee IAATO and AECO scheduling, ensuring our expeditions remain aligned with industry standards and best practices.
• Build and nurture respectful, long‑term relationships with Arctic and Northern communities, coordinating meaningful community visits and championing authentic engagement opportunities.
• Develop and manage local partnerships that bring culturally sensitive, enriching experiences to our guests.
• Plan and oversee shore excursions end to end — managing budgets, incorporating contingencies, and capturing learnings to continuously elevate our product offerings.
• Provide expert shoreside support to field leadership across communities, shore excursions, and complex regulatory areas.
• Support the Operations Emergency Support Team and Incident Management Team as required.
• Own budget planning and cost control processes, ensuring financial targets are met and ancillary revenue opportunities are supported.
• Drive industry‑leading customer experiences, consistently meeting NPS and OSAT targets.
• Uphold and champion Quark's safety management standards, ensuring robust risk controls are in place to protect all staff, crew, and passengers.
• Partner with the product development team, contributing specialist permitting and operational expertise to support new product feasibility and successful delivery.

What you'll bring:

• Proven experience in an operational role within the travel or adventure industry.
• Detail‑oriented approach with a demonstrated ability to manage complex regulatory frameworks and permitting processes.
• Proven experience engaging with Indigenous and local communities with cultural sensitivity and genuine respect.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a natural talent for building trust and lasting partnerships.
• Commercial acumen with hands‑on experience setting and managing budgets.
• A genuine commitment to safety, exceptional customer experience, and high standards of service delivery.
• A proactive, hardworking mindset with the ability to prioritise and thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint), with a strong emphasis on Excel.
• Ability to work on EST and flexibility to travel as required.
• Knowledge of or experience in polar regions and/or expedition operations is a plus.
• Existing contacts or industry familiarity within the Polar Expedition Industry is a plus.

We believe people perform best when they can be their true selves and diverse teams drive better results. We're committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where everyone can succeed.

Travelopia ensures an inclusive workplace for all. If you need accessibility support during the recruitment process, please inform us here: [e-mail]

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