Tour Operator

Edwin Doran Sports Tours; Brighton; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A sports travel company in Brighton is seeking an experienced Tour Operator to create and manage complex sports tour itineraries for various teams. You will ensure high-level personalized service and handle all logistics, maintaining safety and customer satisfaction. Candidates should have strong organizational skills, sports knowledge, and experience in group travel. The role offers hybrid working, bonuses, and training opportunities.

Benefits

Hybrid working pattern

Annual Bonus scheme

Opportunities to travel overseas

25 days of annual leave plus public holidays

Employee discounts

Qualifications

• Knowledge or experience of Group Travel is advantageous.
• Well-travelled, ideally with a knowledge of sports.
• Ability to quickly learn systems and processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer’s needs from the moment a new Tour is agreed.
• Plan detailed and complex itineraries for tours.
• Negotiate rates with suppliers and ground service agents.

Skills

Understanding of Sports participation

Attention to detail

Excellent organization and planning skills

Commercial acumen

Knowledge of Excel, Outlook, Microsoft Office & Powerpoint

Job description

Edwin Doran Sports Tours are part of the Experience Education group who have a collection of the world’s most exciting specialist travel brands. Edwin Doran are the market leader in sports travel and have taken more teams on tour than any other sports tour operator. Our staff have the know- how gained over years in the business to set up fixtures between equally matched teams. We use our extensive contacts to arrange billeting in host countries, so players on our school sports tours can really engage with the local people and culture.

The role

Reporting to the Senior Tour Operator as part of the Edwin Doran Sports Tours Operations team, within this role you will be responsible for organising seamless tour experiences for up to 50 group Sports Tours per year. The tours travel all over the world with high concentrations in Europe, Caribbean, South Africa and Australasia.

The role exists to ensure that the Customer receives a high level of personalised service and allow for extra touches to be made, which are key to maintaining the Edwin Doran Sports Tours brand. The role requires you to develop outline tour itineraries into detailed, often complex, tailor-made itineraries with granular information. You should be part of the team that looks to exceed the customers’ expectations. These tours require logistical planning and preparation, as we supply tailor-made group sports tour itineraries to suit our customers’ needs. At the same time attention must be given to the commercial and safety requirements of the business. Management of supplier and customer relationships is key to this role.

What you’ll be doing

• Manage customer’s needs from the moment a new Tour is agreed.
• Plan detailed and complex itineraries for multi-centre short and long haul tours
• Use our existing contacts or source new accommodation, excursions & other tour elements
• Co-ordinate sporting fixtures to the relevant team standards / level of play
• Work closely with the Tour Manager to piece together a “once in a lifetime” trip for the team
• Negotiate rates with suppliers & ground Service agents
• Ensure all final itinerary details are prepared and given to the group
• Work with overseas suppliers and ensure that all Health & Safety Audits are complete.
• Financially take responsibility for checking & authorizing tour payments to suppliers.
• Attend Fam Trips & visits to roadshows to keep product knowledge up to date & relevant
• Work closely with the sales team to ensure that Tour requests are handed over accurately
• Manage on call phone (within a rota)

What we are looking for

• A good understanding of Sports participation and the various needs of each sport, such as their playing
• surface, playing age regulations, size of teams / squads, across a broad range of sports to include;
• Rugby, Netball, Cricket, Hockey and Football
• Knowledge or experience of Group Travel is advantageous
• Hands on team player
• A finisher with attention to detail
• Well-travelled, ideally with a knowledge of sport participations needs.
• Excellent organization and planning skills
• Commercial acumen
• Experience of product research and analysis is useful.
• Knowledge of Excel, Outlook, Microsoft Office & Powerpoint essential
• Ability to quickly learn systems, processes and procedures

Some of the benefits

• Hybrid working pattern between our office and homeworking
• Annual Bonus scheme
• Opportunities to travel overseas on familiarisation trips
• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays and a bonus day off for your birthday; we also have a tenure based annual leave benefit, up to a maximum of an additional 5 days depending on length of service
• Global recognition and reward programme
• Access to extensive online learning resources
• In-house training opportunities
• Regular social events
• Various employee discounts and offers, including discounted trips with our brands

We believe that people are happier and perform best when they are able to be their true selves and that diverse teams deliver better results.

We are committed to building an inclusive culture and embracing diversity in all its dimensions. This includes inspiring change through increasing awareness of unconscious bias.

Together we will cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment, where everyone can flourish.