Tour Operator - Brighton, East Sussex

Experience Education; Lewes; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports travel organization is seeking a Tour Operator to manage and organize customer sports tours worldwide. You will be responsible for crafting complex itineraries, ensuring high levels of customer service, and maintaining supplier relationships. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of sports needs and excellent organizational skills. The position offers flexible working opportunities, an annual bonus scheme, and various employee benefits including training and recognition programs.

Benefits

Hybrid working pattern

Annual bonus scheme

25 days of annual leave plus public holidays

Opportunities to travel overseas

Regular social events

Qualifications

• Understanding of various sporting needs including surface and regulations.
• Experience in group travel is advantageous.
• Strong team player with excellent organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer needs and plan detailed itineraries for tours.
• Negotiate rates with suppliers and ensure itinerary details are accurate.
• Co-ordinate sporting fixtures and comply with safety audits.

Skills

Understanding of sports participation

Excellent organization and planning skills

Attention to detail

Commercial acumen

Knowledge of Excel, Outlook, Microsoft Office & Powerpoint

Job description

Tour Operator - Brighton, East Sussex

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‑traveled, 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.