Travel Operations & Experience Manager

Santana Adventures; Claremont (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Santana Adventures seeks a Travel Operations & Experience Manager to plan, scout, coordinate, and operate international cycling cruise experiences.

This hands-on role combines travel planning with extensive international travel and on-site event operations, requiring organization, problem solving, and hospitality to deliver polished guest experiences.

Qualifications

• > Experience planning itineraries and cycling routes.
• > Strong organization, judgment, communication, attention to detail, and hospitality.
• > Cycling experience is a significant plus, but not a traditional cycling-guide position.

Responsibilities

• > Develop assigned events from planning through operation.
• > Research, develop, review, and refine itineraries and cycling routes.
• > Scout destinations and routes extensively in person.
• > Research and coordinate restaurants, attractions, cultural sites, hotels, local guides, transportation providers, and other vendors.
• > Make and manage reservations and confirm critical details including capacity, pricing, timing, operating hours, transportation access, and group requirements.
• > Plan and refine cycling routes using Ride with GPS and other mapping tools.
• > Coordinate transportation and other event logistics.
• > Identify potential operational problems and develop practical alternatives and contingency plans.
• > Maintain organized event plans, schedules, vendor information, reservations, costs, scouting notes, and operational documentation.
• > Review detailed planning and research completed by the Travel Operations Specialist.
• > Travel with the Santana team during assigned events and scouting trips.
• > Work with the Tour Director to execute daily routes, transportation, activities, vendor arrangements, and event logistics.
• > Coordinate with vendors, guides, transportation providers, ship or hotel personnel, and other partners during events.
• > Communicate professionally with participants and help answer questions about routes, schedules, transportation, and event logistics.
• > Assist with orientations, daily briefings, route talks, and other participant communication.
• > Monitor event timing and logistics and proactively resolve problems.
• > Make appropriate day-to-day operational decisions while involving the Tour Director in significant changes or unusual situations.
• > Deliver attentive, professional, and warm participant service.
• > Remain calm, flexible, and solutions-oriented when plans change.
• > Work closely with and help direct an assigned Travel Operations Specialist.
• > Delegate and review appropriate research, planning, documentation, vendor, and participant-support tasks.
• > Participate in post-event debriefs and identify opportunities to improve future trips.
• > Step in wherever necessary to help the team successfully operate an event.

Skills

Travel planning

Logistics management

Vendor coordination

Customer service

Event operations

Communication

Tools

Ride with GPS

Google Workspace

Google Maps

Excel/Google Sheets

Monday.com

Daylite

Dropbox

Job description

Full-Time | $90,000–$120,000 | Extensive International Travel

Santana Adventures creates and operates high-end cycling cruises and group travel experiences around the world. Our trips combine exceptional cycling, carefully planned logistics, cultural discovery, and a highly personal style of participant service.

We are looking for aTravel Operations & Experience Managerto help plan, scout, coordinate, and operate our international cycling cruise experiences.

This is a hands-on position combining detailed travel planning with extensive international travel and on-site event operations. The ideal candidate enjoys complex logistics, solving problems, working with people, and turning a great travel concept into a polished, executable experience.

Cycling experience is a significant plus, but this is not a traditional cycling-guide position. Strong organization, judgment, communication, attention to detail, and hospitality are more important.

About the Role

The Travel Operations & Experience Manager works closely with aTour Director, who has overall responsibility for assigned events. The Tour Director establishes the overall direction and experience of the trip, while the Manager turns that vision into a detailed operating plan.

The Manager is heavily involved in itinerary and cycling-route development, destination scouting, vendor coordination, reservations, transportation, schedules, participant communication, and contingency planning. The Manager also works closely with an assignedTravel Operations Specialist, helping direct and review detailed planning and operational work.

During active events, the Manager travels with the Santana team and helps ensure that routes, transportation vendors, activities, schedules, and participant needs come together successfully.

Compensation, Location & Travel

Salary:$90,000–$120,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Travel:Approximatelyseven months per year, including international events, scouting trips, and other company travel. Actual travel may vary based on the event calendar and operational needs.

Work Location:During initial training and the probationary period, when not traveling, the position will generally work in person with company leadership inClaremont, California, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.

After successfully completing training and demonstrating the ability to perform the role independently, the employee may be permitted to work remotely when stateside and not traveling. Periodic in-person work in Claremont will still be required.

Santana Adventures covers approved work-related transportation, lodging, and other approved travel expenses during scouting trips and active events. Additional benefits will be discussed during the interview process.

Key Responsibilities

Planning, Scouting & Logistics

• Work with the Tour Director to develop assigned events from planning through operation.
• Research, develop, review, and refine itineraries and cycling routes.
• Scout destinations and routes extensively in person.
• Research and coordinate restaurants, attractions, cultural sites, hotels, local guides, transportation providers, and other vendors.
• Make and manage reservations and confirm critical details including capacity, pricing, timing, operating hours, transportation access, and group requirements.
• Plan and refine cycling routes using Ride with GPS and other mapping tools.
• Coordinate transportation and other event logistics.
• Identify potential operational problems and develop practical alternatives and contingency plans.
• Maintain organized event plans, schedules, vendor information, reservations, costs, scouting notes, and operational documentation.
• Review detailed planning and research completed by the Travel Operations Specialist.

Event Operations & Participant Experience

• Travel with the Santana team during assigned events and scouting trips.
• Work with the Tour Director to execute daily routes, transportation, activities, vendor arrangements, and event logistics.
• Coordinate with vendors, guides, transportation providers, ship or hotel personnel, and other partners during events.
• Communicate professionally with participants and help answer questions about routes, schedules, transportation, and event logistics.
• Assist with orientations, daily briefings, route talks, and other participant communication.
• Monitor event timing and logistics and proactively resolve problems.
• Make appropriate day-to-day operational decisions while involving the Tour Director in significant changes or unusual situations.
• Deliver attentive, professional, and warm participant service.
• Remain calm, flexible, and solutions-oriented when plans change.

Team & Event Support

• Work closely with and help direct an assigned Travel Operations Specialist.
• Delegate and review appropriate research, planning, documentation, vendor, and participant-support tasks.
• Participate in post-event debriefs and identify opportunities to improve future trips.
• Step in wherever necessary to help the team successfully operate an event.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Comfortable managing many moving parts simultaneously.
• A clear and professional communicator.
• Resourceful, adaptable, and calm under pressure.
• Comfortable making decisions and taking responsibility.
• Service-minded and comfortable working with active, mature, well-traveled participants.
• Able to work independently while collaborating closely with a small team.
• Comfortable directing and reviewing another team member’s work.
• Willing to travel internationally for extended periods.
• Comfortable with long and variable working days during active events.
• Interested in travel, hospitality, logistics, cycling, and creating exceptional guest experiences.

Helpful backgrounds includegroup travel, tour operations, luxury travel, cruises, hotels or resorts, hospitality, event operations, destination management, vendor coordination, logistics, and high-end guest service.

Experience with cycling, route planning, international travel, foreign languages, or mapping tools is a plus, but not required.

Candidates should be comfortable learning technology and planning systems. Santana uses tools including Ride with GPS, Google Workspace, Google Maps, Excel/Google Sheets, Monday.com, Daylite, and Dropbox.

Travel & Physical Requirements

Candidates must have a valid U.S. driver’s license, a valid U.S. passport or the ability to obtain one, and the ability and willingness to drive rental vehicles or vans as needed.

This is an active working-travel position. Event and scouting days can be long and may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, changing schedules, and variable weather. Candidates should be able to stand and walk for extended periods and occasionally lift or move luggage, supplies, or bicycles up to approximately 50 pounds.

Because Santana Adventures is a small, hands-on team, everyone occasionally assists with practical event needs such as luggage, bicycles, supplies, signage, check-in, or transportation coordination.

Although Santana operates cycling cruises,there should be no expectation that this position involves cycling every day. The opportunity to travel to remarkable destinations is a significant part of the job, but this is working travel. The primary purpose of the position is to support the operation, the team, and the participant experience.

About Santana Adventures

Santana Adventures specializes in high-end cycling cruises around the world. Our participants travel with us for exceptional cycling, thoughtfully planned itineraries, cultural discovery, beautiful destinations, and the camaraderie of an experienced and welcoming group.

We are a small, hands-on team, and every team member plays an important role in creating trips our participants remember for years.