Tour Operator

Experience Education; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 420,000 - 640,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work pattern

21 days annual leave

Medical aid

Pension

Learning resources

In-house training

Job summary

Edwin Doran Sports Tours is seeking a Senior Tour Operator to join the Operations team. You will be responsible for organising seamless tour experiences for up to 50 group sports tours per year, with itineraries spanning Europe, the Caribbean, South Africa and Australasia.

You will develop outline tours into detailed, tailor‑made itineraries, manage supplier relationships, oversee health and safety audits, and coordinate fixtures and logistics to deliver a memorable, safe, and high‑quality

Qualifications

• Significant experience planning complex group travel itineraries.
• Proven ability to manage multi-centre tours with logistics complexity.
• Strong knowledge of supplier contracts and safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer needs from tour agreement through execution.
• Plan detailed multi-centre itineraries and long-haul trips.
• Source and coordinate accommodation, excursions and tour elements.
• Coordinate fixtures to required team standards and play level.
• Work with Tour Manager to craft memorable trips.
• Negotiate supplier rates and oversee payments to partners.
• Ensure final itinerary details are delivered to the group.

Skills

Group travel planning

Vendor negotiations

Customer service

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Microsoft Office

PowerPoint

Job description

Edwin Doran

Having taken more teams on sports tours than any other provider (12,000 last time we checked), Edwin Doran Sports Tours are amongst the leaders in tailormade school sports travel.

Using their specialist knowledge, gained over years in the industry, and global partnerships, Edwin Doran build bespoke tours with well-matched fixtures in some of the most exotic host countries in the world.

Across rugby, hockey, cricket, netball and more, our tours promote physical and mental development as a team and as individuals. And above all, teams return with life-long memories of the people they have met and learned from along the way.

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

• Significant experience operating complex group travel itineraries, ideally within the sports travel sector
• Proven experience managing long‑haul sports tours, including multi‑centre itineraries and complex logistics
• Strong destination knowledge of South Africa, including accommodation, transport networks, sports fixtures, excursions, health and safety requirements, and operational considerations
• Excellent understanding of the operational requirements of overseas sports tours, including risk management, safeguarding and customer service
• A good understanding of sports participation and the various needs of each sport, such as playing surface requirements, age regulations and squad sizes across Rugby, Netball, Cricket, Hockey and Football
• Well‑travelled, with first‑hand experience of inspecting and operating sports tour destinations
• Strong commercial awareness with experience negotiating supplier contracts and securing best‑value solutions
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tours simultaneously
• Excellent organisation, communication and stakeholder management skills
• Knowledge of Excel, Outlook, Microsoft Office and PowerPoint essential
• Ability to quickly learn systems, processes and procedures

Desirable

• Ideally well‑travelled
• Confident manner and a team player
• A second European language
• Full driver’s license

Some of the benefits

• Hybrid working pattern between theoffice and homeworking
• 21 days of annual leave
• Medical aid and pension
• Global recognition and reward programme, progression opportunities
• Access to extensive online learning resources
• In‑house training opportunities

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.