Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions offer immersive, guided travel experiences for families, friends, individuals, and couples to explore the world’s greatest destinations.

The Manager will be a member of the Land & Cruise Operations team. You will lead, manage and hold accountable a regional team that handles all logistics and associated finances for an assigned portfolio of global travel programs, which may include Group Trips, Expedition Cruises, River Cruises and Private and Custom trips. This role is responsible for the operational excellence of the portfolio as well as maximizing profitability and overseeing negotiations, contracting and costing of the programs. In addition, you will manage your own roster of programs. This role requires highly effective communication between all levels of team members, internal and external partners, and third-party suppliers.

Overseeing a team tasked with complex logistical planning and implementation as well as negotiating costing and third party operating terms and conditions (including hotels, restaurants, activities, and transportation), the creation and management of budgets as well as invoice reconciliation and real-time troubleshooting of logistical issues are role requirements. Managing partnerships and effective communication with internal Call Centers, Finance, Marketing, Legal, Risk Management, and Trip Services teams are substantial components of this role. Maintaining brand consistency across the program portfolio and keeping customer-satisfaction metrics high are top priorities.

Relationships with on-trip staff and suppliers must be created, nurtured, and maintained to the highest ethical standards. Managers are expected to hold suppliers accountable for on-ground logistical execution and maintaining brand standards.

This role will have direct reports who they will mentor, train and supervise to ensure job satisfaction, high productivity and optimal efficiencies.

The ideal candidate possesses a demonstrated ability to complete assigned projects with minimal supervision and deliver on deadline. This position will also participate in and oversee the revision/alteration of itineraries for existing trips as needed.

Domestic and/or international travel may be required for this position depending on business needs.

You will report to the Senior Manager, Trip Operations – Land & Cruise

Responsibilities:

• Manage, mentor, inspire and hold accountable a regional Land and Cruise operations team.

• Coach, counsel and develop team of leaders and indirect reports on expectations, operating guidelines, work product, company standards and feedback. Write and deliver performance reviews.

• Oversee the operational aspects of assigned portfolio of regional programs, ensuring all departures meet or exceed brand standards and guest satisfaction is high.

• Oversee all aspects of associated finances within portfolio including accurate budget creation and maintenance, timely invoice reconciliation and payment, and management of costs to maximize profitability.

• Manage and nurture third-party supplier relationships. Ensure effective, timely communication with global suppliers. Hold suppliers accountable for maintaining or exceeding quality standards.

• Oversee annual negotiation and confirmation of program elements to ensure company-favorable rates and costs as well as terms and conditions with suppliers. Manage annual supplier contracting; liaise with Legal team as needed on compliance issues.

• Responsible for the accurate and timely completion, updating and communication of all portfolio-associated documentation, including product builds, tour logistic notes, legal and financial work product, itinerary overviews, and training and operating procedures.

• Troubleshoot anticipated and real-time logistical issues for assigned portfolio.

• Strive to improve product by responding to guest surveys and staff trip reports. Accountable for itinerary-change management within portfolio.

• Assess, maintain and strive to improve brand consistency and compliance across program portfolio.

• Operate individual roster of programs.

• Build strong relationships and work cross functionally with a variety of internal partners to ensure operational excellence of regional portfolio including maintaining high guest satisfaction metrics, seamless program operation, compliance, profit maximization, workflow efficiency, and collateral accuracy.

• Support and drive business initiatives. Strategize, develop and implement team processes and procedures to enhance products and work environment.

• Responsible for implementation and enforcement of established safety and security procedures as well as company’s internal Emergency Operations process. Monitor risks around the globe.

• Collaborate on development of CRM on behalf of team, helping to determine team priorities. Accountable for all data entered to standards and on deadline for team.

• Actively foster an environment of diversity and inclusion amongst our team, products and services.

• Assist in managing and staffing after-hours emergency phone on a rotating, scheduled basis.

• Other duties as necessary or assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Five years of relevant experience.

• Extensive destination experience, both domestic and international. Broad knowledge of the travel and hospitality industry.

• Successful team management experience. Seeking a confident team builder that effectively motivates, mentors, and interacts with a diverse workforce. Experience managing individuals through change is a plus.

• The successful candidate will be a self-starter who is able to drive work in a fast-paced, evolving environment with a variety of internal partners. Candidates should maintain an open and positive perspective that reflects confident professionalism and an unconditional dedication to providing consistently superior products and services.

• Demonstrated ability to anticipate work-related challenges and find creative solutions for complex, time-sensitive issues.

• Strong math skills: Comfortable with budgeting, P&L analysis, using and creating in Excel.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication and presentation skills. Must be able to communicate complicated information in a clear and simple manner to people around the world whose first language may not be English. Foreign language skills are a plus.

• Demonstrated experience coordinating large-scale complex logistics as well as strong implementation skills. Attention to detail and accuracy are essential.

• Proven planning and project management proficiency. The ability to handle multiple, high-priority projects, meet deadlines and produce quality deliverables is critical. Strong administrative and organization skills.

• Extensive negotiating experience of complex agreements.

• The ability to navigate a large corporate structure and associated processes.

• Experience working in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and common internet browsers and applications. A background using QuickBase or other CRM software is a plus.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

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