Manger of Group Travel
Elevate Destinations is hiring a full-time Manager of Group Travel.
We are a dynamic, socially responsible travel company striving to bring more meaning, perspective, and positive impact into the lives of our travelers while respecting local destinations and communities. We are looking for an experienced Group Travel Manager who can support our growing Social Impact Journeys program. The Social Impact Journeys Team partners with international nonprofits and foundations to manage and support the design of their donor trips; trips for their supporters and community members to experience the work they support on the ground, to more deeply connect and engage with the people, the destination and the mission.
We seek a motivated self-starter who will bring previous logistical experience, sustainable practices, and introspection to our tightly-knit Group Travel team. This position requires creative problem-solving, excellent judgment, superb organization, attention to detail, and eloquent communication skills.
Applicants must have experience in all categories below to be considered for this position:
- Experience in the international travel industry
- Event and/or travel logistics management
- Content or curriculum development in the field of experiential learning
- Strong understanding of sustainability and international development
JOB DESCRIPTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Account Management
- Plan and manage several international trips simultaneously that are aligned with our client’s specific goals.
- Manage high-level communications and set expectations with clients, international partners, and suppliers.
- Design and manage project timelines, outlining roles and responsibilities and deliverables
- Manage trip logistics, including, but not limited to, coordinating site visits; selection of venues; meals or catering; audio and visual rentals; travel arrangements; and hotel room blocks
- Manage trip budgets, facilitate payments and financial reconciliation.
- Establish and coordinate emergency protocols for each trip.
- Maintain and update electronic records and databases
- Collect feedback after each trip, and integrate lessons learned.
- Accurately financially reconcile a trip and produce polished documents for your supervisor and client to review.
- Continually refine and advise on improvements to systems, operations, and product development.
Comprehensive Traveler Support
- Develop a warm rapport with travelers, and provide excellent customer service (150+ travelers a year).
- Collect all traveler details and payments.
- Respond to all travelers’ questions, inquiries, and concerns within 24 hours.
- Lead virtual traveler orientation calls.
Research and Create Trip Materials
- Create online and print marketing, registration, and travel materials for each trip, which are grammatically and logistically accurate.
- Use WordPress to develop online trip materials.
- Research reliable sources, and format logistical travel guides and detailed itineraries for each trip.
Trip Management and Remote Trip Management
- Ability to travel internationally independently two or more times a year.
- Manage trips that are off-the-beaten-track in developing countries while supporting new hires in their growth.
- Manage all ground logistics, and move trips forward from beginning to end.
- Ability to identify the most pressing objectives and prioritize them on an ongoing basis.
- Conduct advance trips for clients, without supervision, to develop content, reach strategic goals, and investigate venues.
Staff Oversight
- Support formatting, editing, and proofreading of all materials on accounts as necessary.
- Provide leadership and direction to others on your account team, and manage the quality control of all deliverables on the trips you are managing.
- Cover for the Associate Director when this individual is running a trip abroad or on vacation.
Support On-boarding of New Hires
- Design training modules and materials to support new hires’ onboarding and learning.
- Assist in supporting junior hires’ development through in-country training and shadowing you on emails, meetings, and calls. Provide time to debrief new hires on pre- and post-meeting/event planning.
- Provide in-person training to new hires in-country as they increase their own capacity.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR THIS POSITION:
We try to keep our hours within 9-5, Monday through Friday. However, the trips we run do not limit themselves to these hours. It is a requirement that the Manager is available for all emergencies and essential needs that occur on a trip — day or night, weekday or weekend.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Open to remote locations
- Five years of relevant work experience in event and/or travel management
- Demonstrated project management skills, including project planning, scheduling, and tracking
- Strong time-management skills and ability to independently prioritize tasks
- Logistical prowess and attention to detail
- Experience working in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities
- Superb critical thinking and excellent customer service skills
- Must be a team player with a developed capacity to be flexible and adapt to change
- Desire and confidence to work with a tight-knit, hard-working team that strives for continuous improvement
- Travel experience in developing countries
- Ability and willingness to travel internationally
- Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, Pages, and Google Docs
- U.S. work authorization
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience with WordPress
- Experience with Hubspot or another CRM system
- Financial acumen and budget management
- Tour management and group facilitation experience
SALARY:
$60,000, commensurate with prior experience
LOCATION:
Remote. Must be located within three hours of the Eastern Time Zone and have work authorization to live and work in the USA. No exceptions.
HOW TO APPLY:
Qualified applicants should send their resume and cover letter to careers@elevatedestinations.com with the position they are applying to in the subject heading. Kindly note, we are hiring for more than one position, so please make sure you include the position that you are applying for.
We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage people of every race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law, to apply.
ABOUT ELEVATE DESTINATIONS:
Elevate Destinations is a leader in eco-luxury travel, creating new ways for travelers to make a difference worldwide. The company was founded and operates as a social enterprise: philanthropy and positive social and environmental impact are key to their mission. Elevate Destinations has pioneered the field of donor travel and is able to provide responsible travel to any region of the globe. They encourage people to travel sustainably and design each trip conscientiously, facilitating travelers to fully experience, understand, and protect destinations and the people who live there. www.elevatedestinations.com
