Due to continued growth in the business and future plans Smile Caribbean Group Travel (trading as Smile Group Travel) is recruiting a Tour Operations Executive to join the team.

Background to Smile

Smile Caribbean Group Travel (Smile) is a successful sports tour specialist, established in Barbados in 2009 and based in the UK since 2010. In following 14 years, Smile has developed as a strong and successful business with a fantastic range of tours across the world. Our focus is on delivering sports tours, from overseas pre-season cricket tours for professional men’s and women’s teams, domestic and overseas sports tours, through to our own Festivals and Tournaments, in the UK and overseas. Smile are also authorised group travel partners for Disneyland Paris.

We are a very ambitious company, and we need to recruit an equally ambitious and passionate Tour Operations Executive to join the team and help us drive further growth.  This is a fantastic opportunity to make a role truly your own and grow it with the company.

About the role

Purpose

To support and manage the entire tour process, from initial client quote to when the client returns from their tour.

Responsibilities

• Working with the sales team on enquiries, to produce bespoke tour itineraries, accurate costings and quotes for customers in a timely manner.
• Taking full ownership of the tour delivery from a client perspective, including and not limited to, working with the tour leader to ensure all details of the group are correct and delivered on time, managing changes to the group, invoicing and following up on payments, delivering accurate tour documents prior to departure, being on call whilst groups are on tour, administering and collating post tour feedback.
• Providing excellent customer service throughout the process, by building, and maintaining good relationships with tour leaders.
• Working closely with partners and suppliers to negotiate the best rates, confirming all tour arrangements are booked and correct, from flights, hotels, excursions, sports fixtures and more, ensuring supplier deliverables are on track and achieved in time and on budget.
• Logging, reviewing and checking supplier invoices prior to payment.
• Working with suppliers and internal staff to ensure that all Health & Safety Audit requirements are complete and accurate.
• Working on Smile Festivals and Tournaments as required, from taking initial bookings, through to being on the ground for the delivery of the events.
• Assisting Smile Management with the development of new tours, tournaments and destinations.

About you

Essential Skills

• You will have experience in an operations or commercial role within a travel company, events company or similar industry.
• You will have good geographical knowledge and a strong interest in, and knowledge of sports, especially our core sports of cricket, hockey, football, rugby and netball.
• You will have excellent written and verbal English and be highly numerate.            
• You will have good working knowledge of word, excel, outlook and teams and be keen on the benefits of technology to provide a better operating environment.

Personal Qualities

• You will be solution driven and seeking constant improvement.
• You will have a genuine enthusiasm for dealing with people and you will thrive in a small but highly ambitious company, enjoying the diversity and learning opportunities that a role in a small business brings.
• You will enjoy being part of a collaborative, fun team environment, working together to deliver the highest standard of customer service.
• You will have the confidence to balance collaboration with professional challenge for the betterment of the client experience and growth of the business.
• You will have a passion for business and the desire to be part of the future growth and success of the company.

What we can offer

• The role offers a highly competitive salary, dependent on experience, plus incentive scheme and pension.
• 25 days holiday a year plus bank holidays.
• Flexible working, with 2 to 3 days in the co-working office in Farringdon, London each week.
• While this role will primarily office/home based, there will be opportunities to travel to support the business.
• You will be reporting into the Operations Director.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a cover letter outlining why you should be considered for this role, explain how your skills and experience will apply should you be successful in securing the role and when you might be available to start. Please send both CV and cover letter via email to recruitment@smilegrouptravel.com

Closing date: Monday 3rd June by 9am