Educational Travel Operations Officer

Your mission

As an Educational Travel Operations Officer, based in Lisbon, you will take end-to-end operational ownership of educational tours within the EMEA region. The role covers the full journey from costing and quoting through supplier booking, detailed tour planning, departure readiness, live operation and post-tour follow-up.

Reporting to the EMEA Operations & Product Manager, you will work closely with Sales, Customer Experience, Finance, Safety and the Adventure Leader team. You will be responsible for keeping accurate tour and financial information in our internal tour management system (Travel Studio), communicating clearly with Customer Experience and suppliers, and identifying risks or problems early so that every tour is safe, deliverable, financially controlled and well prepared.

Location: Lisbon, with hybrid remote and office-based working in line with company policy.

Key responsibilities

• Quoting and costing: prepare accurate tour quotations based on the brief from our sales team. This includes obtaining up-to-date supplier rates, entering all required services and costs, checking that the proposed itinerary is practical and achievable, and clearly identifying any estimated prices, unavailable services or outstanding information before the quote is issued.
• End-to-end tour ownership: Take responsibility for assigned tours from operational handover through to completion. Turn the agreed programme into a realistic, deliverable itinerary and coordinate all operational arrangements, including accommodation, transport, meals, activities, guides and other services. Manage supplier relationships, bookings, rates and terms; maintain accurate tour budgets, costs and payment deadlines; prepare and quality-check all required tour documentation; and ensure group requirements are understood and delivered. Maintain a clear action plan, meet deadlines, and escalate concerns early where there is a risk to quality, cost or delivery
• Internal communication: communicate clearly and professionally with our Customer Experience, Sales and other internal teams. Respond to questions, explain operational constraints, manage agreed amendments and make sure key decisions and responsibilities are recorded.
• Safety and compliance administration: request, collect, record and upload required supplier and activity documentation in the company’s Safety Compliance System; track expiry dates and outstanding items; and escalate gaps or concerns to the appropriate competent person. The role supports the compliance process but does not replace qualified safety assessment or formal approval.
• Departure readiness and live tour support: Complete pre-departure quality checks to ensure all services, timings, documents, payments, group requirements and safety actions are in place before departure. During the tour, provide operational support, respond calmly and practically to changes or supplier issues, communicate effectively with the Adventure Leader responsible for the group and relevant teams, and ensure changes, decisions and costs are accurately recorded.
• Post-tour follow-up: review feedback, incidents, financial outcomes and supplier performance after travel; follow up any unresolved issues, refunds, complaints or supplier actions; and use lessons learned to improve future departures, supplier choices and operational standards.
• Product and process improvement: contribute destination knowledge and operational insight to new itineraries, supplier development and improvements to systems, templates and ways of working across the EMEA Operations team.

Your profile

• Destination knowledge: excellent practical knowledge of European travel destinations is essential, particularly Italy, France and Spain. Knowledge of the UK, Ireland, Greece and Germany would also be advantageous. Candidates should understand the geography, transport networks, cultural attractions and practical considerations involved in operating group tours across Europe.
• Language skills: excellent spoken and written English is essential. French and/or Italian language skills are highly desirable, with candidates able to speak both languages particularly welcomed. Spanish and other European languages would also be advantageous.
• Travel operations experience: experience in group travel, tour operations, reservations or a similar coordination role is desirable. Experience with educational or youth travel would be an advantage.
• Commercial and numerical confidence: comfortable preparing costings, comparing supplier options, checking calculations and understanding the effect of changes on the tour budget and margin.
• Systems and data accuracy: confident learning and using tour management, booking or reservation systems. Strong attention to detail is essential; experience with Travel Studio is advantageous but training will be provided. Good working knowledge of Word, Excel and shared digital tools is required.
• Organisation and prioritisation: able to manage a portfolio of tours, competing deadlines and a high volume of detail while maintaining accurate records and following through on actions.
• Communication and relationship management: able to communicate clearly with people from different countries and professional backgrounds, from local suppliers and Adventure Leaders accompanying the groups to internal stakeholders.
• Judgement and problem-solving: able to assess whether itineraries and operational arrangements are practical and deliverable, identify gaps or inconsistencies, make sound day-to-day decisions and escalate matters requiring management, financial, legal or safety expertise.
• Ownership and resilience: proactive, dependable and comfortable taking responsibility for a tour from start to finish, including during busy periods or when plans change.