Operations Team Leader

Established Tour Operator, specialising in luxury adventure and expedition travel is looking to recruit a hands-on, experienced Travel Operations Team Leader. As Customer Operations Team Leader, you'll lead the day-to-day performance of the Operations Team, ensuring customers receive timely, empathetic and solutions-focused support throughout their journey. This 12-month maternity cover role is critical in maintaining operational stability, providing confident leadership continuity, and stepping up as deputy to the Operations Manager when needed.

This Tour Operator team are both office & remote based, so you will be flexible to travel to offices on occasions. Salary is competitive, based on experience, with additional team & company bonuses, and additional benefits. If you have solid customer service team management experience within the travel industry or a luxury industry, and a true love of travel and the outdoors, this is a challenging, exciting and rewarding next step.

THE COMPANY

A UK based Tour Operator, with a global team specialising in luxury adventurous trips to Antarctica, Patagonia and Arctic. It's a team of innovative, knowledgeable, values-led and driven people, who know their customers can use their extraordinary travels and protect the planet. They're now growing their team again and strive to continue to be game-changers in the Travel Industry.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

This is a hands-on leadership role at the frontline of the company's customer operations, supporting unforgettable adventures to Antarctica and Patagonia.
As Customer Operations Team Leader, you'll lead the day-to-day performance of the Operations Team, ensuring customers receive timely, empathetic and solutions-focused support throughout their journey to the once-in-a-lifetime trips of the Polar regions
You'll set the tone for communication and accountability, acting as a visible and trusted leader for both your team and our customers.
You'll balance workflow, coach performance, resolve escalations and keep service levels steady - particularly during peak season and high-pressure moments aligned with our Polar region departures.
This 12-month maternity cover role is critical in maintaining operational stability, providing confident leadership continuity, and stepping up as deputy to the Operations Manager when needed. If you thrive in live environments, enjoy developing people, and take pride in delivering calm, commercially sound decisions under pressure, this is an opportunity to lead from the front in a purpose-driven, global adventure travel company specialising in transformative expeditions to Antarctica and tailor-made adventures across Patagonia.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Travel sector experience
Proven experience leading frontline service or operations teams (5-15+ team members)
With at least two years' experience managing and motivating staff, overseeing workflow, and consistently delivering against defi ned performance standards..
Experience working within a travel agency, tour operator, or expedition travel business, with a strong understanding of pre-departure processes, complex itineraries, and customer care within adventure or experiential travel environments

PACKAGE & BENEFITS

12 MONTH MATERNITY COVER ROLE (whilst this is a maternity cover, this company is growing even further this could open up further opportunities within the company)
Base Salary: £33,000 - £35,000 plus bonus
Holiday: - 25 paid holiday, in addition to your birthday and public holidays
This is a full-time role of 37.5 hours per week, Shifts scheduled between 07:00 - 22:00 GMT, Monday to Friday which re worked on a planned rota within the operating hours below. Rotas are scheduled in advance to provide consistency and predictability, with the majority of shifts falling within standard business hours. Some earlier or later shifts are required to support our global customers. One weekend per month on-call, with compensatory time off provided
The opportunity to travel to our destination based on business requirements
Annual International Togetherness Event
Monthly company bonus
Company laptop
Wellbeing support
A supportive, globally connected culture where balance and belonging matter

INTERESTED?

Follow the instructions to apply, attaching your CV. This vacancy is being managed by (url removed) / (phone number removed). Not right for this role, or this role not right for you, but keen to further your career in the Travel Industry? We have a variety of different opportunities so do submit your CV to us! You must have full rights to work in the UK and be based in UK for work. We have a high volume of applications, so unfortunately, we are unable to reply to unsuccessful applicants