Tour Operations Supervisor in Newton, Massachusetts at Odysseys Unlimited Inc

As a leader in small group travel, Odysseys Unlimited designs and operates exceptional guided tours around the world, giving guests the opportunity to experience the rich cultures, history, and people of the places we visit. We are committed to a culture of excellence, career growth, and fostering an inclusive environment at our headquarters in Newton, Massachusetts and wherever our travels take us. We value diverse perspectives and believe that solutions can, and should, come from everyone. Our team is made up of adventurous, dedicated individuals who take pride in helping our guests realize their travel dreams. Our employees are part of a company committed to making a positive impact by giving back both locally and to the communities we visit abroad. We are an equal opportunity employer, offering a collaborative and supportive environment where you can discover all the travel industry has to offer.

Title: Supervisor, Worldwide Services

Reporting to: Senior Manager, Worldwide Services

Overview:

The position will be responsible for supervising a team of external tour directors for selected regions of the world and supporting them to achieve the desired overall quality results. Key responsibilities include performance management, recruitment, and scheduling tour directors. Additionally, the resolution of on-tour issues and concerns is a critical component of the position.

Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of 75+ tour directors in selected regions through direct individual relationships and in partnership with on-site tour operators
• Recruit and contract the best tour director (s) in the region
• Assign tour directors based on company guidelines
• Work directly with individual tour directors to effectively manage their needs and ensure they have the tools to deliver an excellent travel experience to guests
• Provide informative briefings to tour directors prior to each tour departure and maintain excellent communication with the tour director while on tour
• Effectively and in a timely manner support tour directors with on-tour challenges, including possible on-tour correspondence
• Achieve company quality goals by addressing areas for improvement with suggested resolution
• Review tour quality results and provide coaching to the tour director
• Develop presentations/talks to motivate and educate tour directors during in country or virtual meeting
• Conduct and facilitate in-country and virtual meetings/trainings
• Participate in providing support to the office’s 24/7 emergency assistance team
• Ability to travel 3 – 5 times per year (including some weekend travel)
• Provide departmental backup as needed

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience, travel industry experience a plus
• Strong project management skills: ability to plan, execute, monitor, and evaluate results
• Self-directed and ability to work with minimal supervision once trained
• Demonstrated excellent planning and organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy
• Proven ability to provide the highest level of support and responsiveness with a commitment to excellence
• Broad knowledge and experience in collaborating with a team, both internal and across multiple countries and cultures
• Demonstrated solution-oriented thinking
• Exceptional communication skills: written, verbal, listening and presentation
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment with the ability to multi-task and maintain deadlines while also handling competing urgent matters
• International travel experience preferred

Odysseys Unlimited is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by law. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications and business need to further the principle of equal employment opportunity.