Job Description

Criterion Travel is a tour operator specializing in expert-led travel, based in Beaverton, Oregon. We work with a select group of U.S. university alumni associations, museums and other affinity organizations to create and operate customized educational group journeys worldwide. Many of our programs are highly customized and operate only once, and our portfolio of destinations and programs changes significantly each year. Great care is taken to insure that each trip is managed with the highest level of professionalism and attention to detail.

TOUR OPERATIONS MANAGER

Our Operations Managers are involved with every stage in the life of our programs, from itinerary research and development, to requesting and confirming tour arrangements with local suppliers, creating trip budgets and pricing, and working with sponsoring organization staff and tour leaders to implement each departure. The operations department works collaboratively with our sales, marketing, finance, passenger services, and trip documents departments.

To excel in this role, operations managers must be highly organized, with close attention to accuracy and details; well-educated, with excellent written skills and a keen interest in and curiosity about history, cultures, and the natural world; hard-working, with excellent project management skills and commitment to meeting deadlines; as well as flexible and creative in managing day-to-day problems and figuring out the best possible solutions to challenging situations.

Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Researches and develops new itineraries
• Requests and confirms all land and cruise arrangements
• Negotiates costs, sets up trip budgets, and reconciles all financial aspects of each tour
• Edits all trip-related marketing materials
• Works with sponsors and their lecturers to develop the educational program and customize itinerary elements for each trip
• Edits pre-trip documents to prepare travelers for their journey
• Audits passenger manifests and communicates key passenger information to ground agents and cruise operators
• Supports passenger services team in answering questions from tour participants
• Briefs tour leaders and prepares them with all necessary manifests and detailed itinerary information
• Reviews evaluations and trip reports to refine and improve future tours
• Researches and develops new itineraries as requested by Sales & Development
• Travels periodically to scout destinations, hotels, and ships, and to develop relationships with key local suppliers

Knowledge and Skills

• A minimum of two years’ experience in tour operations, project management, or event planning
• International travel experience
• Self-starter who takes initiative and ownership of job responsibilities
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines under pressure
• Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong writing skills, with excellent grammar and spelling
• Good interpersonal skills and public relations finesse (tact, patience and maturity are essential qualities)
• Proficiency in MS Word, including advanced formatting and editing, and in MS Excel, including simple formulas and data sorting, and ability to learn new programs quickly
• Energetic, upbeat, and able to thrive in a collaborative team environment
• Enjoy working with affluent and educated retired persons who love travel
• Interest in continuing education, world cultures, geography/history; passion for travel
• Strong research skills for itinerary development and competitive analysis
• Creativity and problem-solving skills to develop unique itinerary elements and manage unexpected world events that impact our destinations and planned itineraries

If you feel you would be a good fit for our team, please reply to this post with:

• A brief cover letter describing how your experience, skills and interests apply to the position.
• Salary requirement (Range is fine)
• Resume, including contact information
• Please  send via email to susannah@criteriontravel.com

This position is flexible regarding location and can be hybrid in the Beaverton office or remote.

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