EMEA Operations Manager

Introduction: 

The Learning Adventure is a leading educational tour provider for school and university students, operating educational trips across the globe. The company focuses on offering bespoke itineraries that deliver prescribed learning outcomes and unique, engaging activities to inspire the next generation of global citizens. 

The Learning Adventure is part of the Transforma Travel Group, a leading youth travel company. Transforma’s family of brands create culturally enriching, off-the-beaten-track, and educational adventures for travellers and students alike. Across all our brands, our mission is the same: to expand minds through transformative travel experiences.   

The Role:

As our EMEA Operations Manager for TLA (The Learning Adventure), based in Lisbon, you will be one of the founding members opening our operations hub for the EMEA region. You will have a pivotal role in managing our school trips across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This position offers a unique opportunity to start things from the ground up, develop a local team, and shape the future of our operations in the EMEA region. Working out of our new office in Lisbon and reporting to the Head of Global Operations, you will be part of a growing international team whose passion is developing exceptional educational experiences. 

Responsibilities: 

• Operations: Full responsibility for operating our educational tours in the EMEA region. 
• Management: Manage a combination of in-country and remote staff, providing guidance, support, and development opportunities. 
• Safety: Ensure all trips run according to our safety management systems and manage larger emergencies in coordination with our emergency team. 
• Budgeting: Oversee regional budgets and manage financial aspects of tours, ensuring cost-effectiveness and quality. 
• Product Development: Support the development of new products by integrating feedback and local insights. 
• Adventure Leaders: Find, train, and allocate Adventure Leaders for our tours. 
• Emergency Management: Handle on tour emergencies in region, to ensure incident management in line with our Safety Management system, with support from the global emergency team 
• Communication: Collaborate with our global teams, local partners, and directly communicate with schools when required to understand and meet their needs. 

Competencies: 

This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a rapidly expanding educational travel team, with internationally minded colleagues who are passionate about the tours that we run! 

We are looking for a new member who is: 

• Organized: Demonstrates a careful, organized approach to work. 
• Ambitious: Thrives in a fast-growing, start-up environment. 
• Hungry to Learn: Eager to improve yourself and experience an internationalized world. 
• Reliable Manager: Exercises a high degree of autonomy over your team. 
• Problem Solver: Finds solutions to the many challenges presented when arranging school trips.
• Experienced: At least 3 years’ experience operating educational tours or similar travel experiences. 

Good to Have: 

• Proficiency in one or more European languages. 
• Destination knowledge of countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 
• Sports tours knowledge, as this is a growing area of interest for us.

Terms:

• You will be reporting to the Head of Global TLA Operations 
• Competitive salary
• Based in Lisbon 

To apply for the role, please email a CV and cover letter to [email removed - click apply for more details]

We look forward to receiving your application! 

Transforma Travel Group and The Learning Adventure are equal opportunity employers and welcome and celebrate diversity and uniqueness in all forms.