Operations Coordinator

About the role

Grand Circle Corporation is in business to change the lives of our travellers, employees and the communities where we work and travel. As the largest US direct marketer of international travel, adventure and discovery for North Americans aged 50 and over, we have served more than one million travellers since 1958. Our tours are designed for curious, independent lifelong learners seeking meaningful travel experiences.

Grand Circle is seeking an Operations Coordinator to join our team in central Glasgow and support tours throughout the UK. Start date: as soon as possible.

As Operations Coordinator, you will build strong supplier relationships and coordinate activities from planning and contracting through to day-to-day administration and the resolution of service and quality issues. You will also support our team of Trip Leaders in the delivery of tours across the UK and Ireland, helping us achieve our standards of operational excellence.

Key responsibilities:

• Build strong working relationships with suppliers and Trip Leaders
• Book services with local suppliers, including hotels, coach companies, restaurants and local guides, for all tour groups
• Negotiate contracts with smaller suppliers
• Coordinate itinerary deviations by cancelling or rebooking services and supporting Trip Leaders in delivering revised arrangements
• Complete a wide range of administrative tasks to support operations and Trip Leaders, including running supplier reports and preparing itinerary and tour documents for Trip Leaders
• Review and share traveller feedback with suppliers
• Identify and resolve service and quality issues
• Liaise with departments across the company, including our accounting team in Croatia and central office in the USA
• Resolve supplier and Trip Leader payment queries
• Arrange and lead supplier meetings, both online and in person, as required.
• Coordinate operational support for travellers who become unwell or experience disruption to their travel arrangements
• Participate in the out-of-hours support phone rota during the operating season (April–October), no more than once a month

Skills and experience:

• Two years’ administrative experience in a fast-paced, dynamic environment is preferred
• Fluent spoken and written English
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and confidence using multiple databases
• A strong commitment to delivering high-quality service
• Excellent interpersonal and customer-service skills
• A self-motivated and organised approach, with the ability to prioritise independently, meet deadlines and confidently raise barriers to success
• Strong problem-solving and teamwork skills

What we offer:

• A distinctive corporate culture with a strong vision and values (Our Values)
• A competitive salary package
• 20 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays and three personal days
• Public transport reimbursement, subject to an annual cap
• A personal and professional development allowance
• A preventative health allowance
• An inclusive workplace where employees are encouraged to be themselves
• The opportunity to work as part of an international team, collaborating with colleagues around the world
• A valuable opportunity to learn about all aspects of the travel industry and UK tourism

*All benefits are offered at the company’s discretion.

Who we are looking for

This role would suit a proactive self-starter who:

• is motivated by excellence
• enjoys learning and working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
• responds calmly and resourcefully to unexpected situations
• enjoys working collaboratively in an office and supporting a team of Trip Leaders
• thrives on solving problems and thinking creatively

This is primarily an office-based role in central Glasgow, with the option to work from home on Fridays. Working hours are 9am–5pm, and the role is permanent and full-time.

By applying for this role, you consent to Grand Circle processing your personal data for recruitment purposes. Data collected during the recruitment process will be handled in accordance with Grand Circle’s Data Privacy Policy and will not be used for any other purpose without your express consent. If you have any questions or concerns, please email gdprinfo@oattravel.com.