Head of Operations – Travel Industry
Level: Senior Management
Reports to: COO
Manages: A large team of 40 talented individuals with four direct reports. The team consists of Operations Managers (Supplier Relations, Itineraries, Documentation, Reservations, Support)
Our client is a rapidly scaling international travel business specialising in holidays. With ambitious growth plans to double customer numbers by 2030, they are investing in operational excellence, digital innovation, and world-class service delivery.
The Role
We’re seeking a strategic and hands-on Head of Operations to lead the end-to-end delivery of customer trips globally. You’ll oversee core operational functions—from itinerary planning to supplier management and documentation—ensuring seamless delivery, efficiency, and excellent customer experience.
This role is ideal for a commercially-minded operator with a background in travel who excels in team leadership, systems thinking, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead global operations across trip planning, supplier relations, and customer documentation
* Drive service quality, efficiency, and cost control across all touchpoints
* Build and mentor a high-performing operations team
* Optimise systems, processes, and workflows to enable scale
* Collaborate cross-functionally with product, tech, and customer teams
* Own supplier performance, SLAs, and operational risk management
About You
* 5+ years in a senior operations role
* Strong leadership and process optimisation background
* Comfortable managing international teams and supplier networks
* Experience with operational systems, workflow automation, and Lean/CI methodologies
* Travel industry experience is highly desirable
Package
* Salary: £75,000–£95,000 (DOE)
* Bonus: 10–20% performance-based
* Benefits: 33+ days holiday, pension, travel perks, and more