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Senior Manager, Operations
21st Century Fox
Evanston, IL, United States
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OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANYNational Geographic
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Senior Manager of Operations will successfully lead, manage and hold accountable regional Operations teams responsible for the operational excellence of luxury international travel programs, as well as the associated finances. The Senior Manager is accountable for contract and costing negotiations in addition to the profitability of the teams’ trips and the trip finances which includes owning the budgets and final reconciliations.
Responsibilities:
• Leads, manages and holds accountable regionally focused Operations teams covering half the globe and consisting of Managers, Specialists, and Coordinators.
• Accountable for team’s trip execution and operational excellence across broad tour portfolio.
• Accountable for teams’ execution of operational agreements with global suppliers for recurring programs as well as execution of trip staff agreements and background checks. Own, review, and hold team accountable for correct and complete trip finances for all trip types; accountable for trip profitability.
• Accountable for trip quality and customer satisfaction; responsible for monitoring NPS scores in assigned regions, determining strategy behind score escalation and implementing changes to programs on an as-needed basis.
• Conducts weekly meetings with staff and ensure that they are on task, producing accurate work, meeting deadlines and working toward goals.
• Counsels direct reports on difficult work situations.
• Mentors Managers and Specialists in their management development.
• Develops and trains on new procedures when needed.
• Writes and delivers performance reviews for direct reports and recommends professional growth opportunities.
• Makes hiring recommendations and decisions, and trains new Operations staff as needed.
• Supports and enforces company systems, policies, procedures and productivity standards.
• Manages staff time-off requests to minimize impact on team operation.
• Supports and enforces company policies and values at all times.
• Create and maintain a well-run team that is efficient and flexible as possible.
• Accountable for profitability of all team trips within assigned regions; ensures that each departure maximizes profitability by operating at or above budgeted projected profit.
• Accountable for Operational finance procedures and processes within assigned regions including requesting invoices for new bookings, extra arrangements and trip cancellations; reviewing invoices for operational and financial accuracy; requesting payments to suppliers, vendors, and contractors; and reconciling trip invoices and all tour staff salary payments to budget.
• Accountable for final trip reconciliation, keeping budgets updated and accurately reflecting program costs.
• Accountable for and oversees the costing of more than 40 different tour products and their associated extensions including the negotiation and finalization of next-season costs and itinerary development for repeating trip series.
• Maximizes margins by operating at or above budgeted projected profit.
• Hold team accountable for all trips in assigned region from profitability, traveler feedback and operating standard.
• Coordinates with local in-country operators regarding all bookings, logistics coordination, extra arrangements, special considerations, trip details, etc. of VIP departures.
• Independently manages bookings for VIP trip departures by monitoring room counts, release dates, attrition clauses and deposit and payment dates for each trip.
• Communicates clearly and accurately all trip logistics and needs via email, Zoom and phone.
• Conduct briefing calls with operators and hold them accountable for implementation of on-the-ground logistics.
• Requests invoices for new bookings, extra arrangements and trip cancellations; reviews invoices for operational and financial accuracy; requests payments to suppliers, vendors, and contractors; and reconciles trip invoices and all tour staff salary payments to budget.
• Accountable for final trip reconciliation, keeping budgets updated and accurately reflecting program costs.
• Ensuring ground logistics meet or exceed brand standards.
• Strategizes, develops and implements departmental and team processes and procedures for the seamless operation of a broad portfolio of tour products, including Land Expeditions, Private Expeditions, Affinity groups and Custom Trips.
• Accountable for and oversees creation of documents that capture new policies/procedures.
• Works cross-functionally with other team leaders to determine, create and implement processes and procedures that enhance the seamless transition of products from one department to another.
• Maintaining or increasing brand standards and customer retention.
• Collaborates on development of CRM for department, determining departmental priorities and working with developer to build out needed procedures and implement changes.
• Accountable for all data entered to standards and on time for region.
• Increased departmental efficiencies and reduction in errors.
• Participate in after-hours emergency phone coverage service.
• Provides excellent customer service and reduces corporate liability.
Requirements:
• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum of 7 years related experience.
• Extensive international destination experience required.
• Experience managing direct reports required.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage and motivate a team.
• Impeccable professional communication skills; foreign language skills a plus.
• Must be able to communicate complicated information in a clear and simple manner to people around the world for whom English is not their native language.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate problems, find creative solutions for challenging situation.
• Strong math skills; ability to create and maintain budgets.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office; strong Excel skills.
• A background using QuickBase or other databases or CRM software is a plus.
• Attention to detail is critical.
• Systematic organizational skills imperative.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable law.