Senior Travel Operations Specialist / Senior Operations Executive

SENIOR TRAVEL OPERATIONS SPECIALIST  /  SENIOR OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE
REMOTE  |  LONDON OFFICE ACCESS AVAILABLE
UP TO £45,000 PER ANNUM DOE  |  FULL-TIME
  
Senior Travel Operations Specialist job, remote-first with London office access, within a fast-growing bespoke luxury travel business, offering up to £45,000 DOE. This is a senior operations role responsible for end-to-end trip delivery, complex itinerary management, supplier coordination, live escalation handling, and continuous process improvement across a growing portfolio of tailor-made journeys.
  

Do you?
  
Have the operational expertise and confidence to oversee complex, high-value travel arrangements, ensuring every detail is delivered seamlessly while maintaining exceptional standards throughout the traveller journey?
  
Are you at your best when navigating the unexpected — managing disruptions, resolving escalations, and making sound decisions under pressure while keeping both travellers and colleagues reassured?
  
Do you naturally take ownership, building strong relationships with suppliers and internal teams, identifying opportunities for improvement, and helping create operational processes that can scale with a growing luxury travel business?
  
Can you balance meticulous attention to detail with a commercial mindset, always looking for ways to enhance the traveller experience while driving efficiency and consistency across operations?
  
If you're looking for a role where your experience, judgement, and operational leadership will genuinely influence the success of the business, this could be a natural next step.
  
  
Our Customer
  
Our client is a fast-growing luxury travel business specialising in fully bespoke, tailor-made journeys. Known for their attention to detail and highly personalised approach, they design exceptional travel experiences for discerning clients — managing every element of complex trips worldwide.
  
They are now seeking a Senior Travel Operations Specialist / Senior Operations Executive to join their operations team and take ownership of seamless trip delivery — bringing senior-level capability, calm under pressure, and a drive to continuously improve how the business operates.
  

The Role
  
In this role, you will take senior ownership of operational delivery across a portfolio of complex, bespoke luxury trips — ensuring every journey runs seamlessly from confirmation to return.
  
- Manage end-to-end operational delivery of complex bespoke trips to the highest standards
- Review and maintain booking notes, ensuring traveller requirements and key details are clearly recorded
- Work closely with suppliers to confirm services, manage changes, and ensure smooth trip execution
- Act as a senior escalation point for on-trip issues, complaints, and unexpected challenges
- Monitor global disruptions — weather, natural events, supplier issues — and coordinate swift solutions
- Manage post-trip operational follow-ups including resolutions, refunds, and client communications
- Participate in the on-call rota, providing out-of-hours support when required
- Support the Head of Operations with reporting, insights, and business improvement initiatives
- Contribute to the development of product, processes, and operational standards
- Support onboarding and training of new team members, maintaining consistent ways of working
- Assist with planning and delivery of group trips, managing logistics and traveller experience
- Build strong relationships with global partners and suppliers to improve service quality and efficiency
  
  
Experience Required
  
- 3+ years of experience in travel operations or sales at a bespoke luxury travel company
- Strong operational capability with experience managing complex itineraries and supplier relationships end-to-end
- Exceptionally organised with outstanding attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple complex trips simultaneously
- Confident handling escalations, complaints, and unexpected challenges with professionalism and sound judgement
- Clear and confident communicator who builds trusted relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal teams
- Comfortable taking full ownership of complex situations and making independent decisions when required
- Proactive and commercially aware, with a strong focus on process improvement and traveller experience
- A supportive team member who contributes to developing others and improving overall team capability
  
  
Benefits
  
- Remote-first working with access to a London office
- Up to £45,000 per annum DOE
- 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- A fast-growing business where your contribution shapes how the operation scales
  
  
Frequently Asked Questions
  
What is the salary for a Senior Travel Operations Specialist in luxury travel?
Ambitions Travel Recruitment will share the full salary and benefits package with all shortlisted candidates ahead of interview. Apply via this page to be considered.
  
What does remote-first working mean in this role?
The role is remote-first, with access to a London office available. It is not fully office-based — candidates can be based outside London, provided they are able to attend when required.
  
Is luxury travel experience required?
Yes — the business is looking for candidates with 3+ years of experience in operations or sales at a bespoke luxury travel company. Transferable experience from high-end travel environments will be considered. Ambitions Travel Recruitment will fully brief all shortlisted candidates before interview.
  
What does a Senior Travel Operations Specialist do?
A Senior Travel Operations Specialist takes end-to-end ownership of complex travel logistics — from booking confirmation through to post-trip resolution. They manage suppliers, handle escalations, monitor disruptions, and contribute to the continuous improvement of operational processes within a luxury travel business.
  
How do I apply through Ambitions Travel Recruitment?
Apply via this page. Ambitions Travel Recruitment reviews every application personally — no automated screening. Register at ambitionstravelrecruitment.com to be considered for future roles.
  
Who are Ambitions Travel Recruitment?
Ambitions Travel Recruitment is a specialist leisure travel recruitment agency placing professionals across all areas of leisure travel — including, but not limited to, tour operators, tailor-made travel, safari companies, expedition and adventure travel, ocean and river cruise lines, ski operators, and UHNW concierge businesses — in the UK, South Africa, GCC, Asia, and North America. Founded by Fi Morrison-Arnthal with 35+ years’ experience.
  
  
Click here to apply for this Senior Travel Operations Specialist job, which is being recruited by Ambitions Travel Recruitment.
  
Ambitions Travel Recruitment places professionals across all areas of leisure travel, including tour operators, tailor-made travel, safari companies, expedition and adventure travel, ocean and river cruise lines, ski operators, and UHNW concierge businesses, in the UK, South Africa, GCC, Asia, and North America. With over 100 combined years of industry experience, we are trusted by global corporations, independent travel businesses, and growing operators to source hard-to-find specialists through a headhunting approach that reaches candidates who never appear on job boards.
  
  
IMPORTANT
  
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- Due to the massive number of applications, we receive, we're usually only able to reply to candidates whose requirements meet our customers' needs. We're super grateful that you take the time to apply, and we will save your CV and be in touch for other suitable roles
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