Ambitions Travel Recruitment
Director of Operations
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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
UK REMOTE-FIRST — SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
UP TO £95,000 DOE
Director of Operations job, remote-first, within the luxury travel industry, offering up to £95,000 DOE. This is a senior leadership role covering operations, systems and customer experience, working closely with the senior leadership team to scale a fast-growing leisure travel business.
Do you?
- Are you an experienced operational leader who has successfully scaled teams, systems, and processes within a bespoke or luxury travel business, and are you excited by the challenge of building the foundations for significant future growth?
- Do you combine strategic thinking with a hands-on approach, enjoying everything from developing operational workflows and financial controls to improving customer journeys, CRM platforms, automation, and AI-driven efficiencies?
- Can you inspire and develop high-performing teams while working collaboratively across Operations, Product, Finance, Sales, and Customer Experience to deliver exceptional results?
- Are you looking for an opportunity to shape the future of a fast-growing, premium leisure travel business, where your leadership, commercial insight, and passion for operational excellence will have a lasting impact?
Our Customer
Our client is a fast-growing, tailor-made luxury travel business known for delivering bespoke journeys and exceptional customer experiences. As the business scales, they are strengthening their operational foundations to support ambitious growth plans.
They are now seeking a Director of Operations who will play a key role in shaping the organisation’s operational strategy — building scalable systems, strengthening the team and ensuring the customer journey remains exceptional as the business grows.
The Role
In this role, you will lead the evolution of the Operations function as the business scales, building robust, scalable systems, processes and controls that support the company’s next chapter.
- Lead the evolution of the Operations function as the business scales
- Design and implement robust, scalable operational systems, processes and controls
- Support, mentor and develop the Head of Operations and wider Operations team
- Oversee the customer journey from booking through to travel
- Revamp out-of-hours support systems, from routine queries to emergencies
- Own supplier payment processes in partnership with the Finance team
- Build operational reporting and KPIs to drive performance and continuous improvement
- Continually improve CRM, automations and customer communications systems
- Champion the use of AI and automation to improve efficiency and customer experience
- Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, helping shape long-term strategy
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Experience Required
- Significant leadership experience within bespoke or luxury travel operations
- Proven track record scaling operational teams, systems and processes in a growing business
- Highly systems-oriented, with experience designing operational workflows
- Strong CRM and operational systems expertise, ideally including Airtable and SendGrid or similar platforms
- Comfortable working with automation, AI, data and reporting to drive continuous improvement
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including supplier management and operational controls
- Experience partnering with Product and Engineering teams on internal systems
- Strong people leadership skills — coaching, mentoring and building high-performing teams
- Calm under pressure, highly organised and naturally collaborative
Benefits
- Remote-first working
- Up to £95,000 DOE
- Generous leave allowance
- Home office allowance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for a Director of Operations in the travel industry?
Up to £95,000 DOE. Ambitions Travel Recruitment will share full package details with shortlisted candidates.
What does remote-first working look like in this role?
The role is remote-first, working closely with the senior leadership team. Specific working arrangements will be confirmed at interview stage.
Is travel industry experience required?
Yes — this role requires significant leadership experience within bespoke or luxury travel operations, given the seniority and scope of the position.
What does a Director of Operations role involve?
A senior leadership role owning a business’s operational strategy, systems and team — spanning the customer journey, supplier management, reporting and technology infrastructure.
How do I apply through Ambitions Travel Recruitment?
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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.
IMPORTANT
- If this role ticks your boxes and you’ve got the relevant experience, then click and apply
- If this role isn’t for you but you’d be keen to receive suitable job alerts, then register with us now www.ambitionstravelrecruitment.com
- 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
- Please visit our website www.ambitionstravelrecruitment.com for our full privacy policy which explains how we store and access your personal data and our candidate promise to never share your details with an employer without your prior consent etc.
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.
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