Operations Specialist, Educational Tours

TOUR OPTIMIZATION SPECIALIST

With one shared mission of opening the world through education, EF is a multicultural and multilingual community of team members working across 55 countries all around the world. Bring your talents, your perspective, and your ambition. In return, we offer a vibrant, dynamic working environment, and a fulfilling international career.

EF Educational Tours makes it possible for thousands of North American students every year to see the world and discover new cultures through our professionally guided tours.

We are now looking for an excellent communicator with attention to detail to join our Tour Optimization team in our Procurement Team in Tokyo.

With the customer experience always at the forefront, you will be responsible for the planning and allocation of components such as meals, accommodation, transport, and activities to tours.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

In your role as Tour Optimization Specialist, you will play a vital role in ensuring a memorable experience for our customers. You will contribute through:

• Allocations – own the allocation process of all tour components process both pre-tour but also during tours in case of disruptions
• Cost and Quality Management - Manage cost & quality by balancing prod/tour code requirements with available inventory/supplier commitments
• Inventory Management – Based on customer segmentation; associate inventory to right service/supplier & right group/customer
• Market Knowledge - Adapt itineraries to accommodate requests or to cope with market-driven challenges
• Communication & Collaboration - work proactively, collaboratively and have solution-oriented interaction & communication with colleagues, stakeholders, and support functions.
• Strategy & Execution – Make decisions based on -, and actively participating in setting and delivering on KPIs objectives for the role.
• Processes & Systems - Be a specialist in area of responsibility by knowing systems, processes, and compliance requirements.
• Innovation - Possess and continuously expand knowledge of area of responsibility, including but limited to suppliers, logistics of the area, tour codes & itineraries. Review processes & approaches with an eye to continuously improve efficiency, quality, cost & ultimately customer experience.
• Accountability and Team commitment – When our customers are on the road, they might face unexpected disruptions and emergencies. We are as committed to our team members as we are to our customers’ experience meaning we are there for each other, and we own up to our responsibilities when we face challenges. Considering this we expect all team members across all operations departments to join at least three weekend shifts per year to support the emergency team with communication and problem solving.

MAIN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS ROLE

• Optimize allocation of tour components in terms cost, quality, and customer experience.
• Provide top notch communication and collaboration with stakeholders resulting in a better customer experience measured by NPS and tour experience rating.
• Innovate and improve processes and approaches that result in better efficiency, quality, cost management & ultimately customer experience.

YOU

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, you know how to adapt the communication style to the situation & person you talk to.
• Team player and networker
• Execute, you are organized & strive for getting things done effectively & timely
• Can prioritize, take action & work well under pressure.
• A creative problem solver who challenges status quo and think outside of box to continuously improve.
• Possess high quality standards and attention to detail in the way work is approached and objectives & deadlines are managed
• Ability to collect and analyze information, derive decisions based on figures & facts.
• Energetic, positive, enjoys a high pace environment.
• Calm under pressure and can handle competing priorities, high call/email volume with a sense of urgency and attention to detail
• Fluent in English and Japanese
• Regional knowledge and EF Tours experience is a bonus