Head of Operations - Luxury Travel

About the Role

A well-established luxury travel company based in Dublin, Ireland, is seeking a Head of Operations to oversee daily business functions. Catering to a clientele of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, the company is entering a phase of expansion and requires a seasoned operational leader to manage sales achievements, team leadership, complete client experience, and internal support systems.

This role demands an active leadership style focused on delivering exemplary service in a sophisticated, high-touch travel environment. The successful candidate will be tasked with establishing robust systems, fostering a positive team culture, and driving consistent, exceptional client interactions.

Key Duties

• Lead day-to-day operations as the senior operational executive in collaboration with the Managing Director.
• Direct, mentor, and manage the sales and travel design teams, overseeing target achievement, call effectiveness, conversion rates, and pipeline health.
• Conduct routine performance evaluations including KPIs and sales pipeline reviews.
• Handle daily personnel management alongside external HR advisors covering performance, conduct, onboarding, and scheduling.
• Develop and nurture a motivated, accountable, and positive team environment.
• Manage the entire client journey from inquiry and booking to pre-departure, travel, and follow-ups.
• Ensure the client experience remains personalized, consistent, and of superior quality at every stage.
• Supervise the Business Support team responsible for administrative, financial, and operational support functions.
• Coordinate operational aspects of marketing campaigns, content development, and partnership activities.
• Act as the senior escalation point for client grievances, ensuring prompt and judicious resolution.
• Create scalable operational systems including workflows, reporting, service-level agreements, and quality control frameworks.
• Provide regular updates to the Managing Director on sales, team performance, client experience, and operational risks.

Candidate Profile

• Minimum of ten years' professional experience, ideally with significant exposure to the travel industry.
• Prior experience in luxury, bespoke, or high-end travel markets strongly preferred.
• Background in high-touch travel, hospitality, concierge services, or luxury lifestyle sectors.
• In-depth understanding of expectations pertaining to affluent clients.
• Proven team management capabilities across sales, operations, client service, and business support functions.
• Expertise in coaching teams to meet both commercial targets and service excellence standards.
• Experience partnering with external HR specialists for personnel management.
• Natural leadership skills that foster a culture of energy, accountability, and pride within the team.
• Strong commercial acumen, including management of operational KPIs like conversion rates, service levels, and cost efficiency.
• Excellent organizational, decision-making, and leadership skills with a calm and authoritative style.
• A collaborative mindset to act as a trusted operational partner alongside the Managing Director.

International experience will be considered an additional advantage.

Success Indicators

• Marked improvement in sales outcomes, service quality, and employee engagement within six to twelve months.
• Establishment of a positive, accountable organizational culture.
• Recognition as a visible, trusted, and effective leader throughout the company.
• Delivery of a consistently high-quality and personalized client experience.
• Implementation of operational processes and reporting mechanisms that support sustainable growth.

Why Join?

This leadership position offers the chance to command the operational core of a growing luxury travel enterprise. Collaborating closely with the Managing Director, the incumbent will influence the company’s culture, operational framework, client experience, and future development strategies. The role confers broad responsibility and the opportunity to shape a high-end travel firm’s trajectory without sacrificing the personal touch that defines its service excellence.