Job purpose
The primary function of the Tours and Operations Manager is to ensure the effective and timely planning, organisation, contracting, budgeting, scheduling and logistical arrangements for a selection of tours and projects undertaken by the department.
Key accountabilities
Tour and project management
- Responsible for preparing contracts between orchestras, promoters and H/P
- Point of contact for travel & accommodation research, negotiate prices and arrange national and international travel; select and supervise booking of hotels, negotiate rates, ensure details of check-in, payment schedules, catering etc; research processing of applications for work permits and visas - to ensure efficient logistical planning and arrangements.
- Responsible for maintaining and updating tour schedules throughout the period of a tour/project from draft to final stages; maintain effective documentation; update all associated summary planning schedules for touring department.
- Responsible for preparing and maintaining detailed tour budgets and cash flows; liaising with Senior Accountant to plan timing of payments/receipts and foreign currency requirements; deal with issuing of invoices and approval of expenses incurred by H/P; prepare and reconcile final statement of account to ensure effective financial management of tour/project
- Leading on maintaining effective and timely liaison and information flows between orchestras, promoters and H/P project staff on all aspects of tours and projects
- Managing risk assessments in liaison with Senior Manager and Sales Managers on allocated tours and identify appropriate insurance cover
- On-the-road tour management: Accompany touring group on tour as and when agreed and ensure smooth running of tour (on occasion).
Departmental
- Managing effective systems to ensure that key dates (including budgeting, contracting, making logistical arrangements, finalising all accounting, payments and receipts at tour end) on all the department’s tours and projects are met on a timely basis. This will include timely reminders to other managers in the department and a monthly report for the Director of key dates not met.
- Ensure there is an overview of current and future touring projects
- Manage systems to ensure that departmental expenses and income are correctly registered across systems
- Coordinate internal planning of tour allocations, sales trips and annual leave
- Organise and coordinate training sessions
- Point of contact for Touring section on HP website
- Supervise collating, storage and distribution of all client marketing materials and departmental archiving
- Assist in managing the department's relationships with travel and cargo service providers, and ensure that such relationships continue to meet the needs of the department in the most efficient and cost-effective way
Systems
- Managing budget templates
- Responsible for Contract templates (and liaising with company solicitors as agreed with Director)
- Responsible for effective assessment of risk and procedures for placing insurance cover
- Lead on the company’s bespoke database functionality for tours and projects
- Report on tour financials
- Responsible for Archiving
Sales and strategy support
- Prepare and maintain detailed tour budgets for various projects in sales phase
- Responsible for maintaining internal systems to ensure key info about touring clients and/or tours in sales phase are up to date
- Prepare custom reports as needed by stakeholders
Other responsibilities
- Generally, carry out such other functions as may be reasonable from time to time
Benefits
- To be discussed – depends on the location of the employment and the local conditions
Additional Information
- Our recruitment is for all, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Person specification
Skills and Experience:
Essential:
- Demonstrate that you have robust business sense and acumen, including the know-how to build and manage budgets and to negotiate effectively. (Assessment method: Interview)
- Demonstrate that you are a good and willing team player. (Assessment method: Interview)
- Strong organisation skills, able to plan ahead and think laterally about problems with a solution focus. (Assessment method: Application: Interview)
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Fluent in English (written and spoken). (Assessment method: Application: Interview)
- Educated to at least undergraduate degree level (Assessment method: Application)
- Demonstrable understanding of professional confidentiality and discretion.(Assessment method: Application: Interview)
- Have excellent IT skills including a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office (with a very strong grasp of Excel). (Assessment method: Interview)
- Be able to work under pressure and to remain calm and courteous in a pressured environment. (Assessment method: Interview)
- Working knowledge of at least one additional language. (Assessment method: Application: Interview)
- Show ability to multi-task i.e. work on a number of different projects simultaneously. (Assessment method: Application: Interview)
Desirable
- A good knowledge of and active interest in music. (Assessment method: Application: Interview)
- Have experience in another leading international management agency or receiving/producing venue
