Explore is an adventure travel expert focused on sustainable, small group holidays which create stories to tell for a lifetime. From classic group tours and family adventures, to walking, wildlife and cycling trips. With around 100 countries to choose from, our customers explore the world with us. Join us on our journey, creating extraordinary travel experiences for all.

At the heart of all of this, is a passion to travel responsibly. We aim to always be welcomed back, for communities and cultures to benefit, and wildlife to flourish. In a complicated world that's full of potential, we strive to be better than yesterday.

We put people at the heart of everything we do and are proud of the extensive benefits we offer.

This role is based in Farnborough, Hampshire with 2 days per week in the office. Our office is within walking distance of the train station and has free parking. This is a full-time position, however work life balance is important to us and so we are open to discussion on flexible working patterns (minimum 4 days per week).

Salary: £38,000 - £42,000 + bonus

About the role:

Every role at Explore is equally important. As a Product Manager you will create our unforgettable worldwide adventures – be it a cultural experience, a bucket-list trek, a cycle ride through the backroads of a little-known destination or an amazing family holiday. You’ll generate ideas for exceptional experiences seeing them through to their fruition as small group adventures. You will deliver sustainable, profitable itineraries which operate within our safety guidelines, continually innovating to ensure that Explore always offers market leading trips which exceed our customers’ expectations. You will manage a portfolio of tours within Europe and be (or become) the expert for a variety of destinations in this area depending on your experience.  

A typical working day will undoubtedly will be varied. You will be in regular contact with our overseas suppliers for a number of reasons – you could be discussing on the ground delivery, talking about itinerary improvements, obtaining discounts for staff/press trips or just having an ‘it’s been a while since we last caught up’ chat. There will be times in the year when you are completing specific tasks – for example negotiating rates, setting dates/capacity, or putting together inspiring text for new tours. On other days you’ll find yourself conducting competitor analysis, onboarding a new local partner, talking to a tour leader about on the ground operations or reviewing customer feedback and implementing changes to improve customer satisfaction. You will spend some time training the wider Explore team on your portfolio of trips and from time to time you’ll present at trade or customer events.

There will also be occasions when you get on the phone to customers – to answer pre travel questions or to talk about their experience on a recent trip. On other days you’ll find yourself dealing with the completely unexpected; perhaps helping deal with an on-tour issue or as a member of the crisis team. Travel to European destinations and taking responsibility for the out of hours duty phone (on a rota basis) will also be required.

We invest in staff development and this role is available as the result of an internal promotion.

Am I the right person?  We are looking for your application to demonstrate:

We are looking for someone who has experience of working in a sales, operations or product role in a tour operator, travel agent or ground agent, along with their own personal travel experiences. A passion for sustainable travel, and a knowledge of what this means, is non-negotiable. 

We operate in over 100 countries, and work with countless partners around the world, and so you must be able to celebrate diversity and be able to build great relationships with these world-wise partners, whilst having high and fair expectations of them. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential.

It's vital that you are passionate about providing exceptional customer experiences as one of our targeted aims is to raise our NPS. The desire for continual improvement is built into the company DNA as we live up to our values to #BeBetterThanYesterday, so experience of delivering quality improvements to a portfolio of tours would be beneficial.

We have ambitious growth plans and so a growth mentality is essential. This role would suit someone who is curious and quick to adapt as change is a constant in the product sphere. We’re looking for someone who is able to bring new ideas to the table, is energetic, a strong negotiator and someone who gets things done. We welcome diverse thinking and people who can work out what doing the right thing is.

Usual requirements such as being someone who is both an independent thinker and a team player, and a person who can demonstrate a record of working to tight deadlines, delivering excellent attention to detail and working under pressure are essential traits for this role. Whilst we work hard the company ethos is that we work in a place that is both positive and fun, and so it is essential that the successful candidate is able to fit into this environment.

We aim to be better than yesterday and our values will be close to your heart.

Diversity is to be celebrated. Life would be dreary, and change would be slow, if we all thought the same way. We challenge our ideas, each other, and our business partners - always with respect and kindness.

Explore is part of Hotelplan Group, a well-established and diverse family of specialist tour operators, with a long tradition of developing and operating market-leading experiences. The family comprises ski, walking and Lapland holidays with Inghams and Santa’s Lapland; adventure travel with Explore; and self-guided holidays with Inntravel. Sustainability and responsible tourism is at the core of everything we do, and should be a passion for everyone employed by the group.