Travel Program Manager

Organization Summary:

The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the Palm Beaches and around the world. Our mission is to inspire and empower individuals to contribute, volunteer, and participate in programs that drive positive change.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Travel Program Manager, Missions to lead the planning and execution of missions to Israel and other destinations worldwide. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing the overall strategy and direction for the Missions Department, ensuring seamless execution of missions, and managing relationships with travel vendors and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership:
  • Develop and implement the overall strategy and direction for the Missions Department.
  • Create and monitor an annual work plan to guide departmental activities.
• Mission Management:
  • Oversee and manage all mission itineraries, including those to Israel and other international destinations.
  • Ensure seamless execution of missions by coordinating with travel vendors, such as airlines, tour operators, and destination management companies.
• Vendor and Relationship Management:
  • Manage relationships with all travel vendors and service providers.
  • Maintain strong, effective communication with donors, professionals, and other stakeholders.
• Staff Guidance and Coordination:
  • Provide direction and support to Lead staff throughout the mission planning and execution process.
  • Ensure that all staff and volunteers are well-informed and prepared for missions.
• Communication and Materials Preparation:
  • Prepare and manage necessary materials for missions, including pre-, post-, and during mission documentation.
  • Serve as the primary contact for professional and volunteer leadership seeking to travel.
• Financial and Administrative Oversight:
  • Manage all financial and budgetary aspects of the Missions Department.
  • Handle administrative functions and ensure adherence to financial policies and procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Missions:

• Create unique overseas mission itineraries to Israel and around the world, tailored to the needs of each group.
• Develop and monitor progress of an annual work plan, based on discussions with all departments and Lead Staff.
• Provide guidance and support to Lead Staff in preparation of mission proposals from initial concept to final approval.
• Provide superior customer service to participants, including concierge overseas travel services to major donors and VIPs.
• Develop and manage mission budgets, ensuring adherence to approved budgets.
• Manage calls from potential participants, answering general and specific informational questions regarding missions.
• Review applications and monitor special requests, working in consultation with mission lead staff, lay leadership, and tour operators to ensure itinerary and participant experience align with goals and objectives.
• Create, implement, and monitor a follow-up plan with mission participants upon return from a mission, in coordination with Campaign, Leadership Development, and other Federation departments.
• Review and maintain the accuracy of all lists, including participant, rooming, bus, land only, special requests, seating requests, dietary requests, celebrations, etc.
• Troubleshoot and oversee the general operation and flow of all missions.
• Develop strong working relationships with mission lead staff, from various Federation departments, and with varying mission-facilitation/implementation experience.
• Travel with delegations to provide on-site logistical support as necessary and appropriate.
• Take full responsibility for coordinating and overseeing all activities related to missions, including setting clear objectives, timelines, and responsibilities.
• Act as the central point of contact for all stakeholders, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration between teams.

Local Site Visits:

• Schedule, organize, and implement Take Action tours (local agency site visits) for pre-determined groups based on goals and objectives set by Financial Resource Division (FRD).

Overseas Speaker Visits:

• Act as the liaison between Community Strategy & Planning and FRD departments to assist with scheduling out-of-town agency speakers for small FRD gatherings, donor visits, and committee meetings.

Qualifications and Success Factors:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Five (5) or more years' experience as a Mission Director or related field, such as travel agent or equivalent combination of relevant education, experience, and skills required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Exceptional customer service skills.
• High level of confidentiality and professional integrity.
• Strong knowledge of basic office computing, including MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), Zoom, and basic database skills required.
• Strong experience and ability working with CRM databases.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in developing and managing large budgets.
• Experience with foreign travel, including study abroad and independent or group travel in or outside of Israel.
• Experience with Jewish organizations/institutions, either as an employee, volunteer, or participant.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to coordinate and prioritize workflow processes, including managing multiple tasks, setting schedules, meeting deadlines, organizing, and planning.
• Ability to build trusted relationships, work effectively, respectfully, and collaboratively with lay leadership and colleagues across departments and at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to multi-task, demonstrated organizational skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced work environment and adapting to rapidly changing priorities and needs.
• Must be able to pass a Level 1 background check.
• Must be able to work a minimum of three (3) events annually.

Work Environment:

Position is eligible to work from home occasionally in accordance with Federation policies. When working from home, employee must:

• Follow all Federation policies and procedures.
• Be available to other employees during Federation's normal business hours.
• Not work from a public place (e.g., coffee shop, library, etc.) and/or join a public, unsecure wi-fi network when working with sensitive or confidential information.
• Coordinate with IT department to maintain appropriate computer equipment and connectivity.

Pay Rate:

In addition to benefits, the annual salary for this role ranges between $65,000 and $75,000. We benchmark our salary ranges for new hires in relation to the role, level, and role location; however, we consider a multitude of factors, including relevant experience, skills, and education/training, to determine compensation within the identified range.

The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list, and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time at the Federation's discretion. Employment is at-will, and this job description is not an employment contract, and nothing herein shall be deemed to create in any way whatsoever an employment contract.