Travel Operations Manager

The company

Indalo Travel is a boutique travel agency exclusively specializing in African travel. Our mission is to redefine perceptions of African travel and create memorable experiences across the continent. We work closely with our clients to craft truly personalized journeys, drawing on firsthand insights, regional expertise, and strong industry ties. We aim for every Indalo experience to be the trip of a lifetime while supporting African communities and ecosystems.

The role

We are looking for a highly motivated individual to manage the operational processes for Indalo clients from booking through post-travel. This is a fast-paced, high-touch operational role that blends booking coordination, client communication, operational execution, and problem-solving. It is best suited for someone who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and eager to support our clients. This is a full-time contract position with a U.S.company and we are intentionally open to a range of experience levels.

Responsibilities

  • Oversee the end-to-end operational flow of trips, ensuring all steps are completed, tracked, and aligned

  • Confirm and coordinate bookings with DMCs, lodges, and other suppliers

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for clients post-booking, handling questions, updates, and itinerary changes clearly and professionally

  • Build and update itineraries and trip records across internal systems

  • Process payments and track costs, maintaining accurate financial records

  • Proactively identify and resolve travel issues or changes with thoughtful problem-solving

Who we’re looking for

This is an opportunity to step into a growing business and play a meaningful role in how travel experiences are delivered. It’s well suited to someone who enjoys bringing order to complexity, cares deeply about client experiences, and wants to be part of a small, entrepreneurial team. Strong candidates will demonstrate:

  • Based in South Africa (those in EMEA time zones may still apply) with the ability to work from home

  • 3+ years in the travel industry, ideally in reservations or client operations (stronger experience welcome, compensation aligned with experience)

  • Strong organisational skills and comfort managing multiple moving parts

  • Comfort working independently and making decisions quickly in a lightly structured environment

  • High attention to detail and accuracy, under time-sensitive deadlines

  • Clear, professional communication skills with clients and suppliers

  • A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset

  • Comfort working with numbers, including quotes, markups, and payments

Perks of working at Indalo

  • Be part of a small, female-led, U.S. startup channeling meaningful revenue into the African tourism industry and contributing to its growth and positive impact

  • Top-of-market compensation, benchmarked above industry standards, with potential equity participation

  • A high-impact role with real responsibility in building and running the business

  • Educational trips to some of the most luxurious properties across Africa (4-8x per year, if interested)

  • A high-visibility role with regular exposure to industry conferences, events, and networking opportunities

  • Flexible work environment

  • Competitive PTO

To apply: Please email erin@indalo.travel with your resume and a cover letter describing your interest in this role.