Senior Trip Host 346 views
Job Overview
About Us
African Adventures creates life-changing international volunteering experiences for UK based schools, colleges and charities, enabling groups to make a meaningful difference in communities across Ghana, Kenya, Zanzibar and The Gambia. Working in partnership across more than 50 schools, we deliver educational, cultural and community-focused programmes that have a lasting impact on both participants and the communities we support. We’re a unique organisation, combining the expertise of a travel company with the purpose of an international development organisation. We deliver life-changing volunteering experiences for schools, colleges and charities, providing a fully managed travel service that includes everything from flights and accommodation to pre-departure support and fundraising guidance. At the same time, we work closely with our partner schools across Africa to improve school facilities, expand educational opportunities and create lasting, positive impact for the communities we support.
About The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to lead our in-country Trip Host team, ensuring every volunteer group receives an exceptional, safe and well-organised experience throughout their visit. As Senior Trip Host, you’ll oversee the planning and delivery of group itineraries, provide day-to-day leadership and support to Trip Hosts, and build strong relationships with our partner schools, accommodation providers and tour suppliers. Working closely with the Programme Manager and UK operations team, you’ll play a key role in maintaining high standards of customer service, operational compliance and programme delivery, helping to create meaningful experiences for volunteers while supporting sustainable outcomes for our partner communities.
About You
We’re looking for an organised, confident and people-focused leader who thrives in a fast paced environment and enjoys supporting both colleagues and customers. You’ll have experience leading teams, coordinating logistics and building positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, while remaining calm and solutions-focused when challenges arise. You’ll be passionate about delivering outstanding service, committed to maintaining high operational standards, and confident communicating with volunteers, schools, suppliers and colleagues across both our in-country and UK teams. Most importantly, you’ll share our commitment to creating safe, memorable and impactful volunteer experiences that benefit local communities.
Responsibilities
• Line manage Trip Hosts in all respects, including recruitment, performance monitoring, disciplinaries, welfare, personal development – including observing Trip Hosts – and quality assuring their work.
• Lead on ‘first line’ support for Trip Hosts and groups, managing day-to-day issues, delivering the itinerary and ensuring high-quality customer service.
• Responsible for supporting the UK Business Operations Manager with in-country hotel and tour audit and compliance assessment and reporting, including following up action plans and non-compliance and advisory notices.
• Primary point of contact for partner schools, responsible for day-to-day liaison, and ensuring compliance with our partnership agreement.
• Responsible for accommodation booking processes, acting as primary point of contact for hotel partners.
• Responsible for making all tour and adventure activity bookings and maintaining good working relationships with key contacts.
•Responsible for ensuring all Trip Hosts are equipped with a printed, completed Trip Planner prior to arrival of group and they are given a clear brief on their duties to deliver.
• Collaborating with the Senior Driver ensuring joined up transportation service is in place for groups’ planned itinerary and logistical needs.
• Responsible for providing all proposed plans for – partner school allocations, project work, hotels, room allocations – to the UK team via the booking system.
• Supporting the Foundation Coordinator with collation of partner school project work demand, reporting back, with evidence and commentary on project completion, ensuring that funding and tools for groups are in place.
• Ensuring all school, accommodation and group data is accurately loaded into the booking system in collaboration with and through the Office Manager and their team.
• Part of an on-call system providing out of hours team support for issues and emergencies.
• Any other adhoc tasks as required.
Please Note:
Due to the scale of The Gambia programme at launch, the Senior Trip Host shall also undertake the ordering and coordination of vehicle suppliers until such a time that a Senior Driver in a dedicated role is required.
Collaboration:
We are all ‘one team’ and need to work as such, to deliver the role you will be expected to effectively work with:
• In Programme – Programme Manager, Senior Driver, Office Manager, Foundation Coordinator, Trip Hosts.
• In the UK – Business Operations Manager, H&S Officer, Programme Officer, Group Travel Coordinators, Travel Operations Manager.
• External to African Adventures – Partner Schools, Hotel providers, Community members.
What we’re looking for:
Essential:
• Fluent in English, Mandinka, and Wolof – representing the communities we operate in.
• English reading and writing to a high standard with excellent communication and people skills, including the ability to provide excellent interpretation between English and primary in-country languages where required
• Highly competent in Microsoft (Outlook/365) and communication (Teams/WhatsApp) systems.
• Experience of guiding/hosting groups within a travel and/or educational setting.
• Comfortable presenting and working with large groups including public speaking.
• A valid, in-date, passed and documented security/police/safeguarding check relevant to the country.
• Able to occasionally work unsocial hours and as part of an on-call system supporting delivery of the service to resolve issues and manage emergencies.
• A valid, in-date first aid qualification. (Can be provided as part of role induction/training)
Desirable:
• An understanding of the accreditation requirements for the business and charity.
• Knowledge of schools, their management and how the curriculum is structured.
• An understanding of the laws concerning children, education and hotel accommodation in country.
• Driving licence.
Any offer of employment to the successful candidate shall be subject to references from previous employer(s) and the outcome of a police clearance certificate.
Start date for the successful candidate: 05th October 2026.
All application documents should be sent to: apply@gamjobs.com and cc jobs@gamjobs.com.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis!
