Assistant Reservations Manager

Time + Tide | Who we are 

We are guides and guardians of some of the most remote places on Earth, with a family of luxury properties in Zambia and Madagascar. Across land and sea, we have a legacy in responsible tourism and offer modern-day explorers the luxury of space and the chance to feel fully alive. Our team take extraordinary care in sharing our deep appreciation for the land, wildlife and culture. 

Assistant reservations manager | about the role 

The Assistant Reservations Manager supports the strategic and operational leadership of the reservations team. This role combines hands-on travel design with team supervision, systems governance, and commercial accountability. The successful candidate will ensure service excellence, operational efficiency and consistent brand delivery across all markets, while stepping into full managerial capacity when required. 

Key responsibilities and duties 

 Travel design leadership 

• Research, design and curate high-end itineraries for both B2B and B2C guests. 

• Support Travel Designers in crafting seamless, guest-focused journeys that reflect the Time + Tide brand. 

• Maintain expert knowledge of all Time + Tide destinations and relevant third-party product. 

• Monitor enquiry management to ensure priority response times are maintained. 

• Review complex or high-value bookings to ensure operational feasibility and guest alignment. 

• Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities across properties and experiences. 

• Approve discretionary discounts within authorised thresholds and ensure adherence to internal approval processes. 

• Step into full managerial capacity in the absence of the head of reservations, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision-making. 

• Monitor conversion ratios and support Travel Designers in improving enquiry-to-confirmation performance. 

• Collaborate closely with all Time + Tide teams, especially operations, to ensure seamless client travel experiences. 

• Booking of domestic / international flights and 3rd party services 

• Assist in managing peak period inventory strategically taking into account all logistic constraints and requirements. 

Booking performance and revenue integrity 

• Support occupancy management by monitoring booking pace and peak period availability. 

• Assist in managing tactical offers and ensuring their correct application. 

• Monitor cancellation trends and support mitigation strategies. 

• Ensure contracted rate integrity and internal compliance with discount policies. 

• Participate in weekly commercial reviews and provide operational insights. 

• Actively work towards departmental revenue targets and support the team in achieving them. 

Team leadership and development 

• Support the head of reservations in supervising, mentoring and motivating the reservations team. 

• Conduct regular quality control audits on bookings, communication and system accuracy. 

• Provide structured coaching and ongoing feedback to Travel Designers. 

• Assist in onboarding new team members and supporting probation processes. 

• Ensure training plans and calendars are implemented and maintained. 

• Manage team scheduling and ensure adequate daily coverage across markets. 

• Step in to manage escalated guest or agent matters professionally and efficiently. 

Systems and process governance 

• Ensure accurate use of reservation systems including res request, safari portal and hubSpot. 

• Maintain CRM hygiene and ensure accurate pipeline tracking. 

• Oversee rate loading accuracy and distribution across systems. 

• Ensure data integrity and booking documentation is audit-ready. 

• Identify system inefficiencies and recommend process improvements. 

• Assist in implementing and maintaining SOPs and operational standards. 

• Ensure booking terms and cancellation policies are applied consistently and correctly. 

• Monitor lead scoring and booking source performance. 

• Identify system inefficiencies and recommend improvements. 

• Support automation improvements in HubSpot where applicable. 

• Oversee rate loading accuracy across all platforms and third-party systems. 

Financial and compliance oversight 

• Ensure timely follow-up of deposits and outstanding payments. 

• Monitor upcoming payments due and support accountability within the team. 

• Liaise closely with finance regarding reconciliations and allocation queries. 

• Support margin awareness across bookings and responsible discount application. 

• Assist in preparing weekly and monthly reporting on team and booking performance. 

Customer retention 

• Be aware of all current itineraries travelling and prepared to handle any issues during travel 

• Handle customer complaints efficiently and expediently and assist with any escalated issues ensuring a timely resolution. 

• Follow up on guests travel during and after travel  

Experience, qualifications and competencies:  

• Demonstrated experience in a comparable leadership role within luxury hospitality, safari or high-end travel 

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal 

• Proven track record of delivering with detail orientation and accuracy 

• Motivated and determined to meet and exceed annual sales goals 

• Demonstrated excellence in proactive customer service 

• Impeccable attention to detail 

• Strong negotiation skills 

• Excellent planning and organizational skills 

• Strong initiative and creativity 

• Team player who shares ideas and learning with others 

• Professional with a sense of fun 

• Excellent ability to build and manage relationships with a wide variety of people and cultures 

• Proficient with Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word) 

• Genuine passion for luxury travel 

• Must be willing to work flexible hours according to business requirements 

• Knowledge of res request, safari portal and HubSpot an advantage 

Posted on 19 Feb 10:04, Closing date 20 Mar