Tour Optimization Trainee

With one shared mission of opening the world through education, EF is a multicultural and multilingual community of team members working across 55 countries all around the world. Bring your talents, your perspective, and your ambition. In return, we offer a vibrant, dynamic working environment, and a fulfilling international career.

EF Educational Tours makes it possible for thousands of North American students every year to see the world and discover new cultures through our professionally guided tours.

The role

EF Educational Tours is currently looking for an energetic and enthusiastic professional for the position of Tour Optimization Trainee to join our Operations department at our Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. As a Tour Optimization Trainee, you will be helping our customers travel throughout Europe by working with our team to allocate and administer cost-effective and quality accommodation and transport services and solutions for our customers. This position will report to a Tour Optimization Manager and will work closely with suppliers and EF functions.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Inventory Management – facilitate demand analysis, source and allocate component inventory.
2. Strategy Execution – support individuals and teams in setting and delivering on mid to long-term strategic direction and supplier segmentation.
3. Category Management – support the team in their efforts to implement category management and facilitate information gathering on categories and geographical regions.
4. Supplier Relationship Management – collaborate with internal stakeholders and external suppliers through the implementation of a SRM approach.
5. Risk and Safety Management – help monitor, administer, and escalate any potential areas of risk and safety concerns.
6. Budget and Cash Flow Management – continuously assist with monitoring, projecting, and delivering on costs according to a set plan.
7. Technology – contribute to the development of technology solutions and the improvement of current tools.
8. Market Knowledge, Trends, and Innovation – connect on and collect info of the supply market by consistently networking and researching within the industry, as well as gaining market insight into evolving trends in spend categories and geographies with a focus on bringing innovation to EF.
9. Analytics – use data to improve processes, drive strategy, action, and communication.
10. Administrative – ensure all contracts, allocations, invoices, company records, and supplier updates are processed, maintained, and administered effectively.
11. Optimize and coordinate group logistics with external vendors.
12. Assist with group bookings for business partners, museums, and activities across Europe.

Infrequent travel may be required in order to support the team.

Qualifications

• Forward-thinking attitude whilst actively engaged to support day-to-day sourcing priorities.
• Analytical mindset with strong attentiveness to detail.
• Solution-oriented, flexible, innovative, and driven.
• Agile and open-minded team player.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong communication, social skills, and cultural awareness.
• Proficient knowledge in Excel.
• Fluency in English along with one or a combination of the following languages is required: French, Italian, Greek, German, and/or Spanish.

To be considered for this role, applicants must either be Swiss citizens, EU nationals, or have the legal right to live and work in Switzerland.

Duration: 9 – 10 months

Application

Please submit your CV & Cover Letter in English online. We will screen applications on a rolling basis.

Working at EF

• You will have the opportunity to work within an innovative, engaging, and multicultural environment.
• Have the opportunity to build strong and lasting business relationships.
• Have the opportunity to develop your career within EF and our new working location in Zurich.

EF offers a wide range of benefits ready for our team members to enjoy during weekends, after work, and with friends & family, including:

• Discounted passes to local destinations and tourist hot-spots such as Mt. Titlis or Kunsthaus Zurich.
• Full reimbursement of the SBB ‘halb-tax’ travel card, covering country-wide public transportation.

About EF Education First

EF believes that the world is better when people try to understand one another. Since 1965, we have helped millions of people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. Our culturally immersive education programs—focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics—turn dreams into international opportunities.

When you join EF, you join a multicultural and diverse community working across more than 600 schools and offices in 50 countries, all with one shared mission of opening the world through education. Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about—we welcome you and want you to bring that to work every day. EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, caste, parental status, identity, experience, and everything else that makes you unique.

Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF has schools and offices around the world, including hubs in Boston, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, Zürich, and more. Learn more at https://www.ef.com.

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