Guest Services Advisor - Military veterans preferred

Our Guest Services Advisors (GSA) work directly with travelers to provide customer service and our in-country partners to provide logistical support for tours in the Educational Travel division. GSAs respond to traveler requests and inquiries and provide them with advice, guidance, and specific country information in preparation for their trip. The GSA is also responsible for the management of tour logistics including rooming allotments, the scheduling arrival and departure transfers, traveler special requests, and staff flights. GSAs communicate regularly with Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and in-country suppliers to confirm and finalize arrangements for approximately 40-50 tours per year. 

GSAs work closely with other ATA staff--particularly the Programming (tour design) and Marketing teams. The position requires strong multi-tasking skills in a rigorous and collaborative work environment. Candidates with excellent written and spoken communication skills, strong customer service instincts, an ease with technology, the ability to manage multiple deadlines, and solid knowledge of world geography will be most successful in this position. 

Department: Client Services Department

Status: Full-time, salaried, Exempt 

Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid work schedule of only 2 days in the office) 

Supervisor: Assistant Director, Client Services

Anticipated Start: ASAP

Starting Salary $52,000/year

____________________________________________________________________________________

What you’ll do…

Deliver High-quality Customer Service and Communicate Directly with Booked Travelers

• Attentively carry out ATA’s Gold Standards of Service—including providing same-day responses to traveler inquiries
• Creatively solve problems that arise with travelers within established guidelines
• Promptly process passenger cancellations and request refunds.
• Engage with travelers on trip-related matters via phone, email, auto-generated digital messaging, custom websites, and printed mailings
• Draft, proofread, and send traveler communications, including confirmation letters, flight notifications, trip updates, invoices and evaluations
• Creatively solve problems that arise with travelers and trips within established guidelines.

Support of Tour Operations

• Maintain accurate and current tour and traveler information in the reservations database system (Centaur)
• Maintain trip files in accordance with departmental procedures
• Effectively communicate traveler requests and needs to suppliers and tour staff to ensure a positive travel experience.
• Prepare tour staff for their trip assignments, including booking air travel and preparing tour briefing books.  
• Maintain trip files in accordance with departmental procedures
• Manage several concurrent deadlines across multiple trips and departures.
• Work with our partner air department regarding participants’ air travel arrangements
• Register travelers for the US Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
• Enroll individual travelers for medical evacuation insurance coverage

Project Management

• Oversee team workflow using Microsoft Planner and Excel Tracking Tools
• Create and update the Client Services Department (CSD) Knowledgebase when new policies are established or when procedural changes are made.
• Submit report for our weekly Educational Travel Division meeting. 
• Manage projects across departments and divisions as needed
• Assist Directors with high-level tasks

To Apply

Please upload your resume and a cover letter to our application form. Applications missing any of these components will not be considered. The successful completion of a background check, including professional/academic references, is required for this position.

Application deadline: We encourage applicants to send their materials as soon as possible and before our best consideration date of September 12, 2025.

To all recruitment agencies, ATA does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs, ATA employees or any other company location. ATA is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. 

An Equal Opportunity Workplace

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. 

If you have a special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Description of the Organization

Academic Travel Abroad, Inc. is an educational travel and study abroad provider for many universities, cultural, and media organizations, as well as a growing number of commercial brands. We believe in celebrating and learning about people and cultures through travel and education. Riding the post-war wave of interest in travel to Europe, ATA launched operations in 1950 by assisting universities and institutions in the creation of group travel programs for their members. Every ATA program is designed to change perspectives, deepen understanding, and engage communities, showcasing the stories—both told and untold--of the places and people we visit. 

We’re looking for…

Required Skills and Attributes

• 2+ years of professional work experience in an office environment
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills, including strong grammar 
• Proven customer service skills and experience
• Knowledge of world geography and cultural history of international destinations
• Competency in search engine research (i.e., “Googling” for reliable source material) 
• Familiarity with using cloud-based customer relationship management (CRMs) platforms or software
• Strong organizational skills and acute attention to detail
• An ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and work under pressure 
• Knowledge of the enterprise license of Microsoft Office Suite (Word / Excel / Outlook/SharePoint/Teams) 
• A commitment to go the extra mile (or kilometer) for the customer
• Adaptability, flexibility—and a sense of humor  

Preferred Skills and Attributes

• Experience working as a front-line phone receptionist/operator
• Some work experience in a role requiring frequent client/customer engagement over the phone 
• Travel agency or other travel-related background
• In-depth knowledge of the tour and hospitality industry
• WordPress or other content management system editing experience   

PI277430605