Adventure Travel & Hospitality Management

Remarkable journeys. Engaging people. Wild spaces.

Hiring: Adventure Travel Operations Manager 
Company: Maple Leaf Adventures
Location: We are only able to consider candidates who are in the Victoria BC area

Take the helm in BC’s eco-tourism industry. Join our expedition ship operations team and leverage your leadership experience to manage the people and systems that keep our trips - celebrated by National Geographic as the “Trip of a Lifetime” - running smoothly. 

About the Role 

This is a senior, hands-on leadership position within our travel operations department. You’ll oversee the day-to-day and strategic operations that support our three expedition ships as they embark on their 4 to 11-day eco-tours through the wild west coast and Alaska by: 

• Overseeing all trip and shore-based program operations, from planning to execution 
• Recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing crew and shore staff (approx. 80 team members) 
• Ensuring compliance with permits, safety standards and BC labour laws 
• Driving off-season projects, including maintenance planning and operational improvements (after the first year) 
• Owning budget, KPI tracking and performance reporting in your department 
• Championing customer and crew satisfaction by turning feedback into action 

The Successful Candidate 

• You’re self-motivated and proactive about learning, diving deep into trip details, ship operations, and the systems that keep everything running. 
• You enjoy balancing strategy with action, seeing the big picture while keeping your hands on the wheel. 
• You’re energized by owning a big, complex role, and you take pride in leading and motivating teams, juggling competing priorities and keeping moving parts aligned. 
• You value organization and compliance, but you’re not rigid, and you can pivot quickly when the tide changes. 
• You’re comfortable taking charge during incident or time-sensitive challenges, thinking strategically even under pressure. 
• You lead with clarity and empathy, understanding how to guide through influence and navigate the dynamics of strong personalities and diverse teams. 

Demonstrated Skills and Qualifications 

• A minimum of 5 years of people and operations management experience. 
• Post-secondary education and equivalent experience in operations, tourism, or project management. 
• Proven HR management skills: recruitment, performance management, and conflict resolutions, including an understanding of HR best practices in BC. 
• Demonstrated experience in managing to budget and risk-adjusted decision-making. 
• Ability to inspire a team to high levels of productivity and engagement in an awesome workplace culture. 
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort learning new systems and tools. 
• Ability to build strong professional relationships, with personnel, suppliers and stakeholders across geographic and cultural boundaries 

Work Week  

This is a full-time, permanent, in-office role following Monday to Friday business hours. While our ships operate 24/7, after-hours needs are rare; the Operations Manager coordinates weekend coverage as needed and has flexibility in how that’s arranged. We value balance - we’re a tourism company that believes in recharging and managers are encouraged to take time back if weekend support is required. 

Salary and Benefits 

The annual salary for this position is $80,000-$90,000 depending on experience, with review after probation Other benefits include a staff benefits plan, opportunity to explore our coast with great people, and 
professional development funding. 

How to Apply 

We invite you to submit your resume and a cover letter sharing the life experiences that sparked your passion for wilderness ecotourism and explaining why operations management is the next exciting step in your career journey by email to: karen@hireiqconsulting.ca .

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

Please note that resumes without a cover letter will not be considered. Please do not contact the office or drop off resumes in person. 

Applications are considered on a rolling basis, and the company intends to make a decision within the next few weeks. 

We are only able to consider candidates who are in the Victoria, BC, area. Given the complex nature of what we do and the importance of in-person team dynamics, remote work is available only on an occasional basis.