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Meet James, Operations Manager in the Cycle Tour Industry
- maryhartley19
- Nov 10
- 2 min read
Name: James
Degree: French and Spanish
How did you spend your Year Abroad?
Erasmus semester at University of Valencia and then work placement in Paris
Briefly outline your journey from graduation to now.
After graduating I moved to the French Alps to work for a French cycling tour operator. Following a few years living and working in the region I moved back to the UK to take over the operations side of a UK based cycling tour operator, running trips throughout the UK, France and Italy.
What is your current job?
Operations Manager in the Cycle Tour Industry
What does your current job involve day to day?
Managing teams delivering our cycling trips and overall day to day logistics
Negotiating with suppliers and partners in destination
Product development
Crisis management
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The industry as a whole is a fun and exciting place to work where no day is like another. The opportunities to travel and explore European destinations and meet with like minded people is an awesome perk.
What advice would you give to someone interested in this job?
Reach out with spontaneous applications for seasonal work to a wide spread of companies. Language skills are a valuable asset in the travel industry and gaining a little bit of experience goes a long way to then securing a permanent job.
How has your languages degree been useful during your career so far?
I use French and Spanish most days to speak to suppliers in destination, and to resolve any issues that might arise during trips that we are operating
Do you use or practise your languages outside of work?
Yes with francophone and Hispanic friends and watching the odd film or TV show
Thanks very much to James for sharing his journey!
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