Jobs at ABTA

Closing date for applications:  1 May 2025
First round interviews:  w/c 5 May 2025
Start date: 16 June 2025

ABTA is a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry, and has been a trusted travel brand for over 70 years. Our purpose is to help our members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence.

We’re passionate about the role we play within the industry and are committed to helping each other thrive. We’ve built a culture where amazing people can do their best work and grow as professionals, and individuals. We work in an open plan office, which allows effective collaboration across departments, in the heart of London Bridge right next to Borough Market.

ABTA is currently recruiting for a Senior Media and Communications Manager to join the Communications department on a permanent contract.

As Senior Media and Communications Manager at ABTA, you’ll lead high-profile communications projects and campaigns that support our organisational objectives – including the ABTA Travel Convention, Holiday Habits research, and the Travel Trends report. You’ll drive proactive and reactive media activity, shaping ABTA’s response to industry developments and reputation management.

You’ll play a central role in ABTA’s crisis communications function, coordinating our response to national and global incidents, while also finding new ways to engage audiences across media and digital platforms. Internal communications will also fall under your remit, working closely with HR and other teams to support staff engagement.

The role involves acting as a spokesperson for ABTA in the media and at events, and requires creativity, strong writing and project management skills, and the ability to tailor messaging across multiple channels. You’ll manage two team members and report to the Head of Media and Communications, deputising for senior leaders when needed. Participation in a 24/7 on-call rota (approximately one week in four) is also required.

The Ideal candidate will have:
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•    Specific skills in the writing and editorial material for both consumer and corporate audiences, and the ability to adapt tone and content for different audiences.
•    Strong news sense and media handling skills, including understanding the news agenda, effectively pitching stories and managing media enquiries.
•    The ability to conduct broadcast media interview at national and regional level (training will be provided).
•    Skills and experience in managing media activity of a sensitive nature in relation to crises and incidents.
•    Ability to think strategically and develop communications project plans that work across the Communications team.
•    Ability to work in a collaborative and constructive way across the organisation.
•    Creative thinking combined with strong judgement to ensure effective, targeted PR initiatives.
•    Good stakeholder management skills, demonstrating the ability to work with existing and new partners productively and tactfully.
•    Demonstrable success in delivering PR results to build brand awareness.
•    Strong awareness of both traditional and social media, and experience of using the full range of channels for proactive campaigns.
•    Good project management skills and being able to manage cross-team initiatives and pieces of work.
•    Strong line management skills, including developing and motivating staff, and delegating work appropriately. 
•    Organisational and time management skills – able to manage plans and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
•    Good commercial understanding and judgement.
•    Ability to work with all levels of seniority within ABTA and among members.

Our values
The successful candidate will demonstrate behaviours which fit with ABTA’s values:

Be There
We are always ready and prepared to help our members, customers and colleagues with a positive attitude. We are encouraged and empowered to make clear, timely and informed decisions, even when faced with the unknown.

Be Trusted
We are proud to be part of an award-winning brand in the travel industry, passionately providing quality support and advice in a fair, equitable and consistent way. We aim to be approachable and reliable, in order to do a consistently good job for the industry and each other.

Be Ambitious
Although we need to be risk-aware, we have the confidence to be bold and visionary, and the insight to make calculated risks to transform the way we work. We encourage each other to push the boundaries and share ‘outside the box’ thinking.

Salary: Competitive dependent on experience, plus company benefits

Location: We’re a hybrid-working organisation, so all colleagues are able to balance working in a collaborative environment from our open-plan office in the heart of London Bridge, along with time working from home. 
 ABTA offers a supportive work environment alongside other additional benefits such as private health insurance, pension, life insurance, income protection, season ticket loan, Rent Start -deposit loan scheme, online GP service, buy/sell leave, an in-depth learning and development framework, as well as retail discounts. ABTA has adopted a hybrid working model which combines the benefits of home working, and office work.

To apply for the post please submit your CV with a covering letter outlining why you are the right person for the role, your salary expectations and notice period, to hr@abta.co.uk. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ABTA, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. We are an equal opportunities employer that encourages eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. To ensure that this policy is fully and fairly implemented and monitored, and for no other reason, please fill out our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
 

Closing date for applications: 16 May 2025
First round interviews: w/c 19 May 2025
Start date: As soon as possible

ABTA is a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry, and has been a trusted travel brand for over 70 years. Our purpose is to help our members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence.

We’re passionate about the role we play within the industry and are committed to helping each other thrive. We’ve built a culture where amazing people can do their best work and grow as professionals, and individuals. We work in an open plan office, which allows effective collaboration across departments, in the heart of London Bridge right next to Borough Market.

ABTA is currently recruiting for a HR Assistant to join the HR department on a permanent contract. The HR team play a pivotal role in ensuring the development of ABTA’s people, and you will be at the centre of supporting colleagues throughout their time with us. From maintaining our onboarding process and organising training, to driving the EDI strategy and providing advice to managers, no two days are every the same for our team.

Purpose of this role:

To provide support to the team in delivering ABTA’s HR strategy, and enhancing ABTA’s Employer Brand and Employee Value Proposition. The HR Officer will be responsible for the administration needs of the HR function including payroll, staff benefits, recruitment, and training. They will provide support with learning and development, and promoting ABTA’s wellbeing and EDI initiatives.

The Ideal candidate should:

• Have excellent organisational skills, be flexible and be able to prioritise and manage a variety of tasks in parallel.
• Have a high level of skill and accuracy of written and verbal communication.
• Be able to give timely advice in response to enquiries.
• Be able to maintain a consistent level of performance under changing circumstances and think ahead with a pro-active approach.
• Have a good level of understanding of the HR function.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills with colleagues, external supplier and candidates at all levels.
• Be able to plan workload effectively and deliver within deadlines and to agreed standards.
• Be receptive to and contribute new ideas and approaches, and adapt accordingly.
• Be able to deal with unusual situations in a calm, professional manner.
• Be able to make decisions of a fairly uniform nature and seek help with more complex situations.

Our values
The successful candidate will demonstrate behaviours which fit with ABTA’s values:

Be There
We are always ready and prepared to help our members, customers and colleagues with a positive attitude. We are encouraged and empowered to make clear, timely and informed decisions, even when faced with the unknown.

Be Trusted
We are proud to be part of an award-winning brand in the travel industry, passionately providing quality support and advice in a fair, equitable and consistent way. We aim to be approachable and reliable, in order to do a consistently good job for the industry and each other.

Be Ambitious
Although we need to be risk-aware, we have the confidence to be bold and visionary, and the insight to make calculated risks to transform the way we work. We encourage each other to push the boundaries and share ‘outside the box’ thinking.

Salary: Competitive dependent on experience, plus company benefits
Location: We’re a hybrid-working organisation, so all colleagues are able to balance working in a collaborative environment from our open-plan office in the heart of London Bridge, along with time working from home. 

ABTA offers a supportive work environment alongside other additional benefits such as private health insurance, pension, life insurance, income protection, season ticket loan, Rent Start -deposit loan scheme, online GP service, buy/sell leave, an in-depth learning and development framework, as well as retail discounts. ABTA has adopted a hybrid working model which combines the benefits of home working, and office work.

To apply for the post please submit your CV with a covering letter outlining why you are the right person for the role, your salary expectations and notice period, to hr@abta.co.uk. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ABTA, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. We are an equal opportunities employer that encourages eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. To ensure that this policy is fully and fairly implemented and monitored, and for no other reason, please fill out our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.