Talent Manager

Responsibilities

• Partner with National Geographic Society to prospect high-quality talent whose area of expertise aligns to enrich the Guest experience on National Geographic Expeditions, as well as ad-hoc requests for ambassadors and guest speakers.
• Participate in interviews or meet & greets as needed.
• Develop a strong relationship with talent, including regular check-ins, keeping them up to date on Adventures by Disney & National Geographic Expeditions (A&E) developments and inviting them to in-person connections with our team.
• Assign talent to Expedition Cruise and Private Jet travel experiences.
• Prepare talent for their role to include conducting pre trip and post trips calls with operations team members.
• Partner with Contingent Workforce Management and legal to ensure all documentation is complete including background checks, completed internal applications and contracts using Microsoft suite.
• Collaborate with internal clients to identify talent requirements, develop role specific requirements and match talent to each departure.
• Conduct comprehensive interviews/assessments of new talent to determine capabilities to deliver high-caliber presentations to all levels of Expedition Guests.
• Act as subject matter expert or consultant whenever Marketing and Public Relations needs input on talent-related marketing assets such as catalogs, talent biographies, and email templates.
• Manage talent issues including last-minute cancelations and time sensitive on-trip issues ensuring all appropriate parties are involved and informed, and issues are resolved according to internal guidelines.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of experience of talent development and/or talent management.
• Ability to identify issues, solve problems and manage conflict without supervision.
• Experience as a self-starter who can work independently in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment with a variety of partners.
• Excellent written and verbal skills to communicate with vendors, clients and talent in a clear and concise manner.
• Planning and project management skills.
• The ability to handle multiple, high priority projects, meet deadlines and produce deliverables in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated experience with coordinating complex logistics as well as strong implementation skills.
• Familiar with SmartSheet and Quickbase.
• Experience managing budgets.
• Experience with 3rd party legal affairs and contracts is a plus.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in the travel industry (domestic and international).
• Knowledge of travel industry talent.
• Familiar with hiring talent including managing contracts and background checks.
• Familiarity with Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions.
• Experience leading high-profile corporate showcases and immersive brand experiences in fast-paced, high-pressure environments, overseeing event logistics, vendor negotiations, invitation management, and collaboration with third-party vendors.