Global Travel Specialist

GAQ426R5

Databricks is looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Global Travel Specialist to join our fast-growing Travel & Expense team to take charge of our travel operations on a global scale! You will report to the Head of Travel & Expense and will work with other teams, such as Procurement, FP&A, Physical Security and HR to deliver a best in class travel experience for all employees. The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include optimizing and growing our travel operations and footprint, supporting our end users with travel issues and escalations, solidifying and maintaining internal and external relationships with our partners, and will be critical in the program decision making when it comes to strategy, policy and processes.  

The impact you will have:

• Contribute to strategy, day-to-day operations, and policies for business travel arrangements
• Manage relationships with travel suppliers, including airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and travel management companies, negotiating contracts and securing competitive rates.
• Oversee the travel booking process, ensuring efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements are made for employees and stakeholders across various destinations.
• Provide guidance and support to employees on travel-related matters, including visa requirements, travel insurance, and health and safety protocols.
• Monitor travel expenses and implement strategies to optimize travel costs while maintaining quality standards.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes in travel regulations, sharing relevant information with the team and implementing necessary adjustments to travel policies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as HR, Finance, and Legal, to streamline travel processes and ensure alignment with company objectives.
• Support travel-related issues, such as flight disruptions, cross border policy, workflow approvals, cancellations, and emergencies, ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented promptly.
• Conduct regular audits and assessments to ensure compliance with travel policies and identify areas for improvement.
• Develop and maintain a monthly reporting package to provide visibility to senior management on spending behaviors across the Company’s segments.
• Serve as a Travel SME and a key escalation contact for internal stakeholders and preferred suppliers
• Maintain T&E training documentation for employees. Deliver training periodically to new employees and to broader audiences as required.

What we look for:

• 5+ years experience in global business travel operations
• Experience and understanding of travel booking standards/requirements/rules in LATAM, EMEA and APAC
• Working english proficiency
• B.S or B.A. degree, or business related or equivalent work experience.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills, with the ability to secure competitive rates and build long-term relationships with suppliers
• Experience with Egencia, Navan, Concur, Duty of Care, Visas, Workday, Coupa, G Suite, Asana and Excel skills (pivot tables, vlookups, etc).
• A team player, excellent communicator, appetite for innovation and adept at building relationships across organizations.
• Desire for accuracy, analytics, stellar customer service approach and strong attention to detail.