Manager, Travel & Expense

The T&E Manager will lead end-to-end Travel & Expense operations, ensuring global policy compliance, operational excellence, timely reimbursements, and a seamless employee experience. This role requires strong domain expertise in T&E processes, policy governance, audit/risk management, and technology platforms like Concur, Appzen, SAP, and Workday. The manager will drive continuous improvement, operational efficiencies, automation, and strengthen internal controls, partnering with various departments.

Must Have

• Lead day-to-day Travel & Expense operations across regions
• Manage global T&E workflows, queues, and SLAs
• Oversee audit activities (pre- and post-audit) for policy compliance
• Manage Global Corporate Card Program
• Own and update global T&E policy
• Ensure alignment with statutory requirements (GST, VAT, Per Diem)
• Drive adherence to SOX controls
• Act as T&E system owner/SME for Concur (or equivalent)
• Identify and lead automation initiatives (OCR, AI-based audit rules)
• Strengthen governance, controls, and policy enforcement
• 12–15 years of experience in Travel & Expense, Accounts Payable, or Finance Shared Services
• Minimum 3–5 years of people leadership experience
• Strong working knowledge of Concur, SAP, Appzen, Workday
• Experience in global T&E policy design, audit, controls, and compliance
• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Deep understanding of T&E processes, risk areas, and compliance requirements
• Strong process mindset with operational rigor
• Ability to drive change, influence stakeholders, and execute transformation
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills

Good to Have

• Exposure to GST/VAT rules
• Exposure to corporate card programs
• Proven experience in Lean, Six Sigma

Company Description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks® everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.

Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Who We Are

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Description

Your Career

The T&E Manager will lead end-to-end Travel & Expense operations, ensuring global policy compliance, operational excellence, timely reimbursements, and a seamless employee experience. The role requires strong domain expertise in T&E processes, policy governance, audit/risk management, and technology platforms (Concur /Appzen/SAP/Workday).

The manager will be responsible for driving continuous improvement, operational efficiencies, automation opportunities, and strengthening internal controls while partnering closely with Finance, HR, Tax, Internal Audit, and Global Mobility.

Your Impact

Operational Leadership

• Lead day-to-day Travel & Expense operations across regions, ensuring timely and accurate processing of employee expense reports and reimbursements.
• Manage global T&E workflows, queues, SLAs, and operational dashboards.
• Oversee audit activities (pre- and post-audit) ensuring compliance with corporate policies, tax regulations, and internal controls.
• Manage Global Corporate Card Program (Applications, Delinquency,Termination/Relocations and Reconciliations)
• Provide training and guidance to employees on Expense booking tools, expense reporting software, and reimbursement procedures.
• Monitor travel and expense trends, identify opportunities for cost savings, and recommend strategies for improvement.
• Collaborate with finance and accounting teams to reconcile travel expenses and
• ensure timely reimbursement to employees and clearing.
• Reconciliation of Expense Control account for Company Bill Company Pay Program.
• Prepare regular reports and presentations on travel and expense metrics, and policy compliance for management review.

Policy Governance & Compliance

• Own and update the global T&E policy in partnership with HR, Tax, Legal, and Finance.
• Ensure alignment with statutory requirements (GST, VAT, Per Diem, Corporate Card policies, etc.).
• Drive adherence to SOX controls and ensure audit readiness at all times.

Technology, Systems & Automation

• Act as T&E system owner/SME for Concur (or equivalent) & all other related systems/tools.
• Partner with IT to resolve system issues, drive enhancements, test upgrades, and maintain configuration.
• Identify and lead automation initiatives — OCR, AI-based audit rules, auto-approvals, fraud detection triggers, and workflow optimization.

Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with HR, Payroll, Tax, Finance, Travel Desk, and Internal Audit to ensure seamless T&E operations.
• Act as an escalation point for complex issues raised by employees, approvers, and business leaders.
• Partner with travel agencies, corporate credit card vendors, and system providers.

Controls, Risk & Quality

• Strengthen governance, controls, and policy enforcement through risk-based audits.
• Establish and track audit exceptions, trends, and employee non-compliance behavior.
• Drive root-cause analysis for recurring issues and ensure preventive controls.

Analytics & Reporting

• Publish periodic KPIs: SLA adherence, policy violations, cycle time, reimbursement trends, exception rates, and credit card delinquency metrics.
• Provide insights to senior finance leadership on spend patterns, compliance trends, and cost-saving opportunities.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop the T&E team to build strong functional expertise.
• Foster a culture of customer-centricity, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct goal-setting, timely performance reviews, and capability development.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• 12–15 years of experience in Travel & Expense, Accounts Payable, or Finance Shared Services.
• Minimum 3–5 years of people leadership experience.
• Strong working knowledge of Concur, SAP, Appzen, Workday, or other relevant T&E tools.
• Experience in global or regional T&E policy design, audit, controls, and compliance.
• Exposure to GST/VAT rules and corporate card programs preferred.
• Proven experience in process improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or automation initiatives.
• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep understanding of T&E processes, risk areas, and compliance requirements
• Strong process mindset with operational rigor
• Ability to drive change, influence stakeholders, and execute transformation
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities
• High integrity, ownership, and customer-first mindset

Additional Information

Our Commitment

We’re problem solvers that take risks and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.