Senior Travel Program Manager

Our Microsoft Travel Team resides with our Enterprise Programs team within Microsoft Procurement. The Global Travel Program Manager will hold a key leadership position on this team.  Our Microsoft Corporate Travel Program supports over 180,000 employees, over 300k trips a year across 119 countries and is a recognized and respected program across the travel industry.  At the core to the program is employee security and safety.  

The Senior Travel Program Manager will report to the Microsoft Travel and Payments Program Leader and will partner closely across Microsoft Procurement and key stakeholders across the company. You will be on a team that drives operational excellence end to end across Microsoft Travel program, shaping, simplifying, innovating and creating value across Microsoft and our employee base.  

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we’re dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company. Our culture is centred on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. Join us and help shape the future of the world.  

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance or related field AND  experience in program management, process management, process improvement
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Experience in the global travel industry’s business ecosystem, operations, technology and service delivery platforms including online booking tools, Global Distribution Systems (GDS), New Distribution Capability (NDC), etc. 

Preferred Qualifications   

• Experience in managing budgets, forecasting and financial data, planning and reporting for a global corporate travel program.  

• Experience in developing data-driven strategies to right size travel operations.  

• Experience developing and managing relationships with travel partners including TMCs, airlines, hotels and rental car providers.  

• Experience working in or with a large, matrixed organization.   

• Proven record of being an effective team player dedicated to collective success. The ability to promote cooperation and solve problems in a timely, creative, and professional manner. Proficiency at working closely and collaboratively with multiple departments and executives, and in cross-functional teams.   

• Ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt to rapidly changing environments and demands.   

• Proven record of experimentation and openness to feedback, learning from both successes and failures.   

• Experience in managing teams. 

• Demonstrated commitment to the company’s core values, including a commitment to high ethical standards, unquestioned integrity, and a commitment to advancing the company’s diversity & inclusion commitments.  

 Microsoft will accept applications for the role until January 20,2024. 

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. 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 any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the .

In this role we are looking for the Senior Travel Program Manager to have the following responsibilities and bring the following skills: 

• Experience in managing financial data, planning and reporting for a global corporate travel program. 
• Experience in developing data-driven strategies to right size travel operations. 
• Experience developing and managing relationships with travel partners including Travel Management Companies (TMCs), airlines, hotels and rental car providers. 
• Vision to grow and improve Microsoft travel service operations with a plan to achieve. 
• Desire and proven capability to collaborate across business groups and geographies to identify and achieve operational goals with a systems and growth mindset to potentially competing priorities. 
• Clear, concise and empathetic  communication styles. A key attribute will be the ability to work across multiple disciplines and global cultures. 
• Ability to manage communications across the entire spectrum from Executives to the broad employee population.  
• Travel Vendor Management: Establish and maintain relationships with key travel suppliers and solution providers across Air, Hotel, Car Rental and others. Drive delivery excellence through effective, right sized governance.  
• Contract Negotiation: Partner across Procurement to negotiate contracts with travel suppliers to ensure cost-effective and efficient travel solutions. 
• Travel Policy Development: Develop, draft and implement travel policies to support the MS Travel program. 
• Travel Data Analysis and budgets: Analyse travel metrics, spend, budgets, savings, and program utilisation to optimise travel strategies and program operations. 
• Innovation and Strategy Development: Partner across the broader travel team and partner organisations on program innovation including, but not limited to AI.  
• Continuous Improvement and Quality Management: Develop and execute improvement strategies, optimizing the performance of the program.
• Delivery Plan: Develop and implement  strategy with employees, super users, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth travel operations. 
• Problem-Solving: Manage travel-related issues and escalations calmly and effectively. 
• Compliance: Ensure all travel arrangements comply with company policies and relevant regulations.  

Other

· Embody our and