Senior Manager, Travel & Expense Operations

Senior Manager, Travel & Expense Operations

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Travel & Expense Operations is responsible for leading the company's global Travel & Expense (T&E) program, including travel operations, expense management, corporate card administration, shared services execution, regional program governance, supplier management, and policy compliance. This role serves as the strategic business owner for the end-to-end T&E ecosystem, driving operational excellence, employee experience, financial controls, and continuous improvement across a global organization.

The position partners closely with Finance, Procurement, Treasury, HR, Internal Audit, Legal, IT, and business leaders to optimize travel and expense processes, strengthen compliance, improve spend visibility, and maximize value from travel and corporate card suppliers. The Senior Manager will lead shared services teams and regional stakeholders to deliver a scalable, efficient, and customer-focused program while supporting broader procurement and sourcing initiatives. This role aligns closely with corporate travel governance, supplier management, corporate card administration, expense compliance, and travel-related sourcing practices reflected in Conduent's travel and procurement programs. 

Key Responsibilities

Travel & Expense Program Leadership

• Own the strategic direction and operational performance of the Travel & Expense program.
• Lead the end-to-end travel, expense, and corporate card ecosystem, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Establish and maintain program governance, policies, controls, and service delivery standards.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance the employee experience while maintaining strong financial controls.
• Partner with regional leaders to ensure consistent execution while addressing local business and regulatory requirements.

Shared Services & Operational Excellence

• Lead global and regional shared services teams supporting travel, expense, and card administration.
• Establish service level agreements (SLAs), performance metrics, and operational reporting.
• Oversee escalations related to travel bookings, expense reimbursement, cardholder issues, and policy exceptions.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve operational efficiency.
• Develop scalable processes to support organizational growth and transformation initiatives.

Vendor & Supplier Management

• Act as the primary relationship manager for travel agencies, travel management companies (TMCs), card providers, expense management platforms, and travel suppliers.
• Lead supplier performance reviews and contract governance activities.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve service levels through supplier optimization.
• Manage vendor escalations and ensure contractual obligations are achieved.
• Drive strategic partnerships that support traveler experience, risk management, and operational efficiency.

Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

• Support sourcing initiatives related to travel, meetings, corporate card programs, and related services.
• Lead or partner on RFPs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and contract renewals.
• Collaborate with Procurement to identify cost savings opportunities and preferred supplier strategies.
• Evaluate supplier performance and market trends to ensure competitive pricing and service quality.
• Support broader source-to-pay initiatives and process improvements where appropriate.

Financial Oversight, Compliance & Governance

• Maintain strong internal controls across T&E operations.
• Monitor compliance with company policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.
• Partner with Internal Audit, Compliance, and Finance on audit readiness and issue remediation.
• Analyze spending trends, policy violations, and operational risks.
• Develop reporting and dashboards to support executive decision-making.

Systems, Reporting & Analytics

• Serve as the business owner for travel and expense platforms (e.g., Concur).
• Partner with IT on system enhancements, integrations, testing, and roadmap initiatives.
• Utilize analytics to identify savings opportunities, compliance risks, and process improvements.
• Develop KPI reporting focused on travel spend, card utilization, expense cycle times, supplier performance, and employee experience.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop direct reports.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, customer service, speed, and continuous improvement.
• Build organizational capability through succession planning, training, and development initiatives.
• Influence stakeholders across multiple functions and levels of the organization.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Supply Chain, Procurement, or related field.
• 5-8+ years of progressive experience in Travel & Expense, travel operations, procurement, shared services, finance operations, or related fields.
• Experience managing corporate travel and expense programs within a large, complex organization.
• Experience leading teams and managing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of travel management, expense administration, corporate card programs, and financial controls.
• Demonstrated experience with travel and expense technologies such as Concur
• Strong analytical, operational, and project management skills.

Preferred

• Experience within Procurement, Travel & Expense, Strategic Sourcing for T&E and ongoing compliance audit and review of spend 
• Experience managing global travel management companies (TMCs), procurement contracts, and supplier negotiations.
• Knowledge of travel industry trends, supplier management, and corporate card programs.
• Experience supporting global or regional shared services organizations.
• Professional certifications such as CTP, GBTA, , PMP, or equivalent.

Flexible Working

At Conduent, we value individuality and flexibility in how our associates work and deliver their best. In this role, you can expect the following working conditions:

• Remote work: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home, optimizing your work-life balance.

The role can be remote, but candidates who live within 50 miles of our Florham Park, NJ; Atlanta, GA; or Fort Lauderdale, FL offices would be expected to work a hybrid schedule.

Working For You:

Perks and rewards designed for you:

• Health and Welfare Benefits: Tailored to fit your and your family's needs, effective from day one.
• Retirement Savings: Supportive plans to help you secure your financial future.
• Employee Discounts: Access a broad array of discounts on merchandise, services, travel, and more.
• Career Growth Opportunities: A variety of opportunities to advance your career within a global company.
• Paid Training: Earn while you learn with access to award-winning learning platforms.
• Paid Time Off: Attractive packages designed to help you enjoy your life outside of work.
• Great Work Environment: Join an award-winning culture recognized for diversity and inclusion efforts.

Join Us:

At Conduent, we are united by a single mission. We know that our success is tied to the success of our associates. We strive to create an environment where you can:

• Bring your authentic self to work every day.
• Grow and thrive both personally and professionally.
• Make a meaningful impact with our clients, in our communities, and for the millions of people we serve.

When you join Conduent, you are part of a future-oriented team – shaping both the company's and your own future. With more than 54,000 associates in 24 countries, you'll have opportunities to grow with people who inspire you to be your best.

  
Pay Transparency Laws in some locations require disclosure of compensation and/or benefits-related information. For this position, actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. In addition to base pay, this position, based on business need, may be eligible for a bonus or incentive. In addition, Conduent provides a variety of benefits to employees including health insurance coverage, voluntary dental and vision programs, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays, and paid time off (PTO) or vacation and/or sick time. The estimated salary range for this role is ($92,900 - $140,000)