Global Travel & Events Manager ES_879592

Morgan Philips Executive Search; Madrid; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Philips Executive Search is representing an international organization strengthening its global procurement function. The role leads travel, meetings, events and employee engagement procurement on a global scale, shaping strategy and governance to support a mobile workforce.

Working with senior leadership, you will define the long-term vision for travel and events, transform fragmented activities into a data-driven, strategically managed function and build a high-performing, globally

Qualifications

• 8+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing or travel/events management in international settings.
• Proven experience managing global or regional travel and events categories.
• Strong track record negotiating complex agreements with global suppliers.
• Experience managing significant budgets and delivering measurable cost savings.
• Previous experience leading and developing teams.
• Strong commercial acumen with ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Data-driven mindset with analytics supporting business decisions.
• Familiarity with digital procurement tools, travel tech, automation and AI.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the worldwide sourcing strategy for travel, meetings, accommodation, mobility and events.
• Build and manage a high-performing supplier ecosystem across regions.
• Create governance frameworks balancing employee experience, cost control and governance.
• Drive procurement value through strategic negotiations and supplier consolidation.
• Introduce innovative technologies, automation and data-driven decision making.
• Embed sustainability and responsible procurement principles.
• Provide executive visibility on category performance, risk and opportunities.
• Lead, coach and develop a geographically dispersed team.

Skills

Procurement strategy

Strategic sourcing

Budget management

Stakeholder influence

Data analytics

Team leadership

Digital procurement tools

AI in procurement

Education

MBA / Master’s in Procurement

Tools

Travel tech tools

Automation platforms

AI-enabled procurement tools

Job description

Our client is an international organization operating across multiple markets and currently strengthening its global procurement capabilities to support an increasingly connected and mobile workforce.

This highly visible role offers the opportunity to shape the strategy, governance and supplier ecosystem behind corporate travel, meetings, events and employee engagement initiatives on a global scale.

Working closely with senior leadership, you will define the long-term vision for travel and events procurement, transforming fragmented activities into a globally aligned, data-driven and strategically managed function.

What You Will Own

You will act as the global category leader responsible for:

• Defining and executing the worldwide sourcing strategy for travel, meetings, conferences, accommodation, mobility and event-related services.
• Building and managing a high-performing supplier ecosystem capable of supporting business growth across multiple regions.
• Creating governance frameworks that balance employee experience, operational efficiency and financial discipline.
• Driving procurement value through strategic negotiations, supplier consolidation and continuous optimisation initiatives.
• Introducing innovative technologies, automation and data-driven decision-making across the category.
• Embedding sustainability and responsible procurement principles into sourcing decisions and supplier selection.
• Providing executive-level visibility on category performance, risk exposure and commercial opportunities.
• Leading, coaching and developing a geographically dispersed team, fostering collaboration, capability building and a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.

Key Priorities

• Harmonise travel and event procurement practices across different countries and business units.
• Strengthen relationships with strategic global suppliers while ensuring consistent service quality and commercial competitiveness.
• Improve visibility of spend, supplier performance and category effectiveness through robust analytics and reporting.
• Enhance traveller and attendee experience while maintaining strong cost control and governance.
• Identify opportunities to leverage digital solutions, automation and AI to simplify processes and improve decision-making.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders on all matters related to travel, meetings and events procurement.
• Lead, motivate and develop teams in an international and multicultural environment, ensuring alignment with business objectives and fostering talent development.

What Will Make You Successful

• 8+ years of experience in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Corporate Travel, Events Management or related categories within international environments.
• Proven experience managing global or regional travel and events categories in multinational organizations.
• Strong track record negotiating complex agreements with both local and international suppliers.
• Proven experience managing significant budgets and delivering measurable cost savings and procurement value.
• Previous experience leading, coaching and developing teams.
• Strong commercial acumen combined with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• A data-driven mindset with experience using analytics to support business decisions.
• Familiarity with digital procurement tools, travel technologies, automation and AI-enabled solutions.
• Place of residence: Madrid

Education & Languages

• MBA, Master's degree or professional certifications in Procurement or Strategic Sourcing are considered an advantage.