Business Travel Manager

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Generous pension scheme

41 days annual leave

Staff discounts and rewards

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a senior professional to lead and implement a long-term travel strategy across the university, covering domestic and international travel. You will align policies with the sustainability agenda and collaborate with the Head of Insurance & Business Travel to address challenges and opportunities.

You will develop policies, training, reporting dashboards, and manage relationships with internal teams and external suppliers to ensure value for money while

Qualifications

• Experience in a senior business travel, procurement or global mobility role in a complex organisation.
• Ability to influence, communicate and collaborate across all levels, including delivering training.
• Experience owning, developing, and embedding processes, data reporting structures, and working with systems teams.
• Good understanding of operational procurement relating to business travel.
• Knowledge of risk management, safety, compliance, tax risks, and sustainability issues related to business travel (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Manage the International Working and Travel & Related Expenses Policies, including future developments / changes to policy.
• Develop and maintain training for line managers and academic line managers, identifying any additional training needs.
• Lead on developing and implementing a long term travel strategy for the university.
• Developing reporting systems and/or dashboards for monitoring relevant travel data.
• Provide support to senior faculty staff in policy implementation, including ownership, development and compliance with travel processes.
• Coordinate key internal stakeholder relationships relevant to business travel (Tax, Expenses, HR, procurement, Insurance, IT, data, Compliance, Health and Safety).
• Responsible for webpage content and communications associated with business travel.
• Work with Procurement to develop the most beneficial route to market for travel-related contracts.
• Take a lead role with Carbon Data Manager on sustainability issues and carbon data reporting for business travel.

Skills

Senior travel experience

Procurement knowledge

Global mobility

Influence & training

Education

Degree with professional qualifications (CIPS/ACA desirable)

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

This exciting and influential new role will lead on developing and implementing a long term travel strategy for the university. The responsibilities of this role will span the University, drawing together multiple agendas and policies inclusive of both student and staff travel. They will be responsible for formulating and introducing consistent practices for travel bookings, overseeing travel related risks and aligning University travel requirements with the University’s sustainability strategy for both international and domestic travel.

Initially they will work with the Head of Insurance and Business Travel to develop a travel strategy for the university, exploring all options best suited to address the University’s challenges in this area. This may include the appraisal of preferred suppliers and commercial partnerships, ensuring value for money for the University. They will work with ITS colleagues to develop a systems and processes roadmap to improve the current state of process workflows and information reporting.

This role will be key in shaping how the University coordinates its business travel both domestically and overseas going forward. Total spend on travel across the University is over £8m, over 60% of which is incurred on research projects, and over £2m on air fares alone. The postholder will need to be a strong communicator who can influence and implement proposals in a demanding environment. The role will require strong stakeholder engagement, managing relationships with key internal colleagues and external suppliers.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Manage the International Working and the Travel & Related Expenses Policies, including future developments / changes to policy.
• Develop and maintain training for line managers and academic line managers, identifying any additional training needs associated with policy/process.
• Lead on developing and implementing a long term travel strategy for the university.
• Developing reporting systems and/or dashboards for monitoring relevant travel data.
• Provide support to senior faculty staff in the implementation of policies, including ownership, development and compliance with the travel request/approval and booking processes and management of data (note, travel bookings themselves are not part of this role).
• Co-ordinate the key internal stakeholder relationships relevant to business travel, such as Tax, Expenses, HR, procurement, Insurance, IT and data, Compliance, Health and Safety and Export.
• Responsible for webpage content and communications associated with business travel.
• Work with Procurement to develop the most beneficial route to market for travel related contracts, ensuring value for money and to manage ownership of current third party Travel Management relationships.
• Take a lead role alongside our Carbon Data Manager on sustainability issues and carbon data reporting associated with business travel, supporting cultural change in relation to travel as the University works towards net zero targets with specific focus on scope 3 emissions.
• Along with the Head of Insurance & Business Travel, be the primary point of contact for travel related emergencies or incidents - notifying the relevant authority, faculty and HR teams
• Provide Policy support on complex International Working cases & high risk travel
• Contribute to the direction of the UEB Sustainability Sub-Group in relation to business travel.
• Work with Financial Assurance colleagues on the outcomes from regular policy compliance reviews
• Support the Head of Insurance & Business Travel with regular reporting, detailing travel spend, sustainability data, policy compliance issues and other related matters
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

• Experience working in a senior business travel, procurement or global mobility related role in a complex organisation. Higher Education experience is not necessary but would be an advantage. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Experience of developing and implementing functional strategies within a complex environment. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Ability to influence, communicate and collaborate effectively across all levels, including delivering training. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Experience of owning, developing and embedding processes, data reporting structures, and working with systems teams. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Good understanding of operational procurement relating to business travel. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Good understanding of risk management, safety and compliance, tax risks, and / or sustainability issues relating to business travel. (Desirable) (Application/Interview)
• Excellent customer service skills, with experience of responding efficiently and effectively to queries and an enquiring approach that supports the improvement of existing processes and operations. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Excellent management, planning and organisational skills. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Experience of developing and maintaining a network of contacts, both within an organisation and externally. (Essential) (Application/Interview)
• Degree educated with additional professional qualifications in a relevant discipline - eg CIPS, ACA. (Desirable) (Application/Interview)

Further Information

• Grade: 8
• Salary: £48,822 - £58,225 per annum pro-rata with the potential to progress to £65,509 per annum through sustained exceptional contribution
• Work arrangement: Full-time
• Duration: Open-ended
• Line manager: Head of Insurance & Business Travel
• Direct reports: None
• Our website: https://sheffield.ac.uk/finance
• For informal enquiries about this job contact Joanne Rollitt, Insurance Manager: on [e-mail] or on 0114 222 2170

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place Friday 6th November. This will consist of an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage by the 2nd November. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail].

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Closing Date :25/10/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ( www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.