Lead - Workplace Management (Travel & Transport Operations)

Freshworks; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Freshworks is seeking an experienced Lead - Travel & Transport to own end-to-end corporate travel and employee transportation across Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. You will oversee the travel program, platform operations (Navan and related tools), vendor performance, and daily commute service delivery for a global workforce.

You will partner with HR, Finance, Procurement, IT and Security to align policy, drive analytics, and manage change.

Qualifications

• 6 to 8 years of hands-on experience managing corporate travel, employee transportation, and workplace logistics.
• Proven track record in managing large-scale employee transport networks and vendor fleets.
• Strong proficiency with Navan (or similar platforms like Concur, Spotnana).
• Experience implementing or managing Transport Management Systems like SafeTrax, MoveInSync, Routematic.
• Advanced MS Excel/Google Sheets for MIS reporting, pivot analysis, and operational dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Oversee End-to-End Travel Program: travel, accommodations, hotel bookings, and corporate rates.
• Platform Administration: daily operations of travel platforms (Navan), configuration, adoption and issue resolution.
• Supplier & TMC Oversight: manage Navan, hotel partners, service providers; conduct reviews and negotiations.
• Visa & Immigration: coordinate visa support with external partners and ensure policy compliance.
• Transport Operations: manage daily cabs/shuttles, route optimization, roster utilization, driver safety and service quality.
• Transport Technology: lead implementation and onboarding of Transport Management Systems (e.g., SafeTrax, MoveInSync).
• Vendor & Contract Management: onboarding, PR/PO, invoicing, and payment escalations.
• Analytics & MIS: track KPIs and present monthly reports to leadership.
• Change Management & Support: drive internal communications and training to maintain satisfaction.

Skills

Excel & Google Sheets

MIS reporting

Pivot analysis

Operational dashboards

Vendor management

Communication skills

English & Tamil

Stakeholder alignment

Tools

Navan

Concur

Spotnana

SafeTrax

MoveInSync

Routematic

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Lead- Travel & Transport to lead end-to-end corporate travel and support our employee transportation program. In this role, you will oversee our travel program, supporting travelers across the globe, manage external vendor performance, drive technology implementations, and ensure seamless daily commute service delivery for employees across offices in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Travel

• End-to-End Travel Program: Oversee business travel, accommodations, hotel bookings, and corporate rates.
• Platform Administration: Oversee daily operations of travel platforms (e.g., Navan), including platform configuration, adoption, user support, feature rollouts, and issue resolution.
• Supplier & TMC Oversight: Manage relationships with Navan, corporate hotel partners, and service providers. Lead performance reviews, rate negotiations, and escalations.
• Visa & Immigration: Coordinate visa support and immigration assistance with external partners (e.g., CIBT), ensuring policy compliance and timely employee guidance.

Employee Transportation & Fleet Operations

• Transport Operations: Manage daily employee transit services (cabs/shuttles), including route optimization, roster utilization, driver safety, and service quality.
• Business Transport : Manage transit services for oversea employees, client meetings.
• Transport Technology: Lead implementation, testing, configuration, user onboarding, and operational management of Transport Management Systems (e.g., SafeTrax / Route Matic / MoveInSync).
• Vendor & Contract Management: Oversee vendor onboarding, contract compliance, PR/PO generation, invoice verification, and payment escalations.

Operational Excellence, Data & Stakeholder Alignment

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with HR, HRBPs, Finance, Procurement, IT, and Security to resolve operational requirements and policy alignment.
• Analytics & MIS: Track KPIs (costs, utilization, no-show rates, SLA compliance) and present monthly operational reporting to leadership.
• Change Management & Support: Drive internal employee communications, system training, and ticket resolution processes to maintain high employee satisfaction.

Qualifications & Experience

• 6 to 8 years of hands-on experience managing corporate travel, employee transportation, and workplace logistics in fast-paced corporate environments.
• Proven track record in managing large-scale employee transport networks, shuttle routing, and vendor fleets.
• Strong proficiency with modern travel management platforms like Navan (or similar platforms such as Concur, Spotnana).
• Direct experience implementing or managing Transport Management Systems like SafeTrax (or similar tools like MoveInSync, Routematic).
• Advanced working knowledge of MS Excel / Google Sheets for MIS reporting, pivot analysis, and operational dashboards.
• Strong background in vendor onboarding, contract management, PR/PO workflows, and invoice processing.
• Solid experience conducting supplier reviews, rate negotiations, and SLA monitoring for TMCs and transport providers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for stakeholder alignment and change management in English and Tamil.
• Strong issue-resolution skills with the ability to manage real-time escalations calmly and systematically.
• Collaborative mindset to work across cross-functional teams including HR, Finance, Procurement, IT, and Security.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.