Global Travel Procurement Manager

Vaco; Del Mar (CA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring seeks a Global Travel Procurement Manager to lead strategic sourcing, travel operations, and program transformation across regions worldwide. The role partners with senior leadership to optimize traveler experience, drive cost savings, and manage supplier performance.

This high-visibility position requires balancing policy compliance, duty of care, and strategic vendor management. The candidate will يعمل with Finance, HR, Legal, Security, Tech, and Operations to deliver

Qualifications

• 6+ years in procurement, strategic sourcing, supplier management, travel operations, or related functions.
• Required: Minimum 1+ year supporting a corporate travel program or related travel function.
• Experience negotiating contracts and managing supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead travel-related sourcing initiatives and supplier selection processes.
• Define business requirements and develop sourcing strategies aligned with objectives.
• Manage RFPs, RFQs, and supplier evaluations.
• Negotiate contracts, renewals, pricing, and service terms.
• Monitor supplier KPIs, SLAs, and performance metrics.
• Support day-to-day management of a global travel program and stakeholder communications.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Travel operations

Analytics

Program transformation

Stakeholder management

Tools

TMC platforms

Expense management tools

Job description

Compensation

$127,000 - $170,000 base salary + bonus + exceptional comprehensive benefits package

Location: San Diego, CA (Onsite)

About the Opportunity

Our client is a global organization seeking a Global Travel Procurement Manager to support and enhance a large-scale corporate travel program serving employees across multiple regions worldwide.

This highly visible role combines strategic sourcing, supplier management, travel operations, analytics, and program transformation. The individual will partner closely with senior leadership and key cross-functional stakeholders to improve traveler experience, optimize supplier performance, drive cost savings, and support global travel initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Procurement

• Lead travel-related sourcing initiatives and supplier selection processes.
• Define business requirements and develop sourcing strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
• Manage RFP, RFQ, and supplier evaluation activities.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, contract renewals, pricing structures, and service terms.
• Leverage benchmarking, market intelligence, and cost analyses to support sourcing decisions.
• Identify opportunities to improve value, service quality, and operational efficiency.

Travel Program Management & Operations

• Support the day-to-day management of a global corporate travel program.
• Partner with travel agencies, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to ensure smooth program delivery.
• Manage traveler escalations, service issues, and resolution efforts.
• Assess operational risks and identify process improvement opportunities.
• Balance traveler experience, policy compliance, duty of care, and cost management objectives.
• Support ongoing enhancements to travel processes and service delivery.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Establish and monitor supplier KPIs, SLAs, scorecards, and performance metrics.
• Conduct business reviews and performance evaluations with key suppliers.
• Drive corrective action plans and continuous improvement efforts.
• Monitor commercial, financial, operational, and service-delivery risks.

Program Transformation & Technology

• Lead travel program improvements and transformation initiatives.
• Drive adoption of automation, self-service solutions, AI technologies, and process enhancements.
• Develop business cases and implementation plans for new technologies and workflows.
• Partner with stakeholders to ensure compliance with enterprise, privacy, and security requirements.
• Support change management efforts and user adoption of new solutions.

Analytics & Executive Reporting

• Analyze travel spend, supplier performance, compliance metrics, and operational trends.
• Build dashboards, reports, and executive presentations.
• Identify savings opportunities, performance gaps, and strategic recommendations.
• Present findings and insights to senior leadership.
• Measure program performance against established goals and KPIs.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Finance, HR, Legal, Security, Technology, Procurement, and Operations teams.
• Support enterprise-wide initiatives impacting employees globally.
• Lead stakeholder communications and project activities.
• Translate business objectives into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Mentor team members and assist with priority management across multiple initiatives.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supplier management, travel operations, or related functions.
• Required: Minimum 1+ year of hands-on experience supporting a corporate travel program, business travel operations, travel procurement category, Travel Management Company (TMC), or related travel function.
• Experience negotiating contracts and managing supplier relationships.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders across multiple business functions.
• Experience managing projects, implementations, or operational improvement initiatives.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.

Preferred Experience

• Corporate travel procurement or travel category management.
• Travel technology platforms and expense management tools.
• Global supplier management and contract administration.
• Strategic sourcing and category management.
• Transformation, automation, or AI-driven process improvement initiatives.
• Experience supporting large, global organizations.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• High visibility with executive and senior leadership teams.
• Opportunity to influence a global travel program impacting employees worldwide.
• Blend of procurement, operations, supplier management, strategy, and transformation work.
• Exposure to enterprise-wide initiatives and decision-making.
• Strong growth potential within a large global organization.
• Competitive compensation, bonus, equity, and outstanding benefits.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations; and
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).