Global Travel Procurement Manager

Vaco; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 128,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Vaco is seeking a Global Travel Procurement Manager in San Diego to support a large-scale corporate travel program serving employees across regions worldwide. This highly visible role combines strategic sourcing, supplier management, travel operations, analytics, and program transformation to improve traveler experience, optimize supplier performance, and drive cost savings.

You will partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to implement new technologies, automate processes, and

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills

Procurement

Strategic Sourcing

Travel Operations

Analytics

Stakeholder Influence

Project Management

Tools

Travel technology platforms

Expense management tools

Job description

Global Travel Procurement Manager

Location: San Diego, CA (Onsite)

Compensation: $127,500 - $170,000 base salary + bonus + equity + comprehensive benefits package

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.

Supplier & Vendor Management

• 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 Management Companies (TMCs).
• 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.

By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions.