Lead, Travel Operations

Ross Stores, Inc.; Dublin (CA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

Ross Stores, Inc. is seeking a Travel Operations Lead to manage Ross’s Travel and Corporate Card Programs, provide high‑touch support to executives and assistants, and drive compliant spend. You will analyze data, prepare reports, and coordinate meetings and events while partnering with the Sr.

Manager, Travel to optimize supplier use. Strong communication, data analysis, and experience with online booking tools (Concur, Deem, Navan) are essential; role includes in-office presence with some

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Experience with travel suppliers (air, hotel, ground)
• Strong organizational and detail-oriented abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Manage travel operations, reporting, and compliance across systems
• Support executives and assistants with travel arrangements and guidance
• Prepare travel and credit card reports and analytics
• Coordinate meetings and events and monitor booking processes

Skills

Travel industry

Booking tools

Data reporting

Communication skills

Project management

Excel

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Concur

Deem

Navan

Job description

Our values start with our people, join a team that values you! Bring your talents to Ross, our leading off-price retail chain with over 2,200 stores, and a strong track record of success and growth. Our focus has always been bringing our customers a constant stream of high-quality brands and on-trend merchandise at extraordinary savings. All while providing a fun and exciting treasure hunt experience.

As Part Of Our Team, You Will Experience

• Success. Our winning team pursues excellence while learning and evolving
• Career growth. We develop industry leading talent because Ross grows when our people grow
• Teamwork. We work together to solve the hard problems and find the right solution
• Our commitment to Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, and our community. We celebrate the backgrounds, identities, and ideas of those who work and shop with us because our differences make us stronger. We strive to be a positive force in our community.

Our Corporate headquarters are in Dublin, CA, we have 3 buying offices in key markets in New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston, and 8 distribution centers nationwide. With 2023 revenues of $20.4 billion, we are a Fortune 500 company who is committed to providing an inclusive work environment with continuous learning opportunities and development for our teams.

GENERAL PURPOSE

The Travel Operations, Lead will manage the operational logistics of Ross’ Travel, and Corporate Card Programs by providing support, issue resolutions, policy guidance and recommendations to Ross’ executives, administrative assistants and associates across the organization. This role will focus on the operational and administrative components of Ross’ travel and card programs, including but not limited to airline, car rental, lodging, chauffeured transportation, rail, corporate card, online booking tool, and all aspects of the corporate credit card program.

Additional responsibilities include partnering with the Sr. Manager, Travel, to explore and assess opportunities with all suppliers, managing, editing, and distributing reports across multiple systems and travel categories, while supporting associates with travel-related issues and providing high-touch support to executives and EA’s. In addition, they will provide support in sourcing and contracting Meetings & Events and also lead regular touchpoint meetings with EAs/AAs and Zone Admins to drive compliance with Ross policies and initiatives.

A key component of this role is data analytics, including reviewing travel and credit card data to support departmental spend reporting, identify non‑compliant spend, and provide insights to support leadership decision‑making.

Essential Functions

Customer Service and Customer Engagement

• Maintains a strong customer service orientation. Troubleshoots traveler issues and provides prompt resolution to questions and requests.
• Executives and EA’s – Provide high-touch assistance and recommendations in support of executive travel.
• General Travelers – Provide resolution and customer support to include filtering questions from internal associates and assisting with travel-related inquires.
• Partner with Sr. Travel Manager in holding regular touchpoint meetings with the company’s administrative teams.
• Share updates on travel programs, preferred suppliers, tools, and process changes to ensure alignment and awareness.
• Gather feedback on traveler experience, operational challenges, and opportunities for process improvement.

Travel Policy and Compliance

• Responsible for Ross associate questions concerning Ross’ Corporate Travel Policy and expense reimbursement. Conduct research necessary to understand and document matters that need further resolution.
  • Ensure Travel Policy and other Ross travel documents are kept up to date and posted on Ross internal sites, i.e. Rosslink.
• Responsible for compliance functions of the online booking tool.
  • Research all travel violations and provide guidance to admins and/or travelers to correct any applicable violations.
  • Communicate policy exception requests, provide recommendations, and collaborate with Sr. Travel Manager to resolve.
• Ensure maintenance of associate hierarchy files for booking tool and reporting.

Reporting

• Prepare and analyze reports across multiple systems and categories, including but not limited to:
  • Travel Policy exception reports.
  • Corporate credit card delinquencies and audits.
• Prepare ad-hoc reports as needed/requested.
• Analyze basic travel patterns/bookings and recommend appropriate actions to drive/change traveler/arranger behavior.

Corporate Credit Card and Booking Tool Administration

• Ross Corporate Card Program management
  • Responsible for the Corporate Card application process.
  • Analyze monthly delinquency reports and make recommendations to department heads.
  • Review travel and corporate card activity with EAs/AAs to reinforce policy expectations and address any questions or edge cases.
• Direct Bill travel accounts and Central Travel Card administration – managing the monthly reconciliation process for all travel related accounts.
• Online Booking Tool administration
  • Responsible for the management of Company’s online booking tool (currently Concur).
  • Assist with travel reservations or special requests.
  • Highlight non-compliant bookings or spend, including recommended corrective actions and best practices going forward.

Meeting Management

• Meeting Planning – Liaison between Ross and Ross’ designated travel agency for large corporate-sponsored events (e.g., Magic, Off-Price, LEAD Meetings, Annual HR Meeting, etc.).
  • Review and analyze past bookings to build the applicable room inventory for various events.
  • Coordinate and communicate booking instructions, as well as cancellation restrictions with arrangers and travelers.
  • Manage room inventory and cancellation deadlines.
  • Create and distribute communications and updates as requested.
  • Partner with internal owner (point of contact) to manage and monitor booking process from the beginning through the completion of the event.
• Facilitate the sourcing of hotels and ground transportation.

COMPETENCIES

Building Effective Teams

Developing Talent

Collaboration

Leading by Example

Communicates Effectively

Ensures Accountability & Execution

Manages Conflict

Business Acumen

Plans, Aligns & Prioritizes

Organizational Agility

Adaptability

Technical / Functional Competence

Customer Service

Results-Oriented

Qualifications & Special Skills Required

• 5 + years of experience in the Travel industry (Corporate Buyer, Travel Management Companies or Air, Car and Hotel Suppliers, etc.) with experience in:
• Working with travel suppliers in categories including, but not limited to, air, hotel, ground, and ancillary services.
• On-line booking tools (Concur, Deem, Navan, etc.) and data reporting systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with organizational awareness and sensitivity.
• Strong organizational skills, project management skills, and attention to detail.
• Outstanding work ethic; displays a high sense of urgency to resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize large amounts of data and identify key trends and variances.
• Technical savviness and demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint and Visio) with intermediate Excel experience (power query, V-lookups, pivot tables, and other intermediate functions).

EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent work experience

Physical Requirements

Job requires ability to work in an office environment, primarily on a computer

Requires sitting, standing, walking, hearing, talking on the telephone, attending in-person meetings, typing, and working with paper/files, etc

Consistent timeliness and regular attendance

Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically

This role requires regular in-office presence, including to engage in in-person team interaction, meetings and collaboration, client support, mentoring, coaching, and/or feedback

However, this role can perform duties effectively using a combination of in-office and remote work

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

DISCLAIMER

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at management's discretion.

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company's overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.

The base pay range for this role $70,310.00 to $112,600.00. The base pay range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location.