Manager, Event Operations Australia

Navan; Sydney Township (ND); On-site; USD 108,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

Navan is seeking a Manager, Event Operations Australia to lead the delivery and strategic development of our Event Travel and Events operations across Australia and APAC. You will drive operational excellence, lead a high-performing team, and partner with global stakeholders to scale our business with a focus on service quality and profitability.

In this role you will manage client delivery, risk, and governance, mentor leaders, and implement scalable processes and standards.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Events and Group Travel operations.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience in regional or multi-market teams.
• Strong working knowledge of GDS systems (Sabre preferred) and travel booking.
• Experience delivering large, complex event programmes across multi-destination movements.
• Sound knowledge of event management platforms (e.g., Cvent).
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of revenue and profitability.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• High attention to detail with strong organisational capability.

Responsibilities

• Builds and leads high-performing, accountable and collaborative teams, fostering a culture of trust, recognition and open communication.
• Coaches, mentors and develops future leaders, providing clear direction, feedback and performance management
• Leads teams through organisational growth, transformation and change with resilience and adaptability
• Acts as a senior escalation point for complex client, operational and service delivery issues
• Balances client experience, operational excellence and commercial objectives to drive profitability and account growth.
• Oversees the successful delivery of complex events and group travel programmes, ensuring quality, compliance and exceptional service.
• Uses data, operational insights and best practices to improve performance, productivity and service consistency.
• Develops scalable processes, training frameworks and operational standards across Events and Event Travel functions
• Identifies and mitigates operational, commercial and reputational risks, ensuring governance, compliance and business continuity.

Job description

About the Role

The Manager, Event Operations Australia is responsible for leading the delivery, performance and strategic development of the Event Travel and Events operation across Australia and supporting the broader APAC region. The role provides leadership across people, client delivery, commercial performance, operational excellence and risk management, ensuring consistent, high-quality service and sustainable business growth. The role combines team leadership, client ownership and direct service delivery, ensuring both operational excellence and strong team performance. It plays a critical part in scaling the Australia and broader APAC operations while aligning with global standards. The position leads and develops a high-performing team, drives operational best practice, oversees resource planning and acts as a senior escalation point for client, supplier and operational matters. The role is accountable for ensuring service excellence, commercial success, compliance, and continuous improvement across all Event Travel and Events activities. Working closely with global stakeholders, Client Success, Sales, Finance, and Operations teams, the Manager plays a key role in scaling the Australia and APAC business, strengthening client relationships, developing future leaders, and ensuring alignment with global standards and strategic objectives.

What you'll do

• Builds and leads high-performing, accountable and collaborative teams, fostering a culture of trust, recognition and open communication.
• Coaches, mentors and develops future leaders, providing clear direction, feedback and performance management
• Leads teams through organisational growth, transformation and change with resilience and adaptability
• Acts as a senior escalation point for complex client, operational and service delivery issues
• Balances client experience, operational excellence and commercial objectives to drive profitability and account growth.
• Oversees the successful delivery of complex events and group travel programmes, ensuring quality, compliance and exceptional service.
• Uses data, operational insights and best practices to improve performance, productivity and service consistency.
• Develops scalable processes, training frameworks and operational standards across Events and Event Travel functions
• Identifies and mitigates operational, commercial and reputational risks, ensuring governance, compliance and business continuity.

What we're looking for

• Proven experience in Events and Group Travel operations, including group travel logistics
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, ideally within a regional or multi-market team
• Strong working knowledge of GDS systems (Sabre preferred) and travel booking processes
• Experience in managing large, complex event programmes, including multi-destination or high-volume attendee movements
• Sound knowledge of event management platforms (e.g. Cvent)
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of driving revenue and profitability
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
• High attention to detail with strong organisational capability

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