Director, Travel

Empower

Director of Travel overseeing Empower's global travel program. Responsible for strategic leadership, supplier relationships, and cost optimization initiatives.

Posted 6/17/2026full-timeRemote • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $125,400 - $181,875 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Partner with the Head of Global Conference Planning and Travel for the corporate travel program, establishing goals, KPIs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Serve as the senior travel advisor to executive leadership and key business stakeholders, including Empower CEO and Great West Life Chairman.
Lead travel transformation initiatives, process redesign efforts, and technology modernization projects.
Lead cross-functional initiatives involving travel, meetings, mobility, workforce planning, procurement, finance, and employee experience.
Influence organizational decisions through travel analytics, benchmarking, strategic recommendations, and data-driven insights.
Develop and monitor annual objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and strategic priorities for the travel function.
Own the development, maintenance, and communication of Empower's travel policy and related governance processes.
Recommend policy enhancements based on business needs, industry trends, traveler feedback, and cost considerations.
Review and approve policy exceptions and escalation requests.
Effectively manage the annual corporate travel budget, including forecasting, spend monitoring, variance analysis, and reporting.
Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities that achieve travel targets or optimize travel spend while supporting traveler productivity and satisfaction.
Monitor travel expenditures, supplier performance, and program return on investment (ROI), identifying opportunities for efficiency and continuous improvement.
Oversee management of unused ticket programs, travel credits, refunds, and reconciliation processes.
Lead strategic supplier negotiations and annual business reviews with key travel partners, including airlines, hotels, ground transportation providers, travel management companies (TMCs), meetings providers, and travel technology partners.
Develop sourcing strategies that maximize savings, service quality, traveler safety, and program value.
Identify and implement opportunities for supplier consolidation and preferred vendor utilization.
Evaluate and implement innovative supplier solutions that improve traveler experience and operational efficiency.
Provide strategic and compliance oversight of travel technologies, including Concur, SABRE GDS, CVENT, ARC, and related platforms.
Lead technology adoption and optimization initiatives that improve automation, reporting capabilities, compliance monitoring, and traveler self-service functionality.
Champion digital transformation and continuous improvement initiatives across travel operations.
Ensure travel systems support business requirements, operational objectives, and risk management needs.
Oversee travel risk management, traveler safety, crisis response, and duty-of-care programs.
Monitor global travel risks with ISOS and implement processes to support business continuity and traveler well-being.
Lead travel-related business continuity planning and emergency response strategies.
Lead Empower’s corporate travel team, including group and core agents, to provide day-to-day oversight, ensure a positive traveler experience, and provide guidance and resolution for complex travel issues.
Drive workforce planning, succession planning, talent development, and organizational capability-building initiatives.
Establish performance expectations and accountability measures aligned with business objectives and customer satisfaction goals.
Lead, develop, and mentor team members while fostering a high-performance culture focused on accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and service excellence.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Travel Management, Hospitality Management, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
12+ years of progressive corporate travel management experience.
6+ years of leadership experience managing managers, professional staff, and/or multiple functional teams.
Demonstrated experience leading global travel programs within a large, complex organization.
Extensive experience negotiating and managing enterprise supplier contracts and strategic partnerships.
Strong knowledge of corporate travel operations, travel technologies, policy governance, travel risk management, and duty-of-care practices.
Proven experience leading organizational change, operational transformation, and process improvement initiatives.
Strong financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, forecasting, cost containment programs, and executive reporting.
Exceptional communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and drive results across multiple business functions.
Global Travel Professional (GTP), Certified Travel Manager (CTM), or other relevant industry certification.
Advanced degree (MBA or related discipline).
Experience supporting highly regulated industries or complex global organizations.
Experience overseeing meetings, events, mobility, or related travel-adjacent programs.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
Retirement savings – 401(k) plan with generous company matching contributions (up to 6%), financial advisory services, potential company discretionary contribution, and a broad investment lineup
Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
Business-casual environment that includes the option to wear jeans
Generous paid time off upon hire – including a paid time off program plus ten paid company holidays and three floating holidays each calendar year
Paid volunteer time — 16 hours per calendar year
Leave of absence programs – including paid parental leave, paid short- and long-term disability, and Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
Business Resource Groups (BRGs) – BRGs facilitate inclusion and collaboration across our business internally and throughout the communities where we live, work and play. BRGs are open to all.

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

corporate travel managementtravel analyticsbudget managementsupplier negotiationprocess improvementdata-driven insightstravel risk managementpolicy governancetravel technology optimizationcost containment

Soft Skills

communicationpresentationnegotiationstakeholder managementinfluencingleadershipteam developmentaccountabilityinnovationservice excellence

Certifications

Global Travel Professional (GTP)Certified Travel Manager (CTM)MBA