Job Title: Travel Manager
TULSA, OK, US, 74134
Primary Purpose of Job:
Directs and manages the operations of the Company’s Travel Office and is responsible for all aspects of the Company’s travel. Provide management and administration over the Travel Office by providing direction, prioritizing objectives, and allocating resources efficiently while constantly seeking to improve the business travel experience and optimizing travel operations. Ensure accurate and cost-effective travel arrangements are administered within the company’s policy parameters while providing excellent customer service. Creates, develops, and monitors strategic travel and expense policies.
Major Functions:
- Effectively manage direct-report employee(s)
- Develop the travel staff and help each member grow to full potential in his/her respective job.
- Ongoing effort to position the right person in the right job.
- Praise, reprimand, and counsel employees appropriately.
- Establish rapport with all direct-report employees and be available for counseling (career, problems, questions, etc.).
- Update and adhere to all QuikTrip policies and procedures concerning management practices (conducting performance appraisals, disciplinary action, terminations, maintaining incident files, etc.).
- Ensure direct-report employees adhere to all QuikTrip policies and procedures, operating practices and/or mandated regulations and laws.
- Assure that all management treatment of direct-report employees is fair and consistent.
- Conduct and participate in all related meetings.
- Promote personnel efficiency, production and scheduling cost effectively.
- Manage and maximize utilization of corporate aircraft and administer private aviation travel program for executives, employees, and requested personal and non-rev travel. 30% of total job
- Oversee maximization of QTAir by managing aircraft and pilot availability in relation to customer needs to determine the best travel arrangements and decisions are met within the constraints of Company travel policies.
- Establish and administer QTAir protocols and oversee adherence, obtain appropriate approvals, and ensure documentation is completed before flights depart.
- Manage QTAir utilization through proactive flight scheduling, combining flights, working with Department Heads to coordinate events and meetings, and other strategies. Includes obtaining approvals from VPs as needed.
- Oversee personal and non-rev travel and ensure appropriate treatment of payments and SIFL are accounted for.
- Primary contact and liaison between Flight Operations, the Travel Office, and passengers.
- Collaborate with the Manager of Aviation Services to ensure QTAir related policies, protocols, training, and systems meet the needs of travelers, legal requirements, and the Flight Operations Department.
- Oversee and ensure 24/7 customer support and service for all travelers including Executives, Corporate, QTD/k, Store employees, RSN, MDC, Bubble Bath, MedWise, and consultants during and outside of standard office hours. May include emergency trips, cancellations, and changes. 25% of total job
- Identify and provide solutions to travel-related problems travelers may experience including flight cancellations, missed connections, delayed travel, billing issues, and vendor customer service issues.
- Manage and optimize usage of flight credits, MCOs, and free tickets.
- Manage airline and hotel promotions to provide the most benefit to QuikTrip and its travelers.
- Manage group travel to meet the needs of the group and individual travelers.
- Responsibility for all highly confidential travel.
- Promote and maintain a favorable working relationship with all travelers to foster a cooperative and harmonious work environment, to make travel easier and more efficient.
- Includes a high probability of after-hours calls including nights, weekends, and holidays to provide support and procure emergency travel and resolution to travel issues.
- Identify, establish, and manage trustworthy relationships with preferred corporate travel vendors, negotiate contracts, and manage relationships, including offsite meetings and events. 20% of total job
- Source, evaluate, and select travel vendors to include airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and other related indirect procurement services to minimize costs - including visits to markets, emergency trips, rate negotiations, and relationship management.
- Source, select, and manage the Travel Management Company relationship to ensure high service levels and executive level management including contract negotiations and management of the overall program.
- Source, evaluate, and select the travel, expense, and reporting platform and manage the relationship including trouble calls, upgrades, enhancements, training, and contract negotiations.
- Responsibility for offsite meetings to include evaluating the needs of the customer, sourcing location options, negotiating agreements, and managing complete event. May include, meeting space, food and beverage, audio/visual, activities, transportation, and lodging. Attend events as requested for on-site management of the program.
- Responsible for the development of advanced travel, expense, and trend reporting for Executive Management and management of the Travel Office and travel and expense programs. 10% of total job
- Manage the analysis and identification of QuikTrip’s Key Performance Indicators for travel and expenses.
- Oversee data analysis pertaining to travel patterns, purchase habits, vendor activity, travel trends, cost savings and appropriate benchmarking.
- Management the Development, review, and publication of travel and expense reports, charts, and graphs.
- Provide recommendations to management as it relates to compliance, approvals, and expense and travel management.
- Create and develop ad hoc reports, as requested.
- Develop, implement, and administer strategic travel policies and procedures and ensure Duty of Care legal requirement are met. 10% of total job
- Develop, implement, and administer travel policies and procedures including travel guidelines for consultant travel.
- Ensure policies and procedures are in compliance with airline rules and regulations, tariffs (domestic) and other industry requirements.
- Act as liaison between the Company and travelers in regard to all policy issues.
- Stay informed of new travel programs, technology, methods, and trends, and determine feasibility of implementation.
- Ensure best practices are implemented and followed.
- Ensure the legal principle of Duty of Care is followed and provides for the safety and well-being of travelers.
- Manage Concur Travel, Expense, and Reporting System. 5% of total job
- Ensure expenses and expense reports are in compliance with company policies.
- Monitor and ensure expenses are submitted timely.
- Oversee and audit personal use of corporate credit cards.
- Provide annual budget guidelines for travel and travel related expenses, and assist department heads with travel budgets, as requested, and provide data that supports budgeting and financial accountability.
- Credit-card management and in-destination expense review and analysis
Position in Organization:
Reports to: Treasurer
Directly supervises: Travel Specialists
Relationship:
Inside the Company: QuikTrip employees including Executives, Board members, store employees, corporate employees, and subsidiary employees.
Outside the Company: Vendors that may include but are not limited to travel agencies, airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, software and service providers, and the corporate credit card provider. Consultants/contractors traveling on business for the Company. Meeting and event attendees.
Position Specification:
The required specifications (education, experience, and skills) are those that the employee must have to hold the position. Applicants applying for this position must possess the required specifications in order to be considered for the job. The desired specifications are those that are not required for the employee to hold the position but the employee should try to obtain the desired education, experience, and/or skills to be effective and successful in the position.
Required education: High school graduate with some college that includes accounting, finance, or tourism, travel, or hospitality.
Desired education: College Degree with an emphasis in tourism, travel, hospitality, accounting, or finance. Certification in travel or hospitality.
Required education: Four years corporate travel experience. One year of large cost negotiations experience. Two years of direct multi-level customer service experience. Two years of Supervisory Experience.
Desired education: Five years corporate travel experience. Three years large cost negotiations experience. Five years of direct multi-level customer service experience. Event Management experience. Three years of Supervisory Experience.
Required education: Expertise in a variety of travel and expense management concepts, practices, and procedures. Knowledge of all applicable laws/regulations as it relates to travel and expense. Ability to establish strong partnerships both internally and externally to execute strategic practices benefiting QuikTrip personnel through service, value, and savings. The ability to work independently and make decisions within the Company’s policies and based on the Company’s core values. Demonstrated ability to handle crisis situations. Experience in report writing and analysis Excellent written and oral communication skills, organization skills and the ability to work with little direction. Ability to multi-task efficiently. Proficient in Microsoft software including Office products.
Desired education: Knowledge of Concur Travel and Expense systems and TripPlanning flight scheduling system. Report writing and analysis expertise.
Additional Criteria:
Due to the multi-task nature of this position, prioritization skills are required. Must be self-motivated, be able to handle interruptions and changes and be able to move back and forth on tasks. Assumes responsibility without direct supervision, exercises initiative and judgment, and makes decisions within the scope of assigned authority. Must be able to work accurately and rapidly under very tight deadlines and in stressful situations. Must be able to work with internal and external individuals of varying levels. Requires travel. This position requires the employee to be available by phone. Manager will be required to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.
Starting Salary: $96,700-$120,900
Nearest Major Market: Tulsa
Nearest Secondary Market: Oklahoma