Director Travel

Responsibilities

• 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

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Travel Ma

Benefits

Additional Information

Our vision for the future is based on the idea that transforming financial lives starts by giving our people the freedom to transform their own. We have a flexible work environment, and fluid career paths. We not only encourage but celebrate internal mobility. We also recognize the importance of purpose, well-being, and work-life balance. Within Empower and our communities, we work hard to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, and our associates dedicate thousands of hours to volunteering for causes that matter most to them. Chart your own path and grow your career while helping more customers achieve financial freedom. Empower Yourself. The Director, Travel oversees and continuously enhances Empower's global travel program. This strategic, results-driven leader is responsible for the operational, financial, and governance aspects of the travel function, providing leadership to a high-performing team while managing supplier relationships, travel policy, budget oversight, and cost optimization initiatives. As a key partner to Finance, Procurement, HR, Legal, and business leaders, this position drives innovation, improves traveler experience, and ensures the travel program supports organizational objectives while maintaining fiscal responsibility and compliance.

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at empower? Share your experience