Job description
American Express Business Travel is the world leader in business travel management. American Express Business Travel designs and implements superior travel management programs for clients - large corporations, small and medium-sized companies, and government institutions - based upon its recognized consulting expertise, strong purchasing power, technological strength, and consistent delivery of high-quality service.
Global Business Consulting (GBC) is the consulting arm of American Express Global Business Travel. GBC brings the talent, tools and management consulting acumen needed to manage our client’s T&E spend and maximize their return on investment. GBC focuses on business and operational strategy, strategic sourcing and program optimization to help our clients manage their travel spend. Our specialized expertise includes: Policy, Change Management & Compliance, Travel Program Management, Business Intelligence, Travel Category Management and Cost Management.
The Global Business Consulting team consists of Consultants from a wide variety of backgrounds - from the Air/Hotel/Ground industries, travel, management consulting, IT consulting and general management. Since its establishment in 2007, the practice has grown rapidly due to the maturity of the market and investments in the business.
POSITION SUMMARY
This is an exciting manager level role; working closely with a Consulting Director to help maximize the client’s travel management program. This position will work in a fast-paced and collaborative environment, supporting a complex and progressive account.
This includes identifying opportunities to enhance the client’s travel program, creating project plans to address the opportunities, developing the communication plan to key client stakeholders, and ultimately driving the implementation of the solutions. A successful candidate will be able to manage several project workstreams across the globe.
Primary area of focus will be related to the Program Optimization practice line, which spans Travel Policy, Traveler Behavior Analytics and Optimization, as well as Change Management strategy development and delivery.
The Program Optimization Manager works closely with fully dedicated GBT Service Delivery Managers outsourced to the client as well as with the client’s own Regional and Global Travel leads
The ideal candidate is a self-starter with consulting, project management, analytic and travel/air/hotel industry experience.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Program Optimization Manager is expected to exhibit the following qualifications and interpersonal skills:
- Excellent analytical mindset with broad commercial acumen and thought leadership
- Resourceful individual who can work independently as well as in a global team and has strong influence management skills
- Schedule flexibility to lead meetings outside of US business hours when necessary (early mornings for calls with Europe, evening calls with Asia/Pacific)
- Ability to work with data at a detailed level while keeping an eye on broader strategy
- Communication:
– Strong communication skills – ability to translate complex data into key messages and to present to internal & external senior stakeholders and counterparts
– Exceptional interpersonal skills, listening ability and written presentation skills. Ability to deal with ambiguity and present/discuss work results in a compelling manner.
- Engagement Execution:
– Effectively execute multi-workstream engagements, prioritize client requests and work objectives leveraging appropriate project management methodologies and tools such as project plans and issue logs. Experience in applying change management techniques to drive sustainable engagement impact and ROI. Creates deliverables within established engagement scope, quality standards and time frames
– Experience leading projects with global complex customers (i.e., 40+ points of sale, $150M in global spend)
- Problem Solving & Analysis:
– Develops hypotheses and identifies data to evaluate based on client needs as well as industry trends and subject matter expert observations. Reviews and validates analyses, develops options/alternatives and creates insightful recommendations in context of total engagement. Strong innovative mindset.
– Deep understanding of both TMC travel data and supplier/third party data (Air/Hotel/Car rental supplier, Corporate Card, Expense, etc.)
– Familiarity with data visualization tools and reporting (i.e., Tableau)
– Ability to create bespoke models and scenarios using available datasets
- Relationship Management:
– Understands client organization and dynamics. Builds strong working relationships with all key stakeholders. Leverages American Express Global Business Travel and available industry tools and solutions to develop best-in-class deliverables and best practices
– Experience successfully navigating global, matrixed client organizations
- Team Guidance and Support:
– Demonstrates strong work ethic with peers and juniors. Coaches team on subject matter and industry knowledge. Contributes to knowledge creation and dissemination related to the Corporate Travel industry. Supports delivery of internal/external projects that develop the business
– Experience managing analysts (onshore & offshore) to create & deliver positive client outcomes
- Experience & understanding of the Travel industry
– Experience representing a firm or client’s interest within the marketplace (i.e., suppler/industry conferences)
– Commercial mindset; ability to lead business development efforts in addition to project delivery
- People leadership and team management skills are a plus
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to accommodate client travel up to 25%
- Bachelor's degree required, MBA strongly preferred, PMI certification a plus
- Relevant travel experience, such as procurement, strategic sourcing, etc.
- Knowledge of strategy, financial/business operations, cost management preferred
- Strong client service orientation
- Ability to interact effectively with people at all levels within a team or client organization
Location
The US national annual base salary range for this position is from $70,000 to $140,000. The national range provided includes the base salary that GBT expects to pay for the role. Actual base salary will be based on factors including the scope and complexity of the role and the successful candidate’s relevant experience, skills, knowledge, and work location.
In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for our Annual Incentive Award plan, which rewards participants based on company and individual performance. For information about our comprehensive US benefits programs and eligibility, please review our 2022 Benefits-at-a-Glance document.
GBT 2022 Benefits-at-a-Glance
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