Director - Global Procurement Hotels & Travel

United Airlines•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Achieving our goals starts with supporting yours. Grow your career, access top-tier health and wellness benefits, build lasting connections with your team and our customers, and travel the world using our extensive route network. Come join us to create what’s next. Let’s define tomorrow, together. We believe that inclusion helps us thrive and grow at United across our collaborative Finance teams consisting of Financial Planning & Analysis, Internal Audit, Treasury, Global Procurement, Controllership, Investor Relations and more. These teams provide the financial fuel that keeps our operation running from providing detailed analyses of financial planning, performance, and forecasts to managing our investments and financial strategies. Our Finance team plays an integral role in making our airline profitable and successful by meeting our financial goals.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
Procurement / Supply-Chain Finance or another business-related field
8+ years of relevant experience with at least 3+ years management experience in progressively challenging sourcing roles
Successful track record in Procurement
Strong understanding of the category industry, processes and products
Experience in understanding, managing and communicating large data sets
Strong team player to leverage existing resources & drive excellence
Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills
Strong organizational-construction and change-management skills
Extensive negotiation skills
Excellent written and executive communication skills
Strong interpersonal skills including leadership experience for geographically separated teams
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship
Successful completion of interview required to meet job qualification
Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position

Nice To Haves

Master's degree
Successful experience and track record in procurement
Knowledge of Pilot and Crew Unions

Responsibilities

Lead the development and implementation of United’s Global Hotels & Travel category strategy, continuously improving procurement processes, monitoring market dynamics, and driving total cost of ownership (TCO) reductions
Develop long-term sourcing strategies that balance cost, location, safety, and service quality to support operational reliability across United’s global network
Monitor and enhance category performance by leveraging insights, analytics, and recommendations generated by the Center of Excellence, translating them into practical solutions that elevate service levels, supplier performance, and commercial outcomes
Lead governance, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional alignment, including regular interactions with business unit leaders, operational partners, and labor groups
Build strong relationships and liaise with pilot and flight attendant unions to ensure hotel and transportation programs meet contractual requirements and operational needs while mitigating cost and risk
Oversee strategic and transactional sourcing activities, guiding the team through RFx processes and ensuring the application of procurement best practices, including TCO analysis, competitive benchmarking, scenario modeling, and spend analytics
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Hotels & Travel procurement team, including category managers and analysts
Oversee performance management, talent development, and succession planning
Maintain deep knowledge of internal and external factors affecting hotel and travel services, such as ADR trends, global lodging conditions, safety and regulatory requirements, geopolitical risks, and crew-rest standards
Provide data-driven recommendations to leadership and ensure sourcing decisions align with operational, safety, and customer-care expectations
Lead day-to-day operational execution by ensuring negotiated contracts are effectively implemented and adhered to across the system
Partner with operational teams to promptly resolve service issues and oversee RFx processes for crew hotels, customer accommodations, and travel-related transportation in alignment with United’s sourcing, compliance, and safety standards