Director, Program Management

Avis Budget Group • Parsippany, NJ

74d • $120,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The Program Director - Customer Experience will be responsible for leading and coordinating key initiatives that enhance customer satisfaction, brand consistency, and loyalty. This role will oversee a portfolio of CX programs such as uniforms, quality assurance (QA), loyalty initiatives, and user journey design, ensuring they are effectively designed, implemented, and managed across operations. The Program Manager will also manage external vendor relationships, ensuring partners deliver on time, within scope, and to quality expectations. Success in this role requires experience in the travel and hospitality sector, a strong understanding of customer needs across multiple channels, and the ability to align a highly matrixed organization around a unified customer experience. This includes combining digital and physical customer journeys into a cohesive and frictionless experience across touchpoints.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required (Business, Operations, or related field). MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years in program or project management, preferably within customer experience, operations, or service industries.
• Direct experience in the travel and hospitality sector is required, with a clear understanding of multi-location service delivery and guest experience expectations.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional efforts in highly matrixed organizations.
• Experience in user journey mapping, service design, or human-centered design methodologies is a plus.
• Proven success managing large-scale, multi-channel, and multi-location initiatives.
• Excellent project management skills (PMP or similar certification a plus).
• Strategic thinker with experience designing and implementing seamless customer journeys across both digital and physical environments.
• Strong vendor negotiation and contract management abilities.
• Data-driven problem solver with experience in metrics and reporting.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and change management skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in user journey mapping, service design, or human-centered design methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple CX programs (uniforms, QA, loyalty, user journey design, and other experience initiatives).
• Design end-to-end customer journeys at a strategic level that align with overarching brand and customer experience goals, specifically tailored to the travel and hospitality sector.
• Lead localized implementation of journey improvements in collaboration with field teams, ensuring consistency in execution and the ability to adapt to market-specific needs.
• Align cross-functional teams-including operations, digital, marketing, and technology-around a unified CX roadmap that integrates both digital and physical touchpoints.
• Develop project plans, timelines, and performance metrics to track progress and measure outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement, incorporating feedback from employees, vendors, and customers.
• Create playbooks and guidelines to document and memorialize design standards and journey blueprints.
• Lead RFPs, contract negotiations, and ongoing performance management of vendors.
• Establish SLAs and KPIs to ensure vendors deliver high-quality services and products.
• Collaborate with CX leadership, Operations, HR, Digital, and Marketing to ensure alignment on program goals and customer journey priorities.
• Facilitate coordination across a highly matrixed organization to ensure consistent delivery of both digital and physical CX initiatives.
• Provide regular updates to leadership on program status, risks, and key metrics.
• Influence stakeholders by presenting data-driven insights and journey-based recommendations.

Benefits

• Paid time off
• 401K retirement plan with company matched contributions
• Access to Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability insurance
• Eligible to elect other voluntary benefits including: Group Legal, Identity Theft, Insurance, FSA, additional life insurance coverages
• Contribute up to $260 as a tax free benefit for public transportation or parking expenses
• Employee discounts, including discounted prices on purchase of Avis / Budget cars
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program for services including counseling, financial and legal consultation, referrals for care service, and more

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Rental and Leasing Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees