Director, Travel Services

Navan•Dallas, TX

About The Position

Navan’s Global Operations & Service (GO&S) team is seeking a Director of Travel Services to lead its North America Travel Services organization. The role is responsible for delivering excellent customer experiences, operational excellence, and scalable, high-performing teams that support the company’s growth. It calls for an operational leader with a passion for travel and a technology-first mindset, including the ability to use AI, automation, and data-driven insights to transform customer support. The Director will lead and scale regional Travel Services operations; evolve the GO&S operating model and service strategies across customer segments; own operational performance and service metrics; and guide teams through growth and transformation. The role partners with Product, Engineering, Analytics, Workforce Management, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, vendors, and other regional and cross-functional leaders. It also focuses on improving enterprise and high-value traveler experiences, operational readiness and crisis management during disruptions, and the adoption of technology that improves service, productivity, and cost efficiency.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in Operations, Customer Support, or Service Delivery, ideally within a large-scale, global, or multinational organization.
5+ years of senior leadership experience managing large, complex teams in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
Track record of building, scaling, and transforming high-performing customer service or contact center operations.
Strong understanding of contact center operations, including workforce management, capacity planning, service-level management, quality assurance, and operational efficiency.
Ability to translate business objectives into operational strategies, measurable KPIs, and tangible business outcomes.
Strong financial and business acumen, including experience managing budgets, optimizing cost-to-serve, and making data-driven investment decisions.
Ability to lead change, drive accountability, and build engaged, high-performing teams.
Experience managing complex projects and cross-functional initiatives and delivering results against ambitious timelines.
Demonstrated experience using AI, automation, and digital technologies to improve customer support operations, employee productivity, and customer experience.
Hands-on exposure to AI-powered customer service solutions, such as agent copilots, conversational AI, chatbots, automated quality assurance, intelligent knowledge management, or workflow automation.
Ability to identify and prioritize AI and automation opportunities, develop practical use cases, and measure their effects on operational performance, customer experience, and cost efficiency.
Strong understanding of modern contact center technology, including CRM platforms, omnichannel solutions, workforce management tools, and performance analytics.
Technology-first mindset, curiosity about emerging AI capabilities, and ability to drive adoption and change across large teams.
Experience partnering with Product and Engineering teams to improve internal tools, automate processes, and enhance agent and customer experiences.
Inspiring, hands-on leadership and a passion for customer experiences and talent development.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to simplify complex topics and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities and sound decision-making in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
Collaborative mindset and proven ability to build partnerships across global teams and functions.
Comfort challenging existing ways of working, introducing ideas, and driving organizational change.
Ownership, urgency, and accountability, with a track record of delivering measurable results.

Nice To Haves

Previous travel industry experience is strongly preferred, particularly in corporate travel, Travel Management Companies (TMCs), airlines, or travel technology organizations.
Solid understanding of corporate travel operations, including reservations, ticketing, exchanges, refunds, travel policies, and complex itinerary management.
Knowledge of Global Distribution Systems (GDS), particularly Sabre or Amadeus, and their role in travel servicing operations.
Familiarity with travel industry challenges, including irregular operations (IROPs), airline disruptions, schedule changes, and time-sensitive traveler support.
Experience supporting enterprise or high-value travel customers and understanding the expectations of premium and dedicated service models.
Understanding of travel industry trends, emerging technologies, and opportunities to improve travel servicing through automation and AI.

Responsibilities

Lead and scale Travel Services operations across North America, balancing customer satisfaction, operational performance, and cost efficiency.
Own and continuously evolve the Global Operations & Service operating model, developing scalable support strategies across Core, Designated, Dedicated, and other specialized service offerings.
Build and execute operational strategies that support business growth, improve efficiency, and deliver excellent experiences across customer segments.
Lead, develop, and inspire high-performing teams, fostering accountability, continuous improvement, engagement, and professional growth.
Own operational performance and service metrics, including SLA, customer satisfaction, quality, productivity, efficiency, and cost-to-serve, and translate insights into measurable improvements.
Champion adoption of AI, automation, and emerging technologies to transform service delivery, improve agent productivity and customer experience, and optimize costs.
Partner with Product, Engineering, Analytics, and other stakeholders to identify, prioritize, and implement technology-driven improvements such as AI-powered agent assistance, automated quality assurance, knowledge management, and workflow automation.
Use data and analytics to identify operational trends, anticipate customer needs, improve workforce efficiency, and inform strategic decisions.
Lead operational transformation initiatives to simplify processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and scale service delivery without compromising quality.
Partner with Workforce Management, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, and regional leaders on capacity planning, hiring, training, and talent development.
Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to align service delivery with customer expectations, business priorities, and financial objectives.
Develop and execute strategies to improve the traveler experience, particularly for enterprise and high-value customers with complex travel requirements.
Drive operational readiness and crisis management during travel disruptions, irregular operations (IROPs), and other high-impact events.
Manage relevant technology and vendor partnerships, including evaluating solutions, leading implementation, and ensuring measurable business outcomes.
Challenge the status quo, advance innovative ideas, and lead initiatives that position Navan as an industry leader in travel services.