Travel and Expense Manager

LPL Financial•Fort Mill, SC

1d•$79,928 - $133,282

About The Position

The Travel & Expense Manager leads the strategy, governance, and overall administration of the company's corporate travel and expense program. Responsible for ensuring compliance, operational excellence, cost optimization, and an exceptional employee experience, this role oversees travel and expense policies, SAP Concur administration, vendor management, risk mitigation, and program performance across the organization. Working closely with Finance, Procurement, Compliance, HR, Security, IT, and Accounting teams, the Travel & Expense Manager develops and maintains governance frameworks, internal controls, and processes that support regulatory requirements, audit readiness, and business objectives. In addition to managing the day-to-day operation of the travel program, this role provides leadership and direction to the Travel & Expense Analyst and other program resources, ensuring effective program execution, policy adherence, data integrity, and continuous process improvement. The Travel & Expense Manager serves as the primary escalation point for complex travel and expense matters, manages key travel vendor relationships, drives strategic initiatives including SAP Concur optimization and global program expansion, and leverages data and analytics to improve compliance, reduce costs, and enhance the traveler experience. This position is a key leader in maintaining a compliant, efficient, and employee-focused travel and expense program while supporting the organization's broader financial, operational, and risk management objectives.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in corporate travel and expense management, preferably within financial services, banking, insurance, or a regulated environment.
Hands-on experience with SAP Concur Travel and Expense (required).
Understanding of travel policy compliance, internal controls, and audit readiness.
Demonstrated success managing vendor relationships and negotiating contracts.
Prior people management experience preferred, or clear readiness to step into a leadership role.
Experience working with confidential traveler data and sensitive business requirements.
Customer service mindset with experience supporting high-demand, executive-level stakeholders.
Understanding of risk management, compliance, and governance frameworks.
Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret travel data, identify trends, and drive decisions.
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
Ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-accountability financial services environment.
High level of discretion, professionalism, and attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing or optimizing Concur within a financial institution.
Familiarity with expense management integration and audit/reporting tools.
Knowledge of duty of care platforms (e.g., International SOS, Riskline).
Background in process improvement or transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

Oversee the firm’s corporate travel program, ensuring alignment with financial services regulatory expectations, internal controls, and audit requirements.
Administer, maintain, and continuously improve the SAP Concur Travel & Expense platform, including policy configuration and audit controls, approval workflows and system rules, user access, roles, and data governance, ongoing system optimization and issue resolution
Own the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of T&E policies, procedures, and governance frameworks, with a focus on compliance, cost optimization, and audit readiness.
Develop, maintain, and enforce travel policies that emphasize compliance, cost optimization, and duty of care.
Lead the implementation and expansion of Concur for international operations, ensuring alignment with global policies, local regulatory requirements, and scalable operating models.
Establish and maintain policy enforcement mechanisms, including pre-approval requirements, system-based audit rules, exception reporting, and defined escalation protocols.
Monitor T&E spend, track KPIs, and remediate audit findings to drive cost optimization, policy compliance, and sustainable improvements aligned with risk frameworks.
Ensure strong integration between travel, expense, and financial processes, including alignment with ERP and Accounts Payable systems for accurate financial reporting and timely reimbursements.
Partner with Security, Risk, and HR teams to ensure comprehensive traveler safety and duty of care protocols are established and maintained.
Implement processes to monitor traveler location, respond to global events, and support crisis management as needed.
Ensure travel practices adhere to internal risk frameworks and external regulatory expectations typical of financial institutions including international compliance considerations.
Manage relationships with Travel Management Companies (TMCs), airlines, hotels, and ground transportation providers.
Lead vendor negotiations to drive cost savings, service quality, and compliance adherence.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Procurement, Finance, Compliance, IT, and Accounting to align T&E strategy with broader organizational and transformation goals.
Deliver a high-touch, concierge-level service experience for employees, including executives and client-facing professionals.
Act as the escalation point for complex or sensitive travel issues, ensuring timely and professional resolution.
Develop and deliver training and communication programs to drive policy awareness, system adoption and compliance across domestic and international teams.
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of travel specialists or coordinators.
Establish clear performance goals, provide ongoing coaching, and drive a culture of accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
Identify opportunities to scale the team and enhance processes as business needs evolve.