Travel Program Lead

Early Warning Services • Scottsdale, AZ

13d • $104,000 - $130,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze℠, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses. Positions located in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, or New York follow a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment. Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship. Overall Purpose The Travel Program Lead is responsible to execute on the strategy of and day-to-day management of the company’s corporate travel & expense program. This role maintains flow between travel and expense processes, ensures travel policies are consistently applied, travel spend is optimized , and employee safety, compliance, and traveler experience are balanced effectively. The Travel Program Lead will manage supplier relationships across air, lodging, ground transportation and catering service providers, oversee the Travel Management Company (TMC), and deliver analytics-driven insights to support cost control, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business , Supply Chain, Hospitality, Finance, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Typically a minimum of 8 years of progressive corporate travel or travel industry experience with a minimum of three (3) years in a Travel Manager /Lead or Travel Program Manager /Lead role.
• Experience managing enterprise travel programs.
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Experience working with Travel Management Companies (TMCs).
• Familiarity with online booking tools (e.g., Concur, Egencia, Navan).
• Knowledge of traveler duty of care and corporate risk management.
• Background and drug screen

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting mid- size to large enterprise travel programs.
• Familiarity with procurement or strategic sourcing frameworks.
• Experience using travel analytics and reporting tools.
• GBTA or CTIE certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain , and enforce corporate travel policies.
• Ensure compliance with travel standards across all business units.
• Monitor proper expense policy compliance and process .
• Develop regular T&E reporting for presentation to management on compliance and spend.
• Partner with Legal, HR, Security and Risk on duty-of-care initiatives.
• Establish and manage supplier relationships with airlines, hotels, car rental, ground transportation, and catering service providers.
• Lead sourcing events, negotiations, and contract management activities.
• Manage and oversee the Travel Management Company (TMC).
• Monitor travel spend and identify cost-savings opportunities.
• Develop preferred supplier programs to maximize value and compliance.
• Track contract performance, rebates, and savings.
• Support travel budgeting and forecasting activities.
• Collaborate with internal security teams on traveler safety and emergency response.
• Ensure suppliers meet safety and insurance requirements.
• Develop reporting dashboards for spend, compliance, and supplier performance.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for travel-related issues.
• Deliver training and communication on travel policies and tools.

Benefits

• Healthcare Coverage – Competitive medical (PPO/HDHP), dental, and vision plans as well as company contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or pre-tax savings through flexible spending accounts (FSA) for commuting, health & dependent care expenses.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Featuring a 100% Company Safe Harbor Match on your first 6% deferral immediately upon eligibility.
• Paid Time Off – Flexible Time Off for Exempt (salaried) employees, as well as generous PTO for Non-Exempt (hourly) employees, plus 11 paid company holidays and a paid volunteer day.
• 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Maven Family Planning – provides support through your Parenting journey including egg freezing, fertility, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy, postpartum, early pediatrics, and returning to work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees