Travel Specialist

Ball State University•Muncie, IN

3d•$17 - $18•Onsite

About The Position

Join our Accounts Payable – Travel team in a dynamic role that combines customer service, financial review, technology, policy administration, and problem-solving. As a Travel Specialist, you’ll serve as a key resource for University employees, helping travelers and departments navigate the University’s travel processes from pre-approval and booking through reimbursement and reconciliation. In this role, you’ll review and approve travel pre-approvals, expense reports, cash advances, and travel bookings while ensuring expenses comply with University policies. You’ll assist with airfare, hotel, conference registrations, and other travel arrangements; audit travel purchasing card activity; and follow up on outstanding cash advances. You’ll also help travelers resolve complex or time-sensitive situations when plans change or issues arise. Technology and communication are a big part of this position. You’ll work in multiple travel and financial systems, troubleshoot software and booking issues, monitor the Travel email account, collaborate with departments and travel vendors, and help test system updates and improvements. You’ll also have opportunities to contribute to Travel Policy reviews, develop training materials, and communicate important travel updates to the campus community. We’re looking for someone who is detail-oriented, organized, comfortable making decisions, and committed to providing excellent customer service—even when situations are time-sensitive or complex. If you enjoy solving problems, working with technology, interpreting policies, and helping people navigate processes, this is an opportunity to build your expertise in University travel while making an impact across campus. Candidates for searches must have current authorization to be employed in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Requirements

Associate’s degree or equivalent in accounting or other business-related field.
Over three through five years of accounting, accounts payable, auditing, or other detailed administrative experience.
Excellent Microsoft Office and organization skills.
Current authorization to be employed in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Over three years of accounting experience.
Experience processing travel reimbursements/payments.

Responsibilities

Serve as a resource to the university on all travel questions and issues; administer and enforce university travel regulations and policies; approve or deny all pre-approvals and expense reports; resolve travel issues and technical issues; respond to high-pressure and time-sensitive situations; approve or deny all travel bookings through the university’s travel software.
Audit travel cards monthly.
Serve as a resource for all university travel; communicate with travelers, departments, travel agencies, and other outside entities through various mediums; resolve complex travel issues while complying with university travel policies.
Review all travel bookings through the university’s dedicated travel booking tool for compliance, accuracy, and price thresholds; approve bookings in a timely manner to ensure best rate and reservations; update booking software with user information; grant and track access to university travel card(s) for select bookings, and make other updates as needed.
Review pre-approvals and cash advance requests submitted for accuracy and to ensure travel-related expenditures are in compliance with travel policies; approve/deny/return for correction and discuss with supervisor as needed.
Pay conference registrations, airfare, hotel, etc., using the travel purchasing card.
Book various forms of travel in situations where departmental purchasing cards cannot be used for conference registrations or situations where the university’s dedicated booking tool cannot be used and ensure all bookings comply with university travel policies.
Review/audit expense reports and cash advance reconciliations submitted for accuracy and to ensure travel-related expenditures are in compliance with travel policies; review all details and resolve discrepancies and complex issues; verify mileage and calculate per diems; approve/deny/return for correction and discuss with supervisor as needed.
Perform the following duties pertaining to cash advances: retrieve report of weekly outstanding cash advances; send weekly emails to travelers with overdue cash advances and follow up until advance has cleared.
Coordinate review of the University Travel Policy quarterly by both Travel Specialists and update as needed.
Assist in the creation of training materials/videos related to travel.
Communicate any changes to the University Travel Policy to the campus community.
Maintain travel email account; respond to questions and provide guidance for all travel-related questions.
Assist with troubleshooting and resolving travel software issues, including communicating with software vendors, departments, and external customers.
Participate in software testing as needed.
Review daily feeds/reports and resolve issues as needed for travel systems.
Review and approve/deny travel access requests and update appropriate access in various university travel systems.
Complete monthly audits of departmental credit cards for assigned cards and all travel card usage; verify all receipts are received in a timely fashion; audit receipts to determine appropriate university expenditures; communicate with cardholders/proxies as required.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Maintain regular and predictable attendance.

Benefits

Paid 10 to 24 vacation days
12 sick days
10 holidays a year
Paid parental leave (6 weeks)
Affordable health and dental insurance
Robust long-term disability and life insurance plans
Range of retirement benefits
90 percent of your child's (or children's) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State
100 percent of the tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree
80 percent of your graduate tuition