Manager, Global Travel Sourcing

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The Manager- Global Travel Sourcing is responsible for sourcing of air, ground transportation and hotel by leading negotiations, supplier management, and cost-optimization strategies across all brands for guest, crew, and corporate travel. The Manager- Global Travel Sourcing will work closely with operational and brand teams worldwide to design and secure reliable, scalable, and cost-effective mobility and lodging solutions. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree preferred), with an undergraduate degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Supply Chain, Analytics, Hospitality, or related with 5-8 years of progressive experience in the aviation, travel, or mobility sectors, with proven expertise in global contract negotiation and supplier management.

Essential Functions

• Lead end‑to‑end sourcing and contract negotiations across airlines, hotels, ground operators, and GDS partners, leveraging analytics, market intelligence, and operational inputs to secure competitive pricing, flexible terms, and reliable global travel solutions for guests, crew, and corporate travelers.
• Collaborate with brand travel teams to forecast demand, anticipate needs, mitigate risks, and align sourcing decisions with brand strategies and enterprise cost objectives.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships across air, hotel, ground, and GDS categories, while continuously scanning the market to identify new suppliers, emerging mobility solutions, and opportunities to enhance program reliability and guest/crew experience.
• Ensure full compliance with Carnival’s Sourcing, Procurement & Supply Chain Policy, including competitive bidding requirements, spend threshold governance, supplier onboarding, documentation retention, and contracting workflows.
• Use advanced analytics and reporting tools (Excel, Power BI) to evaluate spend, supplier performance, operational trends, and cost‑savings opportunities, enabling data‑first sourcing decisions and executive‑level visibility.
• Support cross‑functional initiatives, category programs, and special projects based on evolving enterprise needs across the global travel portfolio.

Knowledge & Skills

• Scope: This role has Global Responsibility to all brands.
• Problem solving: The role requires advanced problem‑solving capabilities to address complex, global travel sourcing challenges. The Manager must analyse and interpret large volumes of data (spend reports, supplier performance metrics, market intelligence) using advanced tools such as Excel and Power BI to identify cost‑saving opportunities and optimise sourcing strategies. Anticipate and mitigate risks related to supplier reliability, operational disruptions, and compliance with duty‑of‑care standards across multiple regions and brands.
• Develop strategic solutions for negotiating global contracts with airlines, hotels, and ground operators, balancing commercial objectives with operational needs.
• Forecast demand and adapt sourcing plans to evolving business requirements, ensuring scalability and cost efficiency. Innovate and identify emerging suppliers and mobility solutions to enhance program reliability and guest/crew experience. Resolve complex issues under tight timelines, such as aligning multi‑brand requirements, managing competitive bidding processes, and ensuring compliance with procurement policies. This position involves strategic and tactical decision‑making, requiring a high degree of commercial acumen, analytical thinking, and the ability to influence outcomes across global markets.

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate strong commercial acumen, analytical capability, and exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Requires a high degree of accuracy, problem‑solving ability, and attention to detail, with a self‑motivated and entrepreneurial approach. Experience in strategic sourcing, corporate travel, or cruise industry operations is highly preferred. Familiarity with hotel RFP platforms, duty‑of‑care standards, and third‑party ground transportation compliance requirements is essential. Must have direct experience negotiating with airlines, DMCs, transportation aggregators, hotel chains, and independent properties across global markets.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications is required, with advanced expertise in Excel and Power BI to support data‑driven sourcing, spend analysis, and supplier performance reporting.
• Experience with GDS platforms (Sabre and/or Amadeus) to support air sourcing, fare analysis, and operational alignment.
• Working knowledge of hotel RFP platforms and mobility/vendor management systems.
• Proficiency with procurement, sourcing, and contracting tools (e.g., Coupa, Ariba, Oracle, or similar).
• Familiarity with Power BI data models and the ability to interpret dashboards using basic DAX‑driven metrics (no development required).
• Comfort working with enterprise data sources, forecasting tools, and spend analytics systems to support negotiation strategy and category planning.

Physical Demands: Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time.

Travel: Less than 25% with non‑shipboard travel likely.

Work Conditions: Work beyond normal business hours or on weekends may be required occasionally to support business needs, projects, or operations.

This position is classified as “in‑office.” As an in‑office role, it requires employees to work from a designated Carnival office in South Florida Tuesday through Thursday each week. Employees may work from their homes on Mondays and Fridays. Candidates must be located in (or willing to relocate to) the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area.

Offers to selected candidates will be made on a fair and equitable basis, taking into account specific job‑related skills and experience.

Benefits

• Health Benefits:
  • Cost‑effective medical, dental and vision plans
  • Employee Assistance Program and other mental health resources
  • Additional programs include company paid term life insurance and disability coverage
• Financial Benefits:
  • 401(k) plan that includes a company match
  • Employee Stock Purchase plan
• Paid Time Off:
  • Holidays – All full‑time and part‑time with benefits employees receive days off for 8 company‑wide holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays to be taken at the employee’s discretion.
  • Vacation Time – All full‑time employees at the manager and below level start with 14 days/year; director and above level start with 19 days/year. Part‑time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 84 hours/year. All employees gain additional vacation time with further tenure.
  • Sick Time – All full‑time employees receive 80 hours of sick time each year. Part‑time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 60 hours each year.
• Other Benefits:
  • Complementary stand‑by cruises, employee discounts on confirmed cruises, plus special rates for family and friends
  • Personal and professional learning and development resources including tuition reimbursement
  • On‑site Fitness center at our Miami campus

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

• Management and Manufacturing

Industries

Travel Arrangements

Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company, our mission to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guest through our diverse portfolio of leading cruise brands and island destinations, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America and Australia; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; AIDA in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe.

Join us and embark on a career that offers not only the chance to grow professionally but also the opportunity to be part of a global community that makes a difference.

In addition to other duties/functions, this position requires full commitment and support for promoting ethical and compliant culture. More specifically, this position requires integrity, honesty, and respectful treatment of others, as well as a willingness to speak up when they see misconduct or have concerns.

Carnival Corporation & plc and Carnival Cruise Line is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. In this regard, it does not discriminate against any qualified individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, mental, physical or sensory disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, federal, and/or international law.