Corporate Travel Manager

We are Optimum, a leader in the fast-paced world of connectivity, and we're seeking driven and enthusiastic professionals to join our team, empower lives, fuel businesses, and drive innovation. Connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. A career at Optimum means you'll be enabling progress and enhancing lives by providing reliable, high-speed connectivity solutions that keep the world connected. Our successes, now and in the future, are powered by our amazing product, a commitment to our people and culture, and the connections we make in our communities. If you are resourceful, collaborative, and passionate about delivering consistent excellence, Optimum is for you! Job Summary The Manager, Corporate Travel & Operations oversees the daily operations, governance, and performance of the company's enterprise-wide business travel program. This role manages travel policy, vendor partnerships, travel technology, reporting and analytics, traveler support, payment controls, expense oversight, and audit of travel-related submissions. The Manager is responsible for delivering a high-quality traveler experience while driving cost optimization, operational efficiency, compliance, duty of care, and alignment with organizational goals. The role partners closely with the Travel Management Company, other service providers, Finance, Procurement, Security, Legal, and HR to manage program performance, vendor relationships, traveler communications and experience, and specialized travel arrangements, including charter aviation. As part of the Corporate Services team, this position will also support department-led initiatives as needed, including administrative services related to hospitality, company ticket administration, and corporate services projects. This position reports to the VP, Corporate Services & Events. Program Management Oversee enterprise travel operations, including development and implementation of annual program goals and performance measurement frameworks. Develop, evaluate and implement new services or enhancements to existing services to support the company and traveler experience. Manage charter aviation and related vendor coordination, ensuring appropriate approvals, cost controls, and alignment with company policy. Oversee logistics, usage, documentation, budget and billing. Assist with group air travel, storm response accommodations, customer promotional travel and hotel room blocks, as needed. Support Corporate Services department-led initiatives outside of travel, including company ticket administration and corporate services projects, as needed. Technology, Tools & Data Analytics Own and optimize travel technology platforms including the online booking tool and TMC integrations. Evaluate, implement and monitor controls across booking platforms and TMC engagement. Monitor, evaluate, and act on daily travel reporting from the TMC. Lead analytics to track spend, model savings, and develop reporting dashboards. Evaluate emerging travel technologies to improve automation and traveler experience. Analyze data to identify out-of-policy spend, leakage, savings opportunities, and areas requiring reinforcement of policy or process improvement. Contract Negotiation & Vendor Management Conduct RFP cycles, sourcing, and rate benchmarking. Manage contracts and negotiations with airlines, hotels, car providers, TMC, and other service providers. Monitor vendor performance including strategic business reviews with service providers to evaluate performance, service trends, savings opportunities, and program improvements. Policy, Process Governance & Duty of Care Evaluate and maintain corporate travel policies to ensure clarity, compliance, alignment with business needs, and consistency with industry best practices. Create and manage vendor onboarding, SOPs, process maps, and internal controls. Monitor and remedy program leakage and maintain online booking adoption rates. Manage traveler tracking, travel advisories, escalation protocols, compliance reporting, and duty‑of‑care response procedures. Communication & Change Management Serve as the primary escalation point for traveler inquiries, including issue resolution and coordination with the TMC and internal partners. Develop employee education and training materials. Deliver communications, including the employee intranet, to employees and internal partners on policies and systems. Travel Expense, Payment & Controls Manage virtual travel card activity, reconciliations, and monthly reporting in partnership with the company's Finance organization. Drive operational excellence in unused ticket management, UATP management, travel certificate usage management, and associated reporting. Partner with Finance and Accounts Payable to oversee employee expense reimbursements related to air, rail, hotel, and car rental, including review and audit of travel-related expense submissions for compliance and accuracy. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Business, Tourism/Travel, Finance, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered. 5+ years of progressive experience in corporate travel programs, travel operations, TMC relationships, and supplier partnerships in a corporate environment. Strong working knowledge of travel technology platforms, online booking tools, TMC systems, and expense platforms. Concur Travel and Expense experience strongly preferred. Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting travel spend, booking behavior, policy compliance, vendor performance, reimbursement trends. Experience managing TMC, airline, hotel, rental car, and travel service provider relationships, including performance reviews, issue resolution, RFP support, rate benchmarking, and supplier negotiations. Ability to work as an independent contributor and communicate effectively with cross-functional teams. Ability to support broader Corporate Services operations and provide backup coverage for department functions as business needs require. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel. Professional certification such as Global Travel Professional, Certified Travel Manager, or related travel/expense certification preferred. Flexibility to provide after-hours, weekend, and urgent travel support as business needs or traveler disruptions arise. At Optimum, every action and interaction we take part in, is driven by our three Guiding Principles: Do What's Right, Drive One Optimum, and Make It Happen. These aren't just words, they help us build trust, create real community, and embrace new ways of thinking. Our employees are empowered to do the right thing for our customers and co-workers and to recognize and reward these behaviors when we see them. It's all part of the bigger picture of "Be The Difference" where each employee knows they have the power to enact real change, share new ideas, and understand that learning never stop. All job descriptions and required skills, qualifications and responsibilities for a particular position are subject to modification by the Company from time to time, in the Company's discretion based on business necessity. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds regardless of gender, race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. The Company collects personal information about its applicants for employment that may include personal identifiers, professional or employment related information, photos, education information and/or protected classifications under federal and state law. This information is collected for employment purposes, including identification, work authorization, FCRA-compliant background screening, human resource administration and compliance with federal, state and local law. Pay is competitive and based on a number of job-related factors, including skills and experience. The starting pay rate/range at time of hire for this position in the posted location is $102,816.00 - $168,912.00 / year. The rate/range provided herein is the anticipated pay at the time of hire and does not reflect future job opportunity. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. Please note that at this time, we do not provide visa sponsorship for employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr