Head of Travel

Who We Are

Whatever your area of expertise, you will find a range of career opportunities at Clifford Chance. And wherever you’re heading, Clifford Chance is where you can be true to your ambitions.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures and languages. In a world where commercial success increasingly relies on globalisation, we offer clients a truly international perspective, and we offer our people a rewarding and stimulating career.

We're proud of our approachable, friendly and team-based way of working. Highly professional and self-assured, with an entrepreneurial streak, our people are more than happy to share their expertise and knowledge.

The Role

The Head of Travel is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Clifford Chance travel program. 

This is a global role that will require engagement with stakeholders across a number of offices. They will work day-to-day with the procurement team, risk teams, business stakeholders, fee earners, up to Executive Director level.

The Head of Travel will be responsible for key relationships and Global Travel programme, in particular:

• Own, evolve and pursue compliance of Global Travel Policy Management of travel platform
• Negotiation, contract and service management of travel related third parties i.e. Airlines, Hotels, Risk and Insurance partners.
• Budget management
• Travel support, ensuring efficient, cost-effective, and safe business travel for employees.
• Collaborate with the Sustainability team and our strategic vendors to lower emissions in pursuit of our sustainability agenda 
• To act as a travel subject matter expert across their area.
• To collaborate with the Procurement team and their stakeholders.
• To negotiate commercial and contract terms with suppliers.
• Support initiatives to ensure growing compliance and adherence to the Firms global procurement and travel policies.
• To contribute as a Procurement team member and help drive the Procurement value proposition.

Key Responsibilities 

As a member of the wider Procurement team, the Head of Travel is expected to run and manage Global Travel, formulating strategy and ensuring operational performance and governance, including Managing travel budgets and expenses, tracking spending, and identifying cost-saving opportunities and support the firms sustainability agenda.

Management of all travel platforms and the work to complete the roll out of a single Global travel management platform

Monitoring travel expenses and ensuring compliance with company policies. 

Own and manage the supplier relationship with our Global travel service provider, collaborating with them to drive service improvements and increased return on investment for Clifford Chance.

Leading and managing the travel team, working alongside with internal stakeholders regarding their travel needs and concerns, providing guidance, training, and support

Addressing and resolving any travel-related issues or emergencies promptly. 

Maintain and evolve travel management information to support compliance, data analysis and drive decision making

This will also involve presenting and utilising your influencing skills, which will be paramount, in order to articulate complex travel matters to your stakeholders. They will manage a team of 1 direct reports who focus on operational travel management.

Your Experience 

• A strong understanding of Travel best practice, process and tools and its application to a comparable organization.
• Good experience identifying and delivering large cost savings and efficiency opportunities through developing global travel strategies.
• Good experience leading large, complex global Travel supplier engagement.
• Good experience negotiating and marking up supplier contracts.
• Experience managing and influencing difficult stakeholders and suppliers.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership teams and project committees.
• Knowledge and experience of change management techniques to support work on behavioural change and service adoption in a Partnership environment

Hybrid Working

This role follows our 'balanced' hybrid working approach and as long as business needs allow, you will be supported to work in a hybrid way with the expectation of working from the office for a minimum of 50% of your time.

What we offer including our broad range of benefits and working environment

When you join Clifford Chance, you will have access to a broad range of benefits to support you across many aspects of your personal and professional life including financial, wellbeing, lifestyle, and family friendly benefits. For more information on what we offer specifically in the UK, please visit our What We Offer page on our career site. 

Equal Opportunities

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. 

Find out more about our inclusive culture here.

#LI-Hybrid