Meetings & Events for Navan Group is at a pivot point. We are evolving from siloed organizations into a unified, global "Meetings & Events" powerhouse. Our Operations need to build for the new future, where we deliver scaled, high quality managed services under the brand of Navan Events to our customers across the world. This role oversees Event Travel operations and people globally, and will help us build and expand our presence in new markets.
The Senior Director, Global Event Travel is the single accountable leader for Navan and Reed & Mackay’s global event-air operation, encompassing both online, platform-enabled travel and offline, high-touch group-air services.
This leader will own the global strategy, operating model, and performance of Event Travel across online and offline air. They will ensure consistently excellent operational delivery, and bring online and offline teams together under one operating model. A central mandate is to expand the capabilities and adoption of Navan’s event-travel platform while preserving the specialist service required for complex, high-value, and high-risk travel programs.
What you'll do
- Lead a global organization of directors, managers, team leads, travel consultants, and coordinators. Drive a High-Performance Culture that grows talent in-house and propels high performers further in their careers
- Dissolve the Reed & Mackay and Navan silos. Build a unified way of operating that makes the most of Navan technology and the Reed & Mackay expertise.
- Own service quality, commercial performance, workforce planning, operational transformation, and the partnership with Product and Engineering required to rebuild appropriate offline workflows on Navan infrastructure
- Define & implement the target state operating model for Event Travel. Outline and document the People, Processes, and Systems that deliver Event Travel to our global customer base.
- Structure a global service delivery function that utilizes globally consistent tools and processes but empowers local decision making and experience.
- Ensure our tech stack enables operational scale rather than hindering it. You aren't just a recipient of product updates; you are an agent of change for our platform and technology.
- Tell the ugly truths- you are a senior voice in the room. We expect you to present a positive, "can-do" front to the team, while being ruthlessly honest with leadership about where we are failing and what it will cost to fix it.
Success means unifying two teams operating on different tech stacks and processes into a single high performing unit. This requires a technology transformation where you partner with Navan’s Flights/Air Product & Engineering teams to build the right booking tools and capabilities so that we can manage customer Event travel through Navan. Success means being close to the process and the metrics- continuously measuring and managing performance improvement so that the Event Travel team raises the bar for what client delivery looks like. Most importantly, success means a unified team working together.
What we're looking for
- 10+ years of experience managing distributed travel operations teams across spans and layers
- Commercial ownership experience: operating budget, gross margin/contribution margin, forecasting, pricing, capacity forecasting, cost-to-serve and productivity
- Track record of building Product and Operations partnerships that produced measurable improvements in automation, service, and profitability
- Data-driven and disciplined about operating performance
- Thorough knowledge of the travel industry, fares, suppliers, and markets
- Familiarity with air booking tools and fulfillment systems
- Skilled at leading through organizational and technology change
Navan uses AI-assisted Automated Employment Decision Tool (Metaview) to assist with evaluating resumes against job qualifications for this role. All final decisions are made by human recruiters and hiring managers.
Human oversight: Metaview does not automatically reject candidates or make final hiring decisions. Our recruiters and hiring managers review all outputs and make the final hiring decision regarding every application.
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Skills Required
- 10+ years of experience managing distributed travel operations teams
- Commercial ownership experience (operating budget, gross margin/contribution margin, forecasting, pricing, capacity forecasting, cost-to-serve, productivity)
- Track record building Product and Operations partnerships that improved automation, service, and profitability
- Data-driven and disciplined about operating performance
- Thorough knowledge of the travel industry, fares, suppliers, and markets
- Familiarity with air booking tools and fulfillment systems
- Skilled at leading organizational and technology change
What the Team is Saying
Navan Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents are highlighted, with mental health resources such as Headspace included. This breadth of core health benefits signals strong baseline coverage.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible vacation in the U.S., a company-wide year-end quiet week, and a U.K. policy listing five weeks of PTO point to generous time-away options. These elements indicate meaningful support for rest and recharge across regions.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is specified as 16 weeks for the birthing parent and 10 weeks for the non-birthing parent. Clear, above-basic leave durations suggest solid family support.
Navan Insights
What We Do
Navan (Nasdaq: NAVN) is the leading all-in-one business travel, payments, and expense management platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.
Why Work With Us
At Navan, we’re never satisfied with the status quo, and we know breakthrough ideas come from diverse perspectives. We are committed to cultivating a workplace that reflects the diversity of the customers we serve while fostering leadership and innovation.
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Navan Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
In-person connections is the foundation of Navan, the connections forged through face-to-face interactions improve company culture and what we can achieve together. We operate on a hybrid working model, which we define as four days a week in-office.
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