Travel Operations Manager

About the Role:

We are looking for a Manager of Travel Operations Back-Office to lead, motivate and develop our team of analysts focused on BSP/ARC reconciliation and debit/credit memo dispute/loss management. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing daily operations, setting clear performance goals, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing team environment. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator with a proven track record of effective leadership, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking. Your ultimate goal will be to maximise team productivity, ensure high-quality outputs, and help individual team members reach their full potential while aligning with Navan's core values and business objectives. As a subject matter expert in IATA/BSP and ARC settlement operations, you will ensure Navan's global accounts are accurately reconciled, fully compliant, and seamlessly integrated with our back-office systems. 
What You'll Do:
• Lead a team handling critical reconciliation, settlement, and dispute processes. Maintain Navan's IATA/IATAN process compliances.

• Troubleshoot financial discrepancies and help scale our enterprise-grade back-office systems. 

What We're Looking For:

• Deep expertise in BSP/ARC, Debit/Credit memo processes and BSP/IAR Operations.

• Collaborate across cross-functional teams and external partners to optimize collections and reduce bad debt exposure

• Hands-on proficiency with GDS platforms (Sabre/Amadeus), NDC, and reconciliation systems.

• A collaborative leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and loves building robust, scalable processes and drives process efficiencies 

Key Responsibilities:

- Reconciliation and Compliance:

•   o Build and execute processes for accurate and timely reconciliation of ARC & BSP accounts worldwide.
•   o Develop tools and reporting procedures to automate billing, remittance and reconciliation of partner agency billings.
•   o Ensure strict adherence to BSP/IAR regulatory standards, including the timely submission of all required reports.

- Risk Management and Process Improvement:

•   o Establish internal controls and operational redundancies to safeguard settlement workflows..
•   o Analyze reconciliation variances, identify root causes, and implement swift corrective actions.
•   o Conduct periodic audits to verify accuracy and compliance with industry regulations.

- Contribute to process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and scalability in settlement workflows.

- Stakeholder Collaboration and Reporting:

•   o Partner with Finance, Operations, and Product teams to align reconciliation processes and data reporting needs
•   o Prepare executive reports highlighting key financial trends, operational risks, and process improvements
•   o Track and produce KPI reports across all processes while actively managing team OKRs.

- Operations & Performance Management

•   o Set clear, measurable individual and team goals (KPIs/OKRs) aligned with company objectives.
•   o Monitor team workflows, delegate tasks effectively, and optimize resource allocation to ensure deadlines are met.
•   o Track and report on team performance metrics to senior leadership on a weekly/monthly basis.
•   o Identify bottlenecks in current processes and implement continuous improvement strategies to boost efficiency and quality.

- Training and Knowledge Sharing

• Write and maintain detailed process documentation, training materials, and team success metrics.

Qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge of reconciling and settling ARC and/or BSP accounts using enterprise-grade travel accounting/back-office systems (e.g., CentralCommand, BSPLink).
• 3+ years of hands-on GDS experience with Sabre and/or Amadeus.
• Experience in defining and prioritizing technical business requirements for system development.
• 2+ years of experience writing processes, training materials, and defining metrics.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Clear and concise oral and written communication skills.
• A strong team player who fosters collaboration across teams.