Confidential
Global Principal Category Manager for Travel & Expense
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Global Principal Category Manager for Travel & Expense
We are looking for a forward-thinking and transformation-driven expert to take our global Travel & Expense (T&E) function to the next level. This is not a typical operational role. You will redefine how we manage travel, expense, and employee experience globally — shifting T&E from a transactional process into a strategic, data-driven, and future-ready capability.
As part of this journey, we have recently introduced a new T&E platform, which now needs to be scaled, embedded, and continuously optimized across our global organization. You will play a key role in driving adoption, harmonizing processes, and unlocking the full value of this platform, while shaping the future of spend management across a complex, global environment.
Your Responsibilities
-
Drive Global Strategy
- Define and implement a forward-looking global T&E strategy
- Align travel and expense programs with business priorities, cost optimization, and sustainability goals
- Position T&E as a strategic enabler, not just a control function
-
Lead Transformation
- Drive end-to-end transformation of T&E processes, policies, and systems
- Ensure further successful global rollout, adoption, and continuous improvement of the newly introduced T&E platform
- Harmonize processes across regions while respecting local requirements
- Introduce and scale digital, automated, and AI-driven solutions
- Challenge the status quo and continuously rethink how things are done
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
-
Embed & Optimize the Platform
- Drive end-to-end integration of the T&E platform into global processes and workflows
- Improve usability and ensure a seamless employee experience across travel and expense
- Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for further optimization
- Partner with IT and vendors to continuously enhance system capabilities and performance
-
Leverage Data for Value Creation
- Use data to drive insights, cost transparency, and better decision-making
- Enable visibility into spend patterns and traveler behavior
- Translate insights into concrete actions and improvements
-
Collaborate Across Functions
- Partner closely with Finance, Procurement, HR, and IT
- Act as a key stakeholder in cross-functional transformation initiatives
-
Ensure Governance & Compliance
- Ensure global compliance with legal, tax, and internal requirements
- Balance strong governance with a user-friendly, pragmatic approach
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Experience
- Extensive experience in Travel & Expense, Procurement, Finance, or Operations
- Proven track record in driving transformation and system implementation/optimization in a global environment
- Experience working in large, complex organizations (10,000+ employees)
- Strong strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability
- High level of curiosity and innovation mindset
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive change
- Data-driven with a focus on insights and impact
- Comfortable challenging existing processes and leading end-to-end transformation
What Success in this Role Looks Like
- A fully embedded, globally adopted, and high-performing T&E platform
- A modern, digital, and user-friendly T&E ecosystem
- Measurable improvements in:
- traveller/employee experience
- increased adoption
- efficiency and speed
- cost transparency
- savings
- Harmonized, streamlined global processes with reduced complexity
- T&E recognized as a strategic capability within the organization
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location