Travel & Expenses Manager

This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global market leader renowned for powering many of the worlds most demanding AI data centers in industries ranging from life sciences and healthcare to financial services autonomous cars Government academia research and manufacturing.

DDNs A3I solutions are transforming the landscape of AI infrastructure. IDC

The real differentiator is DDN. I never hesitate to recommend DDN. DDN is the de facto name for AI Storage in high performance environments - Marc Hamilton VP Solutions Architecture & Engineering NVIDIA

DDN is the global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale. Our cutting-edge data intelligence platform is designed to accelerate AI workloads enabling organizations to extract maximum value from their data. With a proven track record of performance reliability and scalability DDN empowers businesses to tackle the most challenging AI and data-intensive workloads with confidence.

Our success is driven by our unwavering commitment to innovation customer-centricity and a team of passionate professionals who bring their expertise and dedication to every project. This is a chance to make a significant impact at a company that is shaping the future of AI and data management.

Our commitment to innovation customer success and market leadership makes this an exciting and rewarding role for a driven professional looking to make a lasting impact in the world of AI and data storage.

This is an incredible opportunity to join a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale helping customers run some of the worlds most demanding AI and data-intensive environments.

As our first Travel Manager you will design and lead the corporate travel program for DDN. Currently travel is handled individually by employees; your mission is to support this activity to maximize budget efficiency ensure traveler safety and provide a seamless experience for our team. You will be the architect of our Travel Policy and the primary negotiator for our global travel partnerships.

What youll do

• Policy Development: Support and maintain the companys first formal Global Travel Policy. Define what is reasonable for flights hotels and per diems.
• Vendor Negotiation: Build a Preferred Vendor program. You will negotiate corporate rates with airlines hotel chains and car rental agencies to ensure we get more value than a standard retail customer.
• T&E System Management: Utilize our Navan program to control and report on bookings.
• Budget Optimization: Analyze travel patterns to find cost-saving opportunities (e.g. We spend $50k/year in London; lets sign a fixed-rate deal with a hotel near our office).
• Exception Management: Act as the final approver for travel requests that fall outside of policy balancing business needs with fiscal discipline.
• Duty of Care: Establish protocols to locate and support employees during global emergencies or travel disruptions.
• Sustainability Tracking: Track the carbon footprint of company travel and suggest greener alternatives like rail over short-haul flights.

What were looking for

• Foundational Experience: 3 years in corporate travel management or a high-level role within the hospitality/airline industry.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to look at a spreadsheet of 1000 Uber receipts and flight bookings to identify where money is being wasted.
• Diplomacy: The ability to tell a Senior Executive No when they want to book a First Class ticket that violates policy while maintaining a great working relationship.
• Contract Fluency: You know the difference between Last Room Availability (LRA) and Non-Last Room Availability (NLRA) in hotel contracts.

DDN has a very strong orientation towards these 4 characteristics and any successful employee will demonstrate these capabilities:

Self-Starter -Takes independent action to identify and solve problems. Seeks out relevant information needed to make decisions. Gets involved with new initiatives.

Success/Achievement Orientation -Delivers quality results consistently. Targets achieves (or exceeds) measurable results. Sets challenging goals focuses on critical priorities and is accountable.

Problem Solving -Recognizes problems and responds with a systematic assessment that identifies and addresses cause of issue. Practical realistic and resourceful.

Innovative -Builds and improves key business processes that enhance the effectiveness of DDN. Generates new ideas challenges the status quo and solves problems creatively.

DataDirect Networks Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion gender gender identity gender expression transgender sex stereotyping sexual orientation national origin disability protected Veteran Status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal state or local law.