Procurement Manager - Travel Operations

About the Role
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to join Swinburne’s Procurement Services team as a Travel Operations Specialist. This high-impact role supports the university’s travel program by ensuring staff and students have access to efficient, compliant, and cost-effective travel solutions.

Swinburne University of Technology is seeking a detail-oriented and agile procurement professional to deliver value through the operational delivery of the travel program. This role plays a key part in enhancing business practices, implementing sustainable outcomes, and aligning initiatives with the University’s broader objectives.

The successful candidate will lead the operational delivery of travel support, manage supplier relationships, and assist with change and continuous improvement initiatives. They will provide expert guidance and support for internal stakeholders, offering solutions that are responsive, compliant, and user-focused.

This role requires sound operational judgement, strong communication skills, and a customer-centric mindset. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate the ability to identify continuous improvement opportunities and contribute to the university's broader procurement objectives.

About You
To be suitable for this role, you will need to demonstrate the following key accountabilities:

• Lead the development, implementation, and evolution of the travel program strategy and project plan to improve efficiency, compliance, and value across the travel program lifecycle.
• Deliver effective operational management of the university’s travel program, including supplier coordination and traveller experience support.
• Manage the relationship with the university’s nominated Travel Management Provider, including monitoring service levels and driving ongoing service improvements.
• Cultivate and maintain internal and external stakeholder networks to stay informed of travel industry best practices and market changes.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver solutions that are agile, responsive, and aligned with university travel and procurement policies.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Operational Support for University Travel
Act as the primary contact for all university travel queries, providing Level 2 support for staff, students, and travel arrangers. Manage escalations and liaise with suppliers to resolve issues efficiently
Manage Travel Access, Approvals, and Profiles
Administer user access to booking tools, support travel workflow setup and onboarding, and ensure user travel profiles are accurate, including resolution of integration errors.

Administer Travel Systems and Booking Platforms
Support implementation and maintenance of travel systems and platforms, including vendor engagement, user support, issue triage, and documentation updates.

Maintain and Communicate Travel Policies and Resources
Coordinate the communication of updated travel policies and maintain the Swinburne Travel Wiki, FAQs, and internal travel resources.

Oversee Travel Finance Processing and Invoice Resolution
Manage invoice discrepancies, cost centre allocation, reconciliation of open items, and Qantas credit usage in coordination with finance.

Monitor and Report Travel Program Performance
Validate and review travel data and KPIs, provide insights and analysis, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Deliver Executive and VIP Travel Support
Provide white-glove support and prioritised assistance for Executive Group, Council, and VIP travel arrangements.

Coordinate Student and HDR Travel Support
Manage student and HDR travel reimbursements, policy support, and coordination with relevant stakeholders.

Support Insurance, Duty of Care, and Risk Compliance
Maintain travel insurance documentation, align workflows with risk obligations, and support emergency response procedures.

Drive Process Improvement and Stakeholder Engagement
Identify and implement improvements to streamline travel processes and enhance the travel user experience.

Qualifications

• Relevant diploma or degree qualification, or progressing towards postgraduate qualifications

About Swinburne University of Technology
Swinburne’s strategy draws upon our understanding of future challenges. We choose to build Swinburne as the prototype of a new and different university – one that is truly of Technology, of Innovation and of Entrepreneurship. We are committed to a differentiated university proposition in education and research.

To Apply
Please submit your CV and cover letter addressing your suitability for this position.

To review the Position Description and to apply, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

If you are viewing this advert from an external site, please click ‘apply’ and you will be redirected to Swinburne’s Jobs website to access the Position Description at the bottom of the page.

Please Note: Appointment to this position is subject to passing a Working with Children Check.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application, please contact the Swinburne Talent Acquisition Team on [email protected].

Applications Close: 28th of July at 11.30 pm

Swinburne offers flexible working options contained in our leave and parenting/carer policies to support work-life balance.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Swinburne has become a world-class university, driving social and economic impacts through science, technology, and innovation. As a dual-sector university, our vision is for people and technology working together to build a better world.

Central to our vision is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer focused on attracting, retaining, and developing great talent. We work to remove barriers related to gender identity, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.

We strongly encourage applicants from diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our Moondani Toombadool Centre leads our Indigenous education and culture at Swinburne, guided by community wisdom and leadership.

We support applicants with disabilities. Adjustments can be requested at any time during the recruitment process. For Reasonable Adjustment requests, including accessible formats for the PD, application form or any other document, please contact at [email protected] or call +61 3 9214 3550.

Victoria’s Commitment to Action: Improving international student employment outcomes.
As a signatory to Victoria’s Commitment to Action, Swinburne seeks to remove barriers to international graduate employment. We welcome and encourage applications from international graduates.

As a Circle Back Initiative Employer, we commit to responding to every applicant.

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