Travel Manager Jobs in USA | Ares Management Corporation Career

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.Job DescriptionAres is seeking an experienced Travel Manager to join our Travel Team, overseeing the firm’s managed travel program and supporting and leading travel supplier programs and services that can bring potential value to the firm and our travelers. The Travel Manager will also work closely with Ares Private Equity Portfolio Management Group and portfolio company travel managers to identify opportunities to create value for portfolio companies by leveraging the collective size, scale and spend of Ares and its portfolio companies combined.The Ares Travel Department oversees and manages Ares’ global travel operations and service delivery model to leverage our size and volume to optimize service and cost. The Travel team provides insight on travel behavior and opportunities to the firm’s executive team and department heads, based upon data analysis and reporting, including spend management and travel compliance reporting. The team also conducts regular trainings for administrative assistants and other employee groups as necessary on processes, procedures, and policy updates, as well as supplier program updates for airlines, hotels, ground transportation, travel agency, and travel technology providers. The team is responsible for the strategy and negotiation of all travel supplier contracts and leads ongoing supplier management programs with strategic air, hotel, ground, and travel agency partners, ensuring the firm’s requirements are met. Additionally, the team, in collaboration with the Finance and AP teams, manages, and administers the firm’s global travel and expense policy.Primary Functions And Essential ResponsibilitiesSpecific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Travel supplier management for travel agency partners, airlines, hotels, and ground transportation providers to identify opportunities for improvements with service delivery and cost reduction opportunities through negotiations.
• Help lead RFP projects for the selection and implementation of new suppliers that meet the firm’s requirements
• Keep up to date on travel industry and market developments to identify new opportunities
• Maintain quarterly reporting and run transparency meetings on travel behavior with business group leaders. Identify opportunities for data collection and aggregation from suppliers and travel agencies to support KPI dashboards.
• Follow up with travelers (and associated assistants) with out of policy travel practices to ensure requisite education and course correction
• Maintain excellent traveler service levels, getting hands-on involved as needed when there are issues with our service providers or significant business critical situations that require more active management
• Partner with other groups in the firm as relates to event-related travel and recruiting-related travel needs
• Travel-related projects (may be related to ESG goals or other initiatives for the firm)

EducationQualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance or other business-related discipline

Experience Required

• 5-10+ years working in a corporate travel management role, preferably at a financial or professional services firm
• Vendor management experience with airlines, hotels, ground providers, travel agencies and travel technology providers
• Experience in collecting and curating data from multiple disparate sources in support of synthesizing the data to develop meaningful and actionable reporting to support strategy development
• Experience in the creation of executive dashboards using Microsoft’s Power BI technology

General Requirements

• Ability to extract meaningful information from extensive research and analysis to effectively present facts and findings in a digestible format, a keen eye for attention to detail
• A self-directed individual with a can-do attitude, willing to work in an energetic, collaborative, and fast-paced environment, proactive in nature, and a proven ability to resolve issues
• Proven outstanding communication (written and verbal), presentation, documentation, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and competing demands
• High accuracy and detail orientation
• Good judgment in terms of escalating issues vs.Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

  Job Description

  Ares is seeking an experienced Travel Manager to join our Travel Team, overseeing the firm’s managed travel program and supporting and leading travel supplier programs and services that can bring potential value to the firm and our travelers. The Travel Manager will also work closely with Ares Private Equity Portfolio Management Group and portfolio company travel managers to identify opportunities to create value for portfolio companies by leveraging the collective size, scale and spend of Ares and its portfolio companies combined.

  The Ares Travel Department oversees and manages Ares’ global travel operations and service delivery model to leverage our size and volume to optimize service and cost. The Travel team provides insight on travel behavior and opportunities to the firm’s executive team and department heads, based upon data analysis and reporting, including spend management and travel compliance reporting. The team also conducts regular trainings for administrative assistants and other employee groups as necessary on processes, procedures, and policy updates, as well as supplier program updates for airlines, hotels, ground transportation, travel agency, and travel technology providers. The team is responsible for the strategy and negotiation of all travel supplier contracts and leads ongoing supplier management programs with strategic air, hotel, ground, and travel agency partners, ensuring the firm’s requirements are met. Additionally, the team, in collaboration with the Finance and AP teams, manages, and administers the firm’s global travel and expense policy.

  Primary Functions And Essential Responsibilities

  Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  Travel supplier management for travel agency partners, airlines, hotels, and ground transportation providers to identify opportunities for improvements with service delivery and cost reduction opportunities through negotiations.
  Help lead RFP projects for the selection and implementation of new suppliers that meet the firm’s requirements
  Keep up to date on travel industry and market developments to identify new opportunities
  Maintain quarterly reporting and run transparency meetings on travel behavior with business group leaders. Identify opportunities for data collection and aggregation from suppliers and travel agencies to support KPI dashboards.
  Follow up with travelers (and associated assistants) with out of policy travel practices to ensure requisite education and course correction
  Maintain excellent traveler service levels, getting hands-on involved as needed when there are issues with our service providers or significant business critical situations that require more active management
  Partner with other groups in the firm as relates to event-related travel and recruiting-related travel needs
  Travel-related projects (may be related to ESG goals or other initiatives for the firm)

  Education

  Qualifications

  Bachelor’s degree in finance or other business-related discipline

  Experience Required

  5-10+ years working in a corporate travel management role, preferably at a financial or professional services firm
  Vendor management experience with airlines, hotels, ground providers, travel agencies and travel technology providers
  Experience in collecting and curating data from multiple disparate sources in support of synthesizing the data to develop meaningful and actionable reporting to support strategy development
  Experience in the creation of executive dashboards using Microsoft’s Power BI technology

  General Requirements

  Ability to extract meaningful information from extensive research and analysis to effectively present facts and findings in a digestible format, a keen eye for attention to detail
  A self-directed individual with a can-do attitude, willing to work in an energetic, collaborative, and fast-paced environment, proactive in nature, and a proven ability to resolve issues
  Proven outstanding communication (written and verbal), presentation, documentation, and interpersonal skills
  Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and competing demands
  High accuracy and detail orientation
  Good judgment in terms of escalating issues vs. solving problems independently
  Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
  Ability to be flexible in terms of hours in order to coordinate with team members across various time zones
  An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes
  Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player

  solving problems independently

• Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
• Ability to be flexible in terms of hours in order to coordinate with team members across various time zones
• An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes
• Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player