Director of Travel & Expense (Administrator II, Range 1) - San Francisco Bay Region Network

Position Summary

The Director of Travel and Expense manages the Travel and Expense team and provides operational oversight of the daily travel and expense operations across the SFBRN. This role oversees the end-to-end travel and expense process, including the review and approval of travel requests, expense reports, and procurement card transactions ensuring timely, accurate, and policy-compliant processing for CSUEB, SFSU, and SSU. The Director supervises specialists, establishes and implements best practices, drives process improvements, and partners with stakeholders to align travel and expense strategies with university and Network goals.

Position Information

• Travel and Expense Operations and Compliance:

  • Manages the daily operations of Travel and Expense.
  • Manages hospitality compliance for the Network and Auxiliaries.
  • Exercises authority to make operational decisions related to Travel and Expense, escalating complex or high-impact issues to the Senior Director of Procurement and Accounts Payable as needed.
  • Oversees the full travel and expense process, including review and approval of travel requests, expense reports, and procurement card transactions, ensuring optimal service delivery and compliance with best practices.
  • Ensures travel and expense activities are conducted accurately, timely, and in compliance with Network, university, state, and federal standards across all three campuses.
  • Engages with the Network Support Center Team to address Travel and Expense-related inquiries, efficiently delegating tasks to the appropriate Network personnel as required.
  • Maintains working knowledge of CSU Administrative Manual (ICSUAM) policies, state, and federal regulations related to Travel and Expense. Assists Network staff in ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

• Team Leadership and Supervision:

  • Leads, manages, and supervises the Travel and Expense team, providing guidance, direction, and mentorship, fostering a positive work environment, and ensuring the alignment of team goals with the Network’s overall strategy and objectives.
  • Manages the development of team members by helping them set and achieve goals for career growth.
  • Fosters an inclusive environment that values differences and creates a sense of belonging and appreciation for team members.
  • Leads by example, demonstrating ethics, high accountability, and actively drives the process of embedding Network values and behaviors. Contributes to a culture of trust and transparency. Drives best-in-class customer service through effective team member engagement.
  • Manages direct reports in adherence to Human Resources and institutional policies and procedures. Handles personnel management tasks in coordination with HR, including selecting, training, guiding, and evaluating staff, ensuring staff effectively and equitably serve the needs of all Network universities.
  • Takes corrective action as required, recommends salary actions, promotions, and terminations, and participates in recruitment and orientation of new employees.

• Service Delivery, Innovation, and Continuous Improvement:

  • Buils and maintains strong relationships with customers, partners, and stakeholders to ensure consistent, reliable service is delivered to all stakeholders.
  • Marks opportunities to streamline workflows, eliminate redundancies, leverage automation, or improve user experience within Travel and Expense.
  • Works collaboratively with the Network Financial Services teams and other functions to support the implementation of new technologies or process enhancements.
  • Tracks and reports on relevant key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and dashboards for Travel and Expense.
  • Stays current with changes in laws, regulations, and technologies that may affect Travel and Expense and informs senior management and staff.

• Communications and Training:

  • Leads the development and maintenance of comprehensive documentation of university and Network Travel and Expense policies, processes, and systems, promoting consistency across Network campuses. Ensures that crucial technical knowledge is accessible and understood by relevant stakeholders.
  • Cultivates a culture of mentorship and continuous skill development within the organization. Champions initiatives that encourage knowledge sharing, coaching, and on-the-job learning.
  • Ensures end-user communications are timely, transparent, and helpful. Maintains consistent communication with direct reports and senior leaders to resolve escalations and provide updates.
  • Communicates with Network universities and other Network leadership to safely support the Network’s Travel and Expense needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field. In lieu of a degree, a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsibly experience in travel and expense roles, including staff supervision, is required.
• Progressively responsible experience in travel, expense, accounts payable, or related roles.
• Demonstrated success supervising or mentoring travel and expense staff.
• Advanced knowledge of travel and expense principles, reimbursement processes, and policy compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to apply strategic thinking and practical problem-solving to travel and expense management issues.
• Strong understanding of relevant administrative laws, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Effective oral and written communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with process improvement, documentation, and knowledge sharing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience leading teams in a management or leadership role, particularly in a service-oriented environment.
• Experience working in higher education, multi-campus systems, or similarly complex public sector organizations.