Director, Travel & Expense
Databricks · San Francisco, United States · 3mo ago
GAQ327R263
While candidates in the listed location(s) are encouraged for this role, candidates in other locations will be considered.
We are seeking a strategic, operationally strong Director, Travel & Expense to lead and modernize our global travel, expense, and corporate spend ecosystem. This leader will drive a digital-first, highly scalable program that improves the employee experience while strengthening governance, compliance, and financial discipline across a fast-growing global organization.
This role is ideal for a builder who can define future-state strategy while also leading hands-on execution, operational rigor, and measurable outcomes. The successful candidate will partner closely across Finance, Procurement, IT, HR, Security, and Operations to create a seamless and future-ready T&E model.
The impact you will have:
- Lead the transformation of the T&E program into a modern, automated, digital-first experience, including AI-enabled workflows, touchless expense processing, automated audit controls, and intelligent policy enforcement.
- Create a frictionless employee experience across booking, expense submission, approvals, reimbursements, and support while simplifying processes and reducing manual work.
- Build a scalable global T&E roadmap that balances agility, governance, employee experience, and operational efficiency, with clear KPIs, dashboards, and change management to support adoption.
- Oversee global business travel operations across air, hotel, ground transportation, meetings, and traveler support, while shaping regional travel strategies for a distributed workforce.
- Manage travel partners and supplier relationships to improve service levels, optimize spend, and support evolving business needs.
- Partner with Security and HR to strengthen traveler safety, duty of care, and crisis response capabilities.
- Lead enterprise expense reimbursement and corporate card programs with a focus on automation, compliance, scalability, and employee experience.
- Implement intelligent expense capabilities such as auto-generated reports, AI auditing, receipt automation, and policy-driven workflows, while simplifying approvals and accelerating reimbursement cycles.
- Partner closely with AP, Payroll, and Finance Operations to streamline end-to-end financial processes.
- Own the T&E technology ecosystem, including platforms such as Emburse, Egencia, Ramp, Brex, AppZen, and corporate card integrations; partner with IT and Finance Systems on integrations, APIs, and analytics.
- Ensure strong policy governance, financial controls, audit readiness, and compliance with global tax, regulatory, data privacy, and regional travel requirements.
- Build and lead a high-performing global team, develop leadership bench strength, and influence cross-functional stakeholders in a complex, fast-moving environment.
What we look for:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Supply Chain, Hospitality, Information Systems, or a related field.
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in Travel, Expense, Procurement, Finance Operations, Shared Services, or related functions.
- Proven success leading T&E transformation, automation, or digital modernization initiatives in high-growth or fast-paced organizations.
- Experience leading global or multinational T&E programs and managing regional operations and cross-border transformation efforts.
- Strong operational leadership with the ability to translate strategy into scalable execution.
- Deep expertise in T&E platforms, workflow automation, corporate card programs, and expense technologies.
- Strong understanding of AI-enabled operations, process redesign, and scalable service delivery models.
- Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and change leadership skills, with the ability to lead through ambiguity and evolving business priorities.
- Experience leading global or multinational T&E programs.
- MBA, CPA, CTP, or related certification preferred.
- Lean Six Sigma, automation, or digital transformation experience strongly preferred.
Pay Range Transparency
Databricks is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range(s) for this role is listed below and represents the expected base salary range for non-commissionable roles or on-target earnings for commissionable roles. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and training, and specific work location. Based on the factors above, Databricks anticipated utilizing the full width of the range. The total compensation package for this position may also include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity, and the benefits listed above. For more information regarding which range your location is in visit our page here.
About Databricks
Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide — including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.
Benefits
At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.
Compliance
If access to export-controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.