Job Description

Manager, Global Travel and Convening

Summary

The Wikimedia Foundation is looking for a Manager of Travel and Convening to join our team, reporting to the Controller, Vice President. As the Manager of Travel and Convening, you will be responsible for managing a team of travel, meeting, and event professionals, as well as collaborating with cross-functional business partners to deliver best-in-class customer support to further advance the mission of the foundation. The team collaborates with and serves the internal staff community, Wikimedia community and partners, including volunteers, editors/contributors and business partners.

The position will lead with a resourceful mindset, and will review, reshape, and deliver a global travel, meetings and events vision that prioritizes employee experience, DEI initiatives and customer service. This role will manage a global team of travel, meeting, and event professionals, as well as collaborate with cross-functional business partners to deliver best-in-class customer support to further advance the mission of the foundation. As the Wikimedia Foundation and the global volunteer community continue to grow, this role will spearhead cross-functional engagement to advance scalable travel and convening strategies, partnering with Legal, Finance, Talent & Culture and other departments across the organization.

You are responsible for:

• Leading a team managing travel arrangements, event facilities, and hotel selection for the Wikimedia Foundation and Wikipedia community events


• Drive and reshape Wikimedia Foundation's global travel and convening program strategy in alignment with WMF culture and values


• Work closely with Global Workplace and Experience colleagues, cross-functional partner teams, functional leaders, and leadership to ensure that travel, meetings, events, and experience to deliver a seamless journey experience


• Think strategically and forecast overall team requirements, budget, and resources needed to execute all functions


• Overseeing the team's relationships with vendors, e.g., agency services, airlines, hotels, credit card providers, and technology vendors; negotiate contracts and ensure vendor compliance


• Partnering with ISOS and Risk Management on physical safety, security, and overall duty of care requirements


• Providing written and verbal communication with business and stakeholder groups within the organization so that business groups may make informed decisions on its travel and event needs


• Provide transparent and timely updates to stakeholders regarding best practices, processes and policies to support travelers' needs


• Ensure travel and events are in compliance with the foundation's travel, procurement, and spend policies, make sound judgment, and use prudence in making decisions that protect travelers and contain costs


• Develop and maintain documentation of existing processes, policies and activities, and updates.


• Gather data and reporting for analysis and reduction to achieve environmental, and financial targets


• Champion and promote WMF's travel and convening program by utilizing various internal communication channels and departmental outreach


• Travel is 20-25%, but flexible

Skills and Experience:

• Have a minimum of 8+ years of related leadership experience in corporate travel management with global travel management, meetings, and event experience


• Have a proven record of corporate meeting and event planning and operations experience


• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and written with all levels within the organization and its community


• Experience managing and directing teams located in multiple geographic areas, working across time zones in a global environment.


• Drive innovation on the team with a willingness to balance of "big picture" thinking with tactical execution


• Experience with negotiating travel related contracts


• Ability to independently prioritize and accomplish multiple tasks within established timeframes


• Are passionate about employee experience, customer feedback and service, and working cross-functionally for the best solutions for the organization


• Ability to drive innovation and process improvement, both tactical and forward thinking using your resourcefulness and creative problem solving skills


• Bachelor's degree in related field or the equivalent in relevant work experience


• Good understanding of complex international airfares, including routing, fares and pricing, and travel documentation requirements


• Proficient use of Concur, Google Suite, Slack, Coupa (or equivalent) and other travel software


• Prioritize transparency and communication for a seamless customer experience

Qualities that are important to us:

• Commitment to advancing Wikimedia Foundation's mission and fostering a highly effective, efficient, and inclusive environment.


• Comfortable with change management and continuous improvement.


• Passionate about providing solutions and working with people at all levels of the organization, including community members and volunteers.


• Self-motivated with an ability to navigate through ambiguity and bring a project to completion with limited directions


• Lead with an entrepreneurial mindset, and find enhancements as needed to deliver global travel, meetings, and events vision that prioritizes employee experience, and customer service, and reinforces the foundation's mission.


• Be a self-starter and familiar with the hospitality and travel industry


• Handle a wide variety of projects and responsibilities while juggling multiple priorities


• Compassion and empathy for travelers from diverse backgrounds and experiences

Additionally, we'd love it if you have:

• Experience in a highly collaborative, consensus-oriented environment


• A desire to mentor and develop teams


• Curiosity and commitment to learn


• Familiarity with contributing and developing travel and expense policies.

About the Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit organization that operates Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia free knowledge projects. Our vision is a world in which every single human can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. We believe that everyone has the potential to contribute something to our shared knowledge, and that everyone should be able to access that knowledge freely. We host Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects, build software experiences for reading, contributing, and sharing Wikimedia content, support the volunteer communities and partners who make Wikimedia possible, and advocate for policies that enable Wikimedia and free knowledge to thrive.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that relies on donations. We receive donations from millions of individuals around the world, with an average donation of about $15. We also receive donations through institutional grants and gifts. The Wikimedia Foundation is a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Wikimedia Foundation values having a diverse workforce and continuously strives to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate against any person based upon their race, traits historically associated with race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy or related medical conditions, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristics.

If you are a qualified applicant requiring assistance or an accommodation to complete any step of the application process due to a disability, you may contact us at recruiting@wikimedia.org or +1 (415) 839-6885.

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