Lead Travel Sourcing Analyst

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Lead Travel Sourcing Analyst based in India.

This role offers the opportunity to play a key part in shaping global travel sourcing strategies across travel, fleet, and meetings and events categories. You will analyze complex spend data, benchmark market conditions, and identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency and traveler experience. The position combines strategic sourcing, analytics, supplier management, and cross-functional collaboration in a global environment. You will support sourcing initiatives across airlines, hotels, car rental, travel management companies, and online booking solutions. Working closely with Finance, HR, Compliance, Mobility, and sourcing teams, you will help strengthen processes, supplier relationships, and procurement outcomes. This is an ideal opportunity for an analytical and commercially minded sourcing professional who enjoys using data, technology, and market insight to drive measurable improvements.

Accountabilities:

• Support the development and execution of sourcing strategies across assigned travel categories, including fleet and meetings & events when required.
• Analyze travel spend and expense data to identify trends, leakage, inefficiencies, and opportunities for cost savings.
• Support the preparation and execution of RFPs, RFIs, and other sourcing activities for airlines, hotels, travel management companies, and related travel providers.
• Conduct market research and benchmarking to ensure travel programs remain competitive and aligned with industry best practices.
• Track supplier performance, compliance, service-level agreements, negotiated rates, and other key performance indicators.
• Maintain accurate documentation of contract terms, sourcing activities, savings trackers, and supplier information.
• Prepare periodic spend, savings, supplier, and performance reports for leadership review.
• Develop advanced analytics and reporting capabilities for the assigned spend category, using data to generate actionable procurement insights.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers, including Travel Management Companies, online booking technology providers, airlines, and hotel partners.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR, Compliance, Global Mobility, and other business partners to align travel processes, methodologies, policies, and supplier management practices.
• Support end-to-end corporate sourcing processes, including sourcing strategy, negotiated rates, and applicable hedging strategies and trigger points.
• Partner with supplier consulting teams on tactical sourcing activities that support category strategies and traveler outcomes.
• Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies within the sourcing lifecycle and recommend practical solutions to streamline processes.
• Drive benchmarking, best-practice sharing, continuous improvement, and standardization across travel sourcing activities.
• Support change initiatives by helping implement new processes, technologies, and ways of working.
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI and analytics tools to improve sourcing effectiveness, reporting, and decision-making.
• Contribute to cross-functional indirect sourcing initiatives and broader procurement transformation programs.

Requirements:

• Significant professional experience in travel sourcing, procurement, spend analytics, supplier management, or a closely related category management function.
• Bachelor’s degree in Sourcing, Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Analytics, or a related field is preferred; equivalent professional experience and knowledge may also be considered.
• Demonstrated experience working within travel sourcing or a closely related procurement spend category.
• Experience supporting or leading sourcing activities within a multinational or global organization.
• Strong understanding of travel procurement categories, including airlines, hotels, travel management companies, online booking tools, and related services.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to interpret spend, supplier, financial, and market data.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other analytical or reporting tools.
• Comfortable using research technologies, analytics platforms, financial analysis tools, and data-driven sourcing solutions.
• Hands-on experience with AI tools and the ability to identify and implement practical AI-enabled solutions that address organizational needs.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple sourcing initiatives, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and stakeholder communication skills.
• Strong supplier relationship management, negotiation, influencing, and collaboration capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to implement organizational, process, and culture change and translate improvement opportunities into measurable results.
• Ability to conduct external benchmarking and use market intelligence to identify next-level process and sourcing improvements.
• Strong ownership mindset, attention to detail, and ability to work independently in a fully remote global environment.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders across different regions and time zones.
• Results-oriented approach with a demonstrated track record of delivering sourcing improvements, cost efficiencies, and process enhancements.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package aligned with the scope and experience required for the role.
• Fully remote working arrangement.
• Opportunity to work in a global sourcing environment across multiple regions and travel categories.
• Exposure to strategic procurement, supplier management, analytics, and global category initiatives.
• Opportunity to work with airlines, hotels, travel management companies, online booking providers, and other strategic suppliers.
• Professional development through exposure to global sourcing strategies, benchmarking, analytics, and procurement transformation.
• Opportunities to work with cross-functional teams across Finance, HR, Compliance, Global Mobility, and Indirect Sourcing.
• Access to modern analytical and AI-enabled tools to support sourcing and decision-making.
• Opportunity to contribute to continuous improvement and large-scale organizational change initiatives.
• Relocation assistance is provided where applicable.