Global Travel Manager

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The Global Travel Manager is accountable for the end-to-end global travel ecosystem and will lead the design, delivery and continuous improvement of Kerry Groups global travel programme.

 

The role combines strategic category leadership with strong operational stewardship to ensure travel supports business performance, employee productivity, compliance and risk management while delivering sustainable commercial value.

 

The role will require Global travel with the successful candidate based being in Naas, County Kildare. Here at Kerry, we operate a hybrid working model of 3 days in the office and 2 days working remotely.

Key responsibilities

Global responsibility across Europe, North America, APMEA and LATAM, covering both the strategic sourcing and operations across Kerry’s entire footprint. 

 

Category Strategy & Commercial Leadership

 

• Develop and deliver global category strategies for air, hotel, car rental, meetings, events, visa services & travel technology
• Lead sourcing, tendering, negotiation and contracting activities at global and regional level.
• Balance commercial outcomes with service quality, traveller experience, flexibility and sustainability.

• Partner with Finance and the business to translate category strategies into measurable value outcomes.

 

Travel Programme & Operations Management

 

• Own the end-to-end global travel programme, ensuring effective day-to-day operations across all regions.
• Define and maintain governance structures, operating standards and escalation processes.
• Ensure the travel programme remains fit for purpose as the organisation evolves.

 

Travel Management Company (TMC) Oversight

 

• Own the global TMC relationship and operating model.
• Set, monitor and manage service levels, KPIs and commercial terms.
• Drive consistent service delivery while accommodating regional requirements.

 

Technology & Process Enablement

 

• Act as global business owner for travel technology, including Concur
• Drive system optimisation, policy controls and reporting capability.
• Simplify processes and reduce friction for travellers and approvers through practical use of technology.

 

Supplier Relationship Management

 

• Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with airlines, hotel groups, car rental providers, TMCs and technology partners.
• Lead structured performance reviews and continuous improvement initiatives with key suppliers.

 

Policy, Compliance & Duty of Care

 

• Own and maintain the Global Travel Policy in partnership with Finance and HR.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, audit requirements and relevant regulations.
• Lead duty of care arrangements, traveller risk management and crisis response.

 

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management

 

• Act as a trusted partner to Finance, HR, IT and regional leaders.
• Lead change initiatives such as policy updates, system enhancements and behavioural programmes.
• Communicate clearly with employees and leadership to support adoption and compliance.

 

Qualifications and skills

• Strong strategic sourcing and commercial negotiation skills.
• Deep understanding of global travel operations and supplier models.
• Sound analytical capability with the ability to deeply analyse, interpret and explain data.

• Experience leading global programmes and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Pragmatic approach to process improvement and change management.

 

Experience & Qualifications

 

• Experience in global travel management, indirect procurement or related roles.
• Proven experience managing complex, multi-region programmes.
• Bachelor’s degree required; procurement or business qualifications desirable (e.g. CIPS, CPM).

 

Role Expectations

 

Operate as the single point of accountability for the global travel programme, ensuring commercial discipline, operational effectiveness, traveller safety and a consistent employee experience across all regions.

 

Why Kerry?

In Kerry we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles, and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.

 

Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit.  We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kerry and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status or any other protected characteristic.

 

Please note: We do not accept CVs or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies where Kerry terms of business have not been signed. Additionally, we will not consider or agree to payment of any recruiter fee under these circumstances. This also applies to CVs or candidate profiles sent directly to any Kerry Hiring Managers.