The Manager, Travel is responsible for leading a team of travel accounting specialists. Work involves directing end-to-end travel process, including travel advances, travel reimbursements, and continuous process improvement projects. The incumbent will manage the agency’s travel system, Concur while providing expense management oversight and serving as a partner to support strategic goals of maximizing cost savings for the state. This position will proactively work with vendors, the AP & Travel team, Finance staff, TRS leadership, and agency employees.

This position requires onsite work conducted at our TRS office in Austin, TX.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Travel Leadership
•Serves as a subject matter expert in travel processes.
•Participates on accounting, budget, travel, and other finance related agency committees and special projects, including serving as a key representative for system implementation projects such as PAVES and Concur.
•Manages testing, analysis, process improvement, and change management for system implementation, maintenance, upgrades, and functionality enhancements.
•Collaborates with financial accountants and budget analysts to resolve issues with expenditure related transactions posted to the general ledger and budget expense reporting system.
•Manages and assists with the preparation of ad hoc reporting in support of internal and external expenditure audits.

Management
•Manages the travel team operations and staff, including hiring, supervision, and performance evaluation.
•Facilitates collaborative meetings between vendors and the agency to ensure optimal performance management.
•Monitors departmental workloads and processes and takes corrective actions to meet productivity and service goals.
•Identifies staff training needs and provides training opportunities, coaching and technical support.
•Manages the development of new processes, workflows, and analyzes existing policies.
•Provides training and technical assistance to agency staff on travel policy, procedures, and related issues.
•Develops and revises travel policies, processes, procedures, and systems.
•Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, agency, and department policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.

Travel Oversight
•Manages the review and processing of travel requests and claims for travel related reimbursement.
•Manages QuickBooks and the Concur Travel and Expense system, controls, and integration with CAPPS.
•Reviews travel requests, including out of state and international travel, for completeness and compliance with agency policy, Comptroller’s Office Travel Allowance Guidelines, and other applicable regulations and procedures.
•Manages the entry of travel request and voucher information into CAPPS/Concur.
•Reviews and approval of travel vouchers submitted for reimbursement.
•Manages the reconciliation of the central billed travel account, including researching and resolving discrepancies.
•Manages the configuration administrator for the Concur travel application.
•Manages internal and external post payment audits.
•Communicates verbally and/or in writing with agency staff, the Comptroller’s office, and vendors to request or provide information and resolve problems regarding payment status, procedures, and other travel issues.
•Participates in system and user acceptance testing efforts.

Performs related work as assigned.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:

Required Education
•Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, finance, or a related field.

Required Experience
•Seven (7) years of full-time directly related, progressively responsible experience in accounting, financial analysis, or related experience requiring compilation, reconciliation, and/or analysis of detailed financial information.
•Three (3) years of experience coordinating, leading, or supervising the work of others, required.
•Two (2) years of accounts payable or travel experience in a Texas state agency.
•Experience may be concurrent.

Required Registration, Certification, Licensure
•None

Preferred Qualifications
•Master’s degree in accounting, finance, or related business field.
•Experience in a high-volume accounts payable and travel environment, preferably in a Texas state Agency.
•Experience with auditing and processing State of Texas payment vouchers in USAS.
•Experience with QuickBooks, Concur, and CAPPS system applications.
•Experience with Comptroller of Public Accounts fiscal policies and procedures.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
•Accounting and business concepts and terminology.
•State of Texas laws, rules, and procedures relating to processing payments to vendors for goods and services and travel reimbursements.
•Comptroller of Public Accounts USAS and TINS systems.

Skill in:
•Analyzing detailed accounting records, troubleshooting associated problems, and interpreting and applying applicable laws, policies, and procedures.
•Managing, organizing, and motivating staff to meet productivity and quality goals and objectives.
•Planning, organizing, and prioritizing work assignments to manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced and changing environment, meeting frequent and/or multiple deadlines, and managing conflicting priorities and demands.
•Using a computer in a Windows environment with Microsoft Office word processing, spreadsheet, and other business software to analyze data and prepare reports ad correspondence.
•Effective written and verbal communications, including explaining complex information to others in an understandable manner, and in writing clear and precise policies, procedures and correspondence.
•Providing quality customer service.

Ability to:
•Establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with co-workers, agency staff, and external contacts.
•Work effectively in a professional team environment.

Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Codes:
Veterans, Reservists or Guardsmen with experience in the Military Occupational Specialty ( https://www.trs.texas.gov/files/trs-military-crosswalk.xlsx ) along with the minimum qualifications listed above may meet the minimum requirements and are highly encouraged to apply. Please contact Talent Acquisition at  careers@trs.texas.gov  with questions or for additional information.

To view all job vacancies, visit www.trs.texas.gov/careers  or www.trs.csod.com/careersite.

For more information, visit www.trs.texas.gov