Travel Lead at NielsenIQ in Pune, Maharashtra, India

companyDescription jobDescription Position Summary The Travel Lead is responsible for managing day-to-day operations of NIQ’s corporate travel and expense (T&E) processes. This role focuses on execution, compliance, issue resolution, and ensuring a smooth travel experience for employees. The associate will work closely with global stakeholders to support travel bookings, expense processing, policy adherence, and operational performance, while driving efficiency and service quality. Key Responsibilities Travel & Expense Operations: - Execute and support end-to-end travel and expense processes, including booking support, expense claims, and approvals - Ensure adherence to travel and expense policies across all requests and transactions - Act as a point of contact for employee queries, issue resolution, and escalations Queue & SLA Management: - Manage daily operational queues (travel requests, expense claims, exceptions) - Monitor workload, backlog, and aging to ensure SLA adherence - Prioritize and resolve tickets based on urgency and impact Policy Compliance & Governance: - Review transactions for policy compliance and flag deviations - Handle exceptions, approvals, and policy clarifications - Maintain logs of violations, exceptions, and resolutions for audit purposes Issue Resolution & Escalation Handling: - Resolve complex or high-impact cases related to travel disruptions, claims, or system issues - Coordinate with internal teams or external providers (e.g., TMC, card providers) for resolution - Escalate critical issues appropriately and ensure closure Audit & Controls: - Ensure all transactions are audit-compliant with proper documentation and approvals - Support internal and external audits by providing required documentation and trackers - Maintain audit trails and compliance records Reporting & Performance Tracking: - Track key operational metrics such as SLA, turnaround time, compliance, and backlog - Prepare reports and dashboards to monitor performance trends - Support root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions Continuous Improvement: - Identify opportunities for process improvement, automation, and efficiency gains - Support implementation of standard processes and best practices - Contribute to improving user experience and reducing operational friction qualifications Experience - 4–7 years of experience in travel & expense operations, finance operations, or shared services - Hands-on experience with T&E tools - Strong understanding of expense processing, policy compliance, and controls - Experience working in a global or multi-region operations environment Skills & Competencies - Strong attention to detail and compliance mindset - Solid problem-solving and issue resolution skills - Ability to manage high-volume transactional work with accuracy - Good stakeholder communication and customer service orientation - Analytical skills with ability to interpret performance data - Proficiency in Excel (trackers, reporting) Tools & Systems - Concur or similar expense management tools - Corporate card platforms - Audit/compliance tools - ERP and workflow tools for reconciliations and reporting - Excel and reporting dashboards Key Stakeholders Internal: - T&E Operations / Finance Operations - Compliance, Audit, Risk & Controls - HR and Payroll - Business users and approvers External: - Travel Management Companies (TMCs) - Card providers - Audit/review partners additionalInformation Our Benefits Flexible working environment Volunteer time off LinkedIn Learning Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP) NIQ may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools at various stages of the recruitment process, including résumé screening, candidate assessments, interview scheduling, job matching, communication support, and certain administrative tasks that help streamline workflows. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and support fair and consistent evaluation based on job-related criteria. All use of AI is governed by NIQ’s principles of fairness, transparency, human oversight, and inclusion. Final hiring decisions are made exclusively by humans. NIQ regularly reviews its AI tools to help mitigate bias and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If you have questions, require accommodations, or wish to request human review were permitted by law, please contact your local HR representative. For more information, please visit NIQ’s AI Safety Policies and Guiding Principles: https://www.nielseniq.com/global/en/ai-safety-policies. About NIQ NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com Want to keep up with our latest updates? Follow us on: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence.  All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit the https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion