Navan - Business Travel Solutions & Expense Management
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Manager, Event Operations Australia

Location:Sydney, AUS

Department:Events

About the Role 

The Manager, Event Operations Australia is responsible for leading the delivery, performance and strategic development of the Event Travel and Events operation across Australia and supporting the broader APAC region. The role provides leadership across people, client delivery, commercial performance, operational excellence and risk management, ensuring consistent, high-quality service and sustainable business growth. The role combines team leadership, client ownership and direct service delivery, ensuring both operational excellence and strong team performance. It plays a critical part in scaling the Australia and broader APAC operations while aligning with global standards. The position leads and develops a high-performing team, drives operational best practice, oversees resource planning and acts as a senior escalation point for client, supplier and operational matters. The role is accountable for ensuring service excellence, commercial success, compliance, and continuous improvement across all Event Travel and Events activities. Working closely with global stakeholders, Client Success, Sales, Finance, and Operations teams, the Manager plays a key role in scaling the Australia and APAC business, strengthening client relationships, developing future leaders, and ensuring alignment with global standards and strategic objectives. 

 

What you'll do 

  • Builds and leads high-performing, accountable and collaborative teams, fostering a culture of trust, recognition and open communication.
  • Coaches, mentors and develops future leaders, providing clear direction, feedback and performance management
  • Leads teams through organisational growth, transformation and change with resilience and adaptability
  • Acts as a senior escalation point for complex client, operational and service delivery issues
  • Balances client experience, operational excellence and commercial objectives to drive profitability and account growth.
  • Oversees the successful delivery of complex events and group travel programmes, ensuring quality, compliance and exceptional service.
  • Uses data, operational insights and best practices to improve performance, productivity and service consistency.
  • Develops scalable processes, training frameworks and operational standards across Events and Event Travel functions
  • Identifies and mitigates operational, commercial and reputational risks, ensuring governance, compliance and business continuity.

 

What we're looking for 

  • Proven experience in Events and Group Travel operations, including group travel logistics
  • Demonstrated people leadership experience, ideally within a regional or multi-market team
  • Strong working knowledge of GDS systems (Sabre preferred) and travel booking processes
  • Experience in managing large, complex event programmes, including multi-destination or high-volume attendee movements
  • Sound knowledge of event management platforms (e.g. Cvent)
  • Strong commercial acumen with a track record of driving revenue and profitability
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
  • Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously 
  • High attention to detail with strong organisational capability

 

 

Navan uses AI-assisted Automated Employment Decision Tool (Metaview) to assist with evaluating resumes against job qualifications for this role. All final decisions are made by human recruiters and hiring managers. 

Human oversight: Metaview does not automatically reject candidates or make final hiring decisions. Our recruiters and hiring managers review all outputs and make the final hiring decision regarding every application. 

  • Your rights: If you prefer to have your application reviewed without AI assistance, you may request a human evaluation by entering your email here. Your decision to do so will not affect how your candidacy is evaluated. 

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about our processing of personal data, and your rights.

About Navan

Navan (Nasdaq: NAVN) is the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels, to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.

Culture of Excellence

Our team is our competitive edge — a high-performance group of smart, driven people committed to winning together. This dedication to excellence is why we’ve been recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In (2023–2026), a G2 Best Global Software Company (2025–2026), Forbes Cloud 100 (2022–2025), and CNBC Disruptor 50 (2022–2025). At Navan, we provide an environment where top talent excels, offering the autonomy and fast-paced trajectory needed to build a defining career and do the best work of your life.

Our Benefits

Navan offers a comprehensive benefits program designed to support your well-being, financial security, and life outside of work. Our benefits, thoughtfully tailored by country to meet local needs, include healthcare coverage, insurance offerings, and wellness resources for you and your family.

We support long-term financial growth through retirement savings programs and opportunities to participate in our equity plans, so you can share in Navan’s success. To promote balance, we offer flexible time off, country-specific holidays, and paid parental leave for all new parents. Additional benefits include connectivity and commuting support*, mental health resources, and exclusive travel-related perks. Wherever you’re based, our benefits evolve with you.

Workplace Policy

Navan believes in the value of in-person connections, whether that’s sitting down to have lunch with one another, taking a walking 1:1, or collaborating in a room together. The connections forged through face-to-face interactions improve company culture and drive business results. Navan invests in global office spaces — in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, among others — that feel welcoming. In-office perks such as company-provided lunches and happy hours create a strong team environment to help you do your best work. Our employees work from the office four days a week. Please expect this policy for all roles that are tied to an office.

Equal Opportunity

Navan is an equal opportunity employer. We make all employment decisions based solely on merit. We provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without discrimination on the bases of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We prohibit any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring.

Accommodations

Navan complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law. Navan will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability in connection with applications for employment as required by law.

If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, you are welcome to email us at talent-accommodations@navan.com.

Candidate Privacy Notice and Use of AI

As part of the recruitment process, certain personal data may be processed using automated tools, including tools that use AI. For details on how Navan collects and uses your personal data, please review Navan's Candidate Privacy Notice here.

Job Search Best Practices

We have been made aware of recruitment scams involving fraudulent attempts to lure job seekers into sending money or personal information in return for fake job offers or coerce them into purchasing equipment by electronic funds transfer (Zelle, Venmo, etc.) Legitimate Navan recruiters will never ask for money in any recruitment or onboarding activities. All available job openings at Navan will be posted on Navan’s website and all Navan recruiters will be reachable through an email address ending in “@navan.com” or “@navan.tech” or "@talent.navan.com".

*Applies to select locations.