Chancellor's Office Statement
Join our team at the California State University, Office of the Chancellor, and make a difference in providing access to higher education. We are currently seeking experienced candidates for the position of Assistant Director, Travel & Expense Management. The CSU Chancellor's Office, located on the waterfront adjacent to the Aquarium of the Pacific in downtown Long Beach, is the headquarters for the nation's largest and most diverse system of higher education. The CSU Chancellor's Office offers a premium benefit package that includes outstanding vacation, health, and dental plans; a fee waiver education program; membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); and 15 paid holidays a year.
THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO CURRENT CSU EMPLOYEES ONLY.
THIS POSITION MAY BE LOCATED AT A CSU CAMPUS OR THE CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE IN LONG BEACH, CA.
Salary
The anticipated salary hiring range is up to $130,008 per year, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Premium Benefits
Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits
Generous vacation plan
15 paid holidays a year
Tuition waiver education program (also applies to eligible family members)
Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
More details here: Comprehensive Benefits Package
Classification
Administrator II
Position Information
The California State University, Office of the Chancellor, is seeking an Assistant Director, Travel & Expense Management to be responsible for managing the strategy and operations related to travel, expense reimbursement, and card programs. This position serves as the subject matter expert for the systemwide Travel Management system and related applications, while championing and driving the entire travel and expense process to support the success of universities systemwide and its customers. Key responsibilities include process optimization, customer service for travelers and in support of operational expenses, policy compliance and communication, analytics and reporting, vendor relationship management, technical system administration, and ensuring expense and purchasing card audit and compliance.
This position is approved for a hybrid work schedule, with two days of telecommuting and three days working onsite (in-person) at the designated reporting campus.
Responsibilities
Under the general direction of the Director, Finance and Budget Administration, the Assistant Director, Travel & Expense Management will perform duties as outlined below:
Travel & Expense (T&E) Program Oversight (30%):
-Manage purchase and corporate card request process.
-Support university Request and Expense Report needs.
-Monitor expense reconciliation processes for out-of-pocket and card expenses and manage user submission deadline compliance.
-Conduct compliance programming and ensure recoupment of unallowable expenses and communicate observations that may identify ways to mitigate unnecessary program costs.
-Process dispute resolution and policy exception remediation.
-Seek input from key partners to improve internal controls and governance for all T&E workflows.
-Negotiate with travel suppliers to secure leading traveler benefits and discount programs.
-Address questions about processes, tools and functionality and fulfill user ticket requests.
-Support management of third-party vendor relationships (travel management companies, corporate card providers, expense platforms) to ensure contractual compliance and service performance.
Concur System Administration & Technology Management (30%):
-Serve as subject matter expert for Concur Travel Management system and related applications.
-Modify Concur system configuration (Travel, Request, Expense) as needed partnering with key stakeholders.
-Ensure data integrity, best practices for data administration, and alignment with ERP (CFS/CFS Data Warehouse.
-Seek continuous improvement of security practices and data administration best practices.
-Develop solutions to meet university needs and troubleshoot system issues that arise.
-Develop, deliver, and ensure maintenance of technical and functional travel training and user documentation to university leads.
-Actively participate in travel management meetings, identify and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency and compliance monitoring.
-Provide leadership for university travel leads on system functionality and best practices.
-Identify and drive delivery of data reporting for management, universities and audit.
-Plan, enhance, and deliver travel-related resources and tools for systemwide usage.
-Monitor current and emerging technology enhancements including product releases, updates, and patch fixes.
-Lead functional testing and validation of system changes and enhancements.
Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Development (30%):
-Engage with and facilitate cross-functional working groups to improve program compliance and alignment with organizational business needs and evolving initiatives.
-Identify and participate in efforts related to policy updates, system enhancements, and continuous improvement of T&E program.
-Design and deliver communication and training programs to foster understanding, adoption, and compliance.
-Develop or refine T&E strategies that partner with key operational partners to identify ways to reduce non-value-added activities, balance governance, improve operational efficiency and cost management, and improve user experience.
Team Leadership & Performance Management (10%):
-Directly supervise and monitor performance of all T&E team members, overseeing workload planning and resource allocation to support operations and scalability needs.
-Coordinate team training and development initiatives.
-Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations aligned with organizational priorities.
-Establish measurable goals and monitor outcomes for team members.
-Provide timely feedback and conduct written performance assessments.
-Develop appropriate cross-training measures to ensure operational continuity and succession planning.
-Promote a customer-centric mindset while maintaining strong control standards for business processes that adhere to established policies and procedures.
Qualifications
This position requires:
-Bachelor's degree from accredited four-year college or university required, or equivalent training and work experience with configuration and improvement of system administration, policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
-4+ years of related work experience in travel and expense management required.
-Subject matter expertise of Concur Travel Management system and related applications.
-Experience implementing Concur in educational environment, including drafting access procedures, managing networks, and/or databases.
-Ability to modify Concur system configuration (Travel, Request, Expense) and maintain data integrity.
-Demonstrated team leadership and functional expertise in global travel, corporate credit card programs, and expense reconciliation workflows.
-Ability to anticipate problems, address them proactively, and develop appropriate recommendations leading to solutions.
-Thorough knowledge of policies, procedures, and outside regulations pertaining to travel and expense programs.
-Demonstrated ability to effectively interpret, organize, and present information in written or presentation form.
-Strong analytical skills with ability to use data for performance management and decision-making.
-Experience building and leading operations teams in fast-paced environments with significant financial responsibility.
-Demonstrated flexibility and ability to respond to changes while navigating organizational transitions.
-Self-motivated leader able to work independently and as part of a team across decentralized organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
-Advanced degree (MBA/MS).
-Certified Purchasing Card Professional (CPCP) from National Association of Procurement Card Professionals.
-Working experience in higher education or public agencies.
-CSU Travel knowledge and experience.
-Concur Administration knowledge and experience with full life cycle implementation and/or several years of maintenance experience.
-Familiarity with PeopleSoft CFS environment.
-Experience in Accounting, Finance, or Information Technology.
-Familiarity with data mining software.
-Knowledge of global travel and expense best practices and leading technologies.
-Experience with Lean methodology and process improvement frameworks.
-Experience with data-driven decision-making.
Application Period
Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by March 18, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the job posting is removed.
How To Apply
Please click "Apply Now" to complete the California State University, Chancellor's Office online employment application.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, the CSU provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting the Senior Human Resources Manager at (562) 951-4070.
Title IX
Please view the Notice of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator at: https://www2.calstate.edu/titleix
E-Verify
This position requires new hire employment verification to be processed through the E-Verify program administered by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHSUSCIS)' in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
If hired, you will be required to furnish proof that you are legally authorized to work in the United States. The CSU Chancellor’s Office is not a sponsoring agency for staff and Management positions (i.e., H1-B VISAS).
COVID19 Vaccination Policy
Per the CSU COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, it is strongly recommended that all Chancellor’s Office employees who are accessing office and campus facilities follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications.
Mandated Reporter Per CANRA
The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.
Conflict of Interest
The duties of this position will include participation in decisions that may have a material financial benefit to the incumbent. Therefore, the selected candidate will be required to file Conflict of Interest Form 700: Statement of Economic Interest when they first occupy the position, and on an annual basis, complete ethics training within 6 months of appointment, and attend this training every other year thereafter.
CSU Out of State Employment Policy
California State University, Office of the Chancellor, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022, the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
Background
The Chancellor's Office policy requires that the selected candidate successfully complete a full background check (including a criminal records check) prior to assuming this position.
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