Strategy & Operations Director, Specialty Travel & Events

We are seeking an exceptional Strategy & Operations leader to act as the operating right hand to the EVP of Specialty Travel and Events. This is a high-trust, high-ownership role combining Chief of Staff responsibilities with hands-on programme leadership. You will turn strategy into execution across the integration of Boompop and the development of Navan’s priority verticals.

You will create clarity across complex, ambiguous work: aligning leaders, building the operating cadence, preparing decisions, tracking commitments, surfacing risks early, and ensuring that critical initiatives move from idea to measurable outcome. You will work across Product, Technology, Operations, Commercial, Finance, People, Legal, Procurement, Marketing, and Client Services, representing the priorities of the leader you report to and holding the broader organisation accountable for delivery.

• Boompop integration is progressing against an agreed plan, with clear owners, decision rights, customer continuity, and measurable value-capture milestones.
• The six verticals have an integrated, prioritised roadmap connecting product gaps, servicing requirements, commercial opportunities, and delivery readiness.
• Leadership has a reliable view of progress, risks, decisions, and trade-offs, with fewer surprises and faster resolution of blockers.
• Cross-functional teams are aligned around the same priorities and operate with a consistent cadence, clear accountability, and strong execution discipline.
• The business learns quickly from customers, pilots, RFPs, and launches, turning insight into repeatable playbooks and scalable operating models.

• Experience in a Chief of Staff, strategic operations, programme management, business operations, consulting, corporate development, integration, or similarly high-ownership role.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, ambiguous, cross-functional programmes and influence senior stakeholders without relying on formal authority.
• Strong commercial and strategic judgement, with the ability to connect customer needs, product strategy, operational constraints, and financial outcomes.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication: able to turn complexity into clear narratives, decision papers, meeting outputs, and executive updates.
• Highly organised and detail-oriented, with a bias to action and the resilience to manage multiple workstreams, changing priorities, and sensitive information.
• Comfort working across technology, product, operations, finance, people, legal, procurement, sales, and client-facing teams.
• Experience with post-merger integration, platform/product integration, SaaS, travel, events, regulated industries, or complex services is advantageous.
• High EQ, sound judgement, discretion, and the confidence to challenge constructively while building trust.

At Reed & Mackay we welcome everyone with an open mind and an open heart. This is because we knowpeoples' different experiences, identities and backgrounds helps us to build a culture where everyone can collaborate and be their authentic selves, whilst feeling safe, valued and included. 

Reed & Mackay is committed to providing equal opportunities by assessing all potential candidates according to their skills, knowledge, qualifications and capabilities. No regard will be given to factors such as age, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion, disability or neurodivergence, or other applicable legally protected characteristics when making any employment decisions, including hiring.

Reasonable adjustments or accommodations will be provided, where required, and in line with local laws, to candidates who have a disability or are neurodivergent. Please notify us of your requirements at recruitment@reedmackay.com.