Travel Program Specialist (Senior, Custom Travel)

Significance is a woman-owned consulting firm serving the federal government.  We are known for building trusted relationships within our teams and with our clients and hiring the highest-level experts who implement innovative solutions. We also like to have fun!  Our focus on culture has contributed to Significance being named a Washington Business Journal Best Place to Work each of the last seven years.

Significance Inc is seeking a Travel Program Specialist (Senior, Custom Travel) to play an integral role in our growing team at HHS.  This is hybrid position that will require a Public Trust Clearance.  

 

We are seeking an experienced and highly organized Senior Travel Support Specialist to provide dedicated travel support to the HHS Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS), including the HHS Secretary and principal staff. This role serves as a primary point of contact for complex travel needs, managing the full lifecycle of travel authorizations and vouchers while delivering high-touch, consultative service to senior leadership. The ideal candidate will combine deep knowledge of federal travel regulations with strong technical skills in the Electronic Travel System (ETS), advanced Excel capabilities, and modern tools including AI to deliver efficient, compliant, and proactive support.

 

Primary Responsibilities
•    Manage the IOS travel support inbox as a dedicated operational queue, including triage, prioritization, issue tracking, and timely status updates.  
•    Provide expert consultative guidance on the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), HHS Travel Policy, entitlements, per diem, constructive travel, invitational travel, and other complex travel scenarios.  
•    Create, amend, and manage travel authorizations and vouchers in ETS, including complex multi-city, multi-location, and constructive travel trips.  
•    Maintain and update traveler profiles in ETS and support onboarding for new IOS travelers and staff.  
•    Deliver proactive trip planning, higher-touch reservation coordination, and detailed reviews of travel options to ensure compliance and mission alignment.  
•    Track, analyze, and report monthly workload metrics, trends, and performance data using advanced Excel skills.  
•    Prepare professional summaries, trend reports, and presentations for operational check-ins and leadership updates.  
•    Maintain and improve travel expense templates and support documentation for strong audit trails.  
•    Leverage AI tools to improve efficiency in reporting, documentation, and process improvement.  
•    Conduct traveler readiness reviews and proactively monitor changes to minimize unnecessary fees.  
•    Facilitate recurring operational meetings, prepare issue logs, and support continuous process improvement.

 

Required Skills & Experience
•    Minimum of 5 years of experience providing travel support in a federal government or government contractor environment.  
•    Strong working knowledge of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) and federal travel policies.  
•    Advanced proficiency in the Electronic Travel System (ConcurGov), including creation and management of complex authorizations and vouchers.  
•    Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel for data tracking, analysis, and reporting.  
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience creating and delivering professional presentations.  
•    Demonstrated ability to handle high-volume work with exceptional attention to detail and discretion.  
•    Strong organizational, time management, and customer service skills, with experience supporting senior-level executives.  
•    Proficiency using AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or similar) to enhance productivity.
Qualifications & Education
•    Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
•    3–5+ years of experience in travel program management or a similar role.
•    Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
•    Ability to support federal compliance requirements (PII, security standards).

Desired Skills & Attributes
•    Prior experience supporting senior government officials or Cabinet-level leadership.  
•    Experience with ConcurGov or similar government travel systems.  
•    Knowledge of HHS-specific travel policies and procedures.  
•    Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.