Operational Lead APAC - Events

About the Role

The Operational Lead APAC – Events is responsible for leading the day-to-day delivery of Event Travel and Events operations across the region, ensuring a consistent, high-quality and commercially driven service. This hybrid leadership role combines strategic oversight, team leadership, client ownership, and hands-on operational delivery, ensuring 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.

What You'll Do

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of Events and Event Travel operations across Australia and APAC, ensuring a consistent, high-quality client experience.
• Own and deliver a portfolio of complex events and group travel programmes, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to client expectations.
• Remain actively involved in the hands-on management of key accounts, strategic clients, and high-value projects.
• Oversee group travel logistics and event operations across Australia and APAC, including air, accommodation, and supplier management for groups of varying size
• Act as the senior escalation point for operational and client issues, ensuring swift and effective resolution.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a regional team, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable culture.
• Establish and manage team and individual objectives, providing ongoing performance management.
• Oversee workforce planning, resource allocation, recruitment, onboarding, and training to support business growth and service delivery requirements.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with clients and suppliers, acting as a senior consultant and strategic advisor across key accounts.
• Lead client meetings, business reviews, and strategic discussions to ensure alignment with client objectives and expectations.
• Drive commercial performance through effective budgeting, supplier negotiations, cost management, revenue optimisation, and financial oversight.
• Ensure accurate and timely financial processes, including invoicing, reconciliation, and event budget management.
• Implement and champion standardised processes, systems, and best practices to improve scalability, efficiency, and operational excellence.
• Collaborate with global stakeholders and cross-functional teams to ensure service consistency, knowledge sharing, and alignment with broader business objectives.

This role is instrumental in shaping and growing Navan's Events and Event Travel capabilities across APAC. By leading high-performing teams, strengthening client partnerships, and driving operational excellence, you'll directly contribute to business growth, client satisfaction, and the continued expansion of Navan's global events offering.

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