Manager, Business Operations, Specialty Travel & Events

Navan

London, United Kingdom

On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Best suited to candidates with technical project management experience working in high-growth tech environments.

Best fit for

Candidates with 5+ years in fast-paced tech environments managing complex projects
— “5+ years in business operations, program management, or technical project management within a fast-paced tech company.”
Individuals with a background in Product Operations or Business Systems in high-growth companies
— “Ideally a background in Product Operations or Business Systems in high-growth environments.”
Candidates who thrive in ambiguous, unstructured problem-solving scenarios with a scientific approach
— “tackle unstructured, ambiguous problems like a creative science experiment.”

Things to consider

This role demands a strong matrix diplomacy skill set and may require navigating complex team dynamics
— “Proven ability to spot cross-functional friction, build cross-team trust, and unblock operational drag.”
The position requires managing global technical initiatives, which may involve international coordination
— “Drive multi-phased technical initiatives across international regions.”

How to stand out

Highlight experience with data warehouses like Snowflake and BI tools in your resume and interview preparation
— “utilizing BI tools or modern data warehouses (e.g., Snowflake, Tableau).”
Emphasize your ability to lead project scoping and prevent scope creep through clear documentation
— “Lead deep project scoping early to uncover root causes, document risks, and lock down parameters before execution to prevent scope creep.”
Showcase your track record of driving change management during complex technical implementations
— “Proven track record of driving change management alongside complex technical implementations would be a bonus.”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · CompanyLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

process optimization
system stability
business growth

Typical background

business operationsprogram managementtechnical project management

Skills & requirements

Required

Project ManagementWorkflow OptimizationData AnalysisCross-functional Collaboration

Preferred

Change ManagementTechnical Implementation

Stack & domain

Project ManagementData AnalysisCross-functional CollaborationLeadershipCommunicationProblem SolvingBusiness OperationsProduct Operations

About the role

Original posting from Navan

About the Role
The Business Operations team solves the Specialty Travel & Events team's most critical, emergent challenges across business, product, and operations. We are looking for a high-impact individual contributor to spearhead initiatives that drive business growth, process optimization, and system stability. You will also own the end-to-end management of critical enterprise tools.
Because BizOps operates without direct line-management authority, leadership here is built on relational equity, integrated thinking, and data-backed execution. You will tackle unstructured, ambiguous problems like a creative science experiment—verifying root-cause data, optimizing workflows, and ensuring structural readiness before rolling out core updates.
What You Will Do
Scoping & Scaffolding: Lead deep project scoping early to uncover root causes, document risks, and lock down parameters before execution to prevent scope creep.
Global Program Management: Drive multi-phased technical initiatives across international regions, establishing working groups and cross-functional alignment across teams.
Workflow Optimization & Automation: Audit legacy operational processes, map current vs. ideal state workflows, and author clear documentation so systems run smoothly post-launch.
Data Strategy & Storytelling: Query raw business data (via SQL, BI tools, and data warehouses) to diagnose operational bottlenecks, rigorously verify data integrity, and build compelling visual narratives for leadership.
Cross-Functional Influence: Build trusted partnerships across teams, navigating blockages with empathy to drive alignment across competing priorities without direct authority.
Iterative Systems Innovation: Run controlled experiments against baselines to build repeatable execution patterns, maintaining radical transparency around both wins and operational failures.
What We’re Looking For
Experience: 5+ years in business operations, program management, or technical project management within a fast-paced tech company.
Analytical & Technical Rigor: High data literacy with hands-on experience interrogating data sets, tracking data lineage, and utilizing BI tools or modern data warehouses (e.g., Snowflake, Tableau).
BizOps Mindset: A proactive problem-solver who defaults to clear ownership, definitive timelines, and thorough documentation over passive observation.
Matrix Diplomat: Proven ability to spot cross-functional friction, build cross-team trust, and unblock operational drag.
Education: BA/BS degree or equivalent practical experience
Proven track record of driving change management alongside complex technical implementations would be a bonus.
Ideally a background in Product Operations or Business Systems in high-growth environments.

Source: Navan careers