Provide front-line candidate support for corporate travel programs: respond to inquiries, monitor workflows, identify and escalate issues, confirm travel readiness, reconcile expenses, maintain accurate records, and suggest process improvements.
Job Summary & Responsibilities
Position Overview
The Program Specialist delivers high-quality, responsive candidate support while monitoring workflows and serving as the first line of program-level issue identification. This front-line role is essential to maintaining a positive candidate experience and ensuring issues are surfaced early for resolution.
Core Responsibilities
- Candidate Support: Provide day-to-day candidate support via approved channels (email, platform messaging, phone); respond to routine inquiries, questions, and requests within defined SLAs
- Workflow Monitoring: Monitor Juno workflows for exceptions, missing data, delays, or candidate-initiated questions; flag issues for escalation to Program Managers
- Issue Identification & Escalation: Serve as the first line of program-level issue identification; escalate non-standard, high-risk, or complex issues to Program Managers or Senior Program Managers with clear documentation
- Candidate Readiness: Confirm candidate information (travel dates, interview details, policy eligibility) and ensure readiness for upcoming travel; proactively reach out to candidates with missing information or concerns
- Post-Trip Follow-Up: Support post-trip follow-up activities including feedback capture, expense reconciliation, and issue closure; ensure positive candidate experience through the entire journey
- Service Quality: Maintain a service-oriented, brand-aligned candidate experience; represent Direct Travel and Customer positively in all interactions
- Data Accuracy: Maintain accurate candidate records and ensure data integrity in systems; update candidate information as needed
- Communication: Provide clear, timely, and professional communication to candidates; manage expectations and keep candidates informed of travel arrangements and any changes
- Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvements and contribute feedback to Program Managers; participate in team training and knowledge-sharing
Success Measures
- SLA response compliance (email, messaging, phone response times)
- Candidate satisfaction and issue resolution quality
- Clean escalation handoffs and documentation
- Accuracy of candidate information and data entry
- Low rate of recurring or preventable issues
- Positive feedback from candidates and internal stakeholders
- Attendance and reliability
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
- 4+ years of customer service, operations support, or travel industry experience
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously
- Intermediate proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, email)
- Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
- Professional demeanor and strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure
- Reliability and strong work ethic
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with travel management companies or travel operations
- Familiarity with CRM or ticketing systems
- Background in recruiting operations or candidate support
- Knowledge of travel policies and procedures
- Experience with workflow management or automation platforms
- Spanish fluency preferred
Direct Travel Chicago, Illinois, USA Office
Chicago, United States
Similar Jobs
Artificial Intelligence • Fintech • Information Technology • Logistics • Payments • Business Intelligence • Generative AI
Leads global Customer Success for Coupa’s Invoice to Pay solutions, driving customer adoption, transaction volume, renewals, and revenue growth across payments, banking, invoicing, and treasury. Advises enterprise CFOs, Treasurers, and CPOs; manages partner relationships; uses AI and analytics to identify expansion and churn risks; aligns Sales, Product, Delivery, Support, and Partners; and mentors a high-performing global organization while defining operational KPIs and customer success strategies.
Top Skills:
AchAribaCoupaCoupa AiCross-Border Fx PaymentsE-InvoicingNetSuiteOracleSAPSupplier NetworksSupply Chain FinancingVirtual CardsWorkday
Artificial Intelligence • Fintech • Insurance • Marketing Tech • Software • Analytics
Handle inbound calls and warm leads, advise customers on insurance coverage and products, and convert prospects into policyholders. Representatives receive paid training and licensing support, work remotely, and must maintain a professional home workspace with wired high-speed internet. The role requires a schedule of four weekdays and one weekend day, strong communication and persuasion skills, PC proficiency, and a Property and Casualty license after hire.
Top Skills:
Cable InternetDsl InternetFiber InternetPcWired High-Speed Internet
.png)
eCommerce • Fintech • Hardware • Payments • Software • Financial Services
Own the full sales cycle for SMB merchants, converting inbound leads and generating outbound opportunities. Qualify prospects, conduct demos, close deals, understand customer needs, and deliver consultative solutions. Maintain accurate Salesforce pipeline forecasts, meet revenue quotas, and collaborate with onboarding, product, marketing, and support teams to improve customer outcomes.
Top Skills:
CRMSalesforce
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
