Sr. Director, Digital Unified Communications

Position Overview

The Sr. Director, Digital Unified Communications is a senior strategic leader within the IT Enterprise Services (ITES) organization, responsible for the vision, strategy, and execution of Direct Travel's cloud-based unified communications and digital engagement platform across its global footprint, supporting around-the-clock traveler and client servicing as a Travel Management Company.

This role leads the consolidation and modernization of Direct Travel's multi-vendor omnichannel ecosystem — voice, chat, messaging, email, and digital self-service — spanning platforms such as RingCentral, NiCE, Zoom, Twilio Flex, Engage, and Cognigy, into a unified global platform that serves customers in complex markets including India, China, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, with oversight of the Director of Digital Unified Communications and the Digital Architecture and Development team. This role will lead the integration of Direct Travel and ATPI communications platforms, teams, and ways of working, including Avenir, into a single global operating model, along with deepening integration with Spotnana as a strategic servicing partner, and will reimagine how we serve travelers and work as an organization by leveraging AI and agentic applications.

The Sr. Director drives the adoption of agentic AI, deploying AI agents that resolve traveler and customer requests, assist human agents, and orchestrate work across channels and enterprise systems, while ensuring platforms remain secure, scalable, compliant, and aligned with business objectives.

Partnering with executive leadership, our Agent Operations teams around the world, IT Security, Infrastructure, and Development teams, this role defines enterprise-wide communication strategy and ensures budget, vendor, and compliance discipline across the unified communications portfolio.

This individual brings deep technical credibility as a cloud platform leader combined with executive presence, leading change across a global organization and representing the unified communications function to C-suite stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Digital Unified Communications and Digital Architects to align technology investments with business goals.
• Lead the consolidation and modernization of Direct Travel's multi-vendor communications environment (e.g., RingCentral, NiCE, Zoom, Twilio Flex), driving a vendor-neutral platform strategy, whether consolidating onto a primary platform or operating a unified global omnichannel layer across platforms, to deliver a consistent experience across voice, chat, messaging, email, and self-service in every region, including the change management needed to drive adoption.
• Lead the integration of Direct Travel and ATPI unified communications and digital engagement environments, including Avenir, rationalizing platforms, harmonizing processes and service models, and bringing teams together under a single global operating model, along with deepening integration with Spotnana to deliver a seamless servicing experience for travelers and agents.
• Deliver compliant, high-quality service in complex markets including India, China, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, navigating in-country telecom regulations, carrier and number availability, data residency and localization requirements (e.g., China's PIPL, India's DPDP Act, Brazil's LGPD), network constraints, and local language and channel preferences (e.g., WhatsApp, WeChat, LINE).
• Define and execute the agentic AI strategy for customer and employee engagement, deploying AI agents that autonomously resolve requests such as booking changes, trip disruptions, and traveler support, assist human agents in real time, and orchestrate workflows across channels and enterprise systems, with clear human-in-the-loop controls, governance, and measurable outcomes such as containment, handle time, CSAT, and cost-to-serve.
• Reimagine end-to-end servicing and internal workflows using AI and agentic applications, redesigning how agents, support teams, and IT work rather than simply automating existing processes, and partnering with business leaders to drive adoption and measurable productivity gains.
• Establish a platform operating model with shared architecture standards, reusable APIs and integrations, and common data and analytics, so new channels, regions, and AI capabilities can be onboarded quickly and consistently, including integration with Salesforce, Spotnana, Avenir, and Direct Travel's core travel booking and servicing systems so that human and AI agents have full traveler and trip context.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the Digital Unified Communications organization, including the Director of Digital Unified Communications and the Digital Architecture/Development team, ensuring cohesive strategy and execution across both operational and technical functions.
• Evaluate and champion emerging technologies (e.g., agentic and generative AI, conversational AI, CCaaS/UCaaS, digital telephony), guiding architectural direction across RingCentral, Engage, NiCE, and Cognigy platforms.
• Ensure the availability, performance, security, and scalability of enterprise communication platforms across all regions, including peak demand during travel disruptions, overseeing incident response, business continuity planning, responsible AI governance, and compliance with standards and regulations such as SOC 2, GDPR, and ISO 27001.
• Own vendor strategy and budget accountability for the unified communications portfolio, including contract negotiations, cost-benefit analysis, and CapEx/OpEx management.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team across communications operations and digital development/architecture, growing cloud and AI capabilities, defining career paths, conducting performance evaluations, and leading recruitment and onboarding.
• Sponsor and provide executive oversight of major platform upgrades, multi-region cloud migrations, and channel deployments, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with enterprise architecture standards.
• Serve as the primary executive liaison for unified communications, translating technical strategy into business impact for C-suite and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Partner with IT Security, Infrastructure, and Development leadership to ensure communication platforms integrate seamlessly with enterprise standards and broader IT strategy, and champion Direct Travel's values, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Lead cross-functional planning and execution with IT teams across the globe, including regional IT support organizations, establishing shared delivery and support models, clear ownership, and escalation paths so new digital initiatives are deployed and supported consistently in every region.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 10+ years of progressive IT, cloud platform, or digital communications leadership experience, including 5+ years in a senior management or director-level role, with demonstrated experience managing both people leaders and technical teams.
• Proven track record leading large-scale, multi-region consolidation and modernization of multi-vendor contact center and unified communications environments, including rationalizing overlapping vendors and migrating legacy or on-premise systems to cloud (CCaaS/UCaaS) platforms.
• Demonstrated experience deploying AI in production customer or employee engagement environments (e.g., conversational AI, virtual agents, agent assist), with hands-on leadership of agentic AI initiatives such as AI agents for autonomous resolution or workflow orchestration, including defining use cases, establishing governance, and measuring business outcomes.
• Deep expertise in cloud and platform-based architectures, including SaaS, CCaaS/UCaaS, APIs and integration patterns, and cloud infrastructure (e.g., Azure), along with a strong understanding of cybersecurity and networking.
• Extensive experience delivering omnichannel engagement across voice, chat, messaging, email, and digital self-service on enterprise cloud contact center and communications platforms.
• Experience operating communications services across complex international markets, including India, China, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, with working knowledge of in-country telecom regulation, data residency and privacy requirements, and high-volume, 24x7 follow-the-sun operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships, contract negotiations, and technology budgets (CapEx/OpEx).
• Executive presence with the ability to influence C-suite stakeholders, lead organizational change, and clearly communicate technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Proven people leadership skills, including experience building and developing teams across both operational and technical disciplines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience deploying agentic AI in production at scale, including multi-agent orchestration across channels and enterprise systems.
• Experience leading both UCaaS/CCaaS platforms (e.g., RingCentral, NiCE, Zoom) and programmable CPaaS platforms (e.g., Twilio Flex).
• Hands-on familiarity with agentic AI platforms and frameworks (e.g., Cognigy AI Agents, Salesforce Agentforce, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Google Cloud CCAI) and LLM-based orchestration.
• Experience integrating communications platforms with Salesforce Service Cloud or similar CRM platforms.
• Certification in RingCentral, Engage, Cognigy, or related communication/contact center platforms.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 products, including Teams, SharePoint Online, and Windows 11.
• Familiarity with ITIL best practices and enterprise service management.
• Experience in the travel management, travel, or hospitality industry, including 24x7 servicing through demand surges driven by external events and integration with travel platforms such as Spotnana, GDS (e.g., Sabre, Amadeus), or online booking tools.
• Relevant leadership or technical certifications (e.g., PMP, ITIL Foundation, Azure or AWS cloud architecture certifications).

Benefits Summary

In addition to Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits Direct Travel offers a Total Rewards Package which includes Retirement Plans, Wellness, Rewards and Recognition, Sustainability, DE&I initiatives, and Mental Health Support.

About Direct Travel

Direct Travel is one of the world's largest travel management companies. With a long history of proven market expertise, we blend advanced technology, superior service, and expert insight to drive tangible value and meaningful savings across Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, Meetings & Events and specialty travel businesses. Through Avenir, our intelligent travel management platform, we reduce obstacles and give clients more direct access to content, trusted data, intelligence and global expertise. What truly sets us apart is the human care behind the technology, delivered by an experienced, passionate team dedicated to anticipating needs and delivering exceptional service at every step. For more information about Direct Travel, visit www.dt.com

*Direct Travel is an equal opportunity employer*

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