Introduction

Role Purpose

The Client Implementation Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating and delivering new client implementations across both online and traditional travel service models.

The role translates contractual requirements, client travel policies and operational needs into practical workflows, system configurations and servicing processes. The specialist coordinates internal teams, technology providers and client stakeholders to ensure each implementation is properly tested, documented, launched and handed over to the relevant operational and account management teams.

The role owns the implementation from initial discovery through go-live, hypercare and formal handover.

Duties & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

1. Client Discovery and Solution Design
 

• Lead implementation discovery sessions with clients and internal stakeholders.
• Review and interpret the client’s contract, travel policy, service level agreement and implementation requirements.
• Understand the client’s current travel processes, challenges and expected future operating model.
• Document the agreed scope, deliverables, responsibilities, dependencies and implementation timelines.
• Design the appropriate online, traditional or blended service model for each client.
• Identify gaps between client expectations, contracted services and available system capabilities.
• Escalate scope changes, commercial implications and technical limitations before implementation.
• Define requirements relating to:
  • Traveller, travel booker and approver structures.
  • Approval workflows and delegation rules.
  • Cost centres, project codes, order numbers and other mandatory fields.
  • Travel policy rules and out-of-policy controls.
  • Consultant servicing and escalation processes.
  • VIP, after-hours and emergency travel arrangements.
  • Payment methods, lodge cards and virtual cards.
  • Invoicing, supporting documentation and reporting.
  • • Preferred suppliers and negotiated rates.
    • Data migration, traveller profiles and security requirements.
       

  • 2. Implementation Project Management
     

  • Develop and maintain a detailed implementation plan for each client.
  • Project manage multiple implementations simultaneously.
  • Coordinate implementation activities across Nexus Operations, Online, IT, Finance, Key Accounts, Training, Sales and external technology providers.
  • Assign actions, track deadlines and follow up on outstanding dependencies.
  • Maintain project documentation, decision logs, risk registers and issue trackers.
  • Provide regular and accurate progress reports to internal management and client stakeholders.
  • Identify risks or delays early and recommend corrective action.
  • Manage implementation meetings and distribute clear minutes and action lists.
  • Control changes to the agreed implementation scope.
  • Obtain documented approval and sign-off at each required implementation stage.
     

  • 3. Online Travel Implementation
     

  • Translate client travel policies and requirements into OBT configuration requirements.
  • Coordinate system builds and configuration changes with the development team or OBT provider.
  • Configure or coordinate:
    • User roles and permissions.
    • Traveller, travel booker and approver hierarchies.
    • Approval workflows.
    • Travel policy rules.
    • Preferred suppliers.
    • Mandatory data fields.
    • Cost allocation structures.
    • Service fees.
    • Booking, fulfilment and offline request workflows.
    • Client notifications and system-generated communication.
  • Confirm that OBT workflows align with Nexus operational, financial and reporting requirements.
  • Test online bookings from search through approval, ticketing, voucher generation, invoicing and reporting.
  • Monitor workflow failures, offline requests, ticket imports and fulfilment queues during testing and hypercare.
  • Liaise with the OBT provider or development team regarding defects, enhancements and configuration changes.
  • Ensure technical limitations and agreed workarounds are clearly documented and communicated.
     

  • 4. Traditional Travel Implementation
     

  • Design and document the traditional servicing model for clients who do not use the OBT or who require offline support.
  • Coordinate the establishment of:
    • Dedicated or shared consultant teams.
    • Central booking mailboxes and contact channels.
    • Consultant queues and servicing responsibilities.
    • Traveller profile collection and migration.
    • Approval and quotation workflows.
    • Purchase order and order number controls.
    • VIP and after-hours processes.
    • Quality control procedures.
    • Escalation and complaint management processes.
    • Fee application and billing requirements.
    • Supplier programmes and negotiated rates.
    • Management information and reporting requirements.
       
  • Confirm that operational teams understand the client contract, travel policy, turnaround times and service standards.
  • Test the complete booking and financial process from request through fulfilment, invoicing and reporting.
  • Ensure all client-specific processes are documented before go-live.
     

  • 5. Testing and Implementation Readiness
     

  • Develop implementation checklists, test scripts and acceptance criteria.
  • Coordinate user acceptance testing with clients and internal teams.
  • Record, prioritise and track defects or gaps through to resolution.
  • Retest resolved items and maintain evidence of successful testing.
  • Confirm operational, technical, financial and reporting readiness before go-live.
  • Coordinate go-live readiness reviews and make a formal go-live recommendation.
  • Ensure that required client sign-offs are obtained and stored.
  • Prevent implementation from proceeding where material risks or unresolved critical issues remain.
     

  • 6. Training and Change Management
     

  • Develop training plans based on the client’s service model and user groups.
  • Conduct system and process training for:
    • Travellers.
    • Travel bookers.
    • Travel approvers.
    • Client administrators and superusers.
    • Nexus consultants.
    • Key account and support teams.
  • Produce practical user guides, process documents and quick-reference material.
  • Maintain training attendance registers and competency records where required.
  • Ensure superusers understand how to manage relevant administrative functions.
  • Communicate system changes, process updates and implementation decisions to affected stakeholders.
  • Identify adoption risks and recommend interventions to improve online usage and policy compliance.
     

  • 7. Go-Live, Hypercare and Handover
     

  • Coordinate implementation cutover and go-live activities.
  • Provide structured hypercare support during the agreed stabilisation period.
  • Monitor booking activity, workflows, queues, system failures and client queries during hypercare.
  • Coordinate the resolution of implementation-related issues.
  • Maintain a hypercare issue log and provide regular status updates.
  • Confirm when the implementation has stabilised and is ready for business-as-usual support.
  • Complete a formal handover to Operations, Key Accounts, Finance, Online Support and other relevant teams.
  • Provide a complete handover pack containing:
    • Final process documents.
    • System configuration records.
    • Client travel policy and SLA requirements.
    • Contact and escalation details.
    • Known limitations and agreed workarounds.
    • Outstanding actions.
    • Training records.
    • Testing and sign-off evidence.
  • Conduct a post-implementation review and document lessons learned.

    8. Support and Continuous Improvement
     

  • Act as an escalation point for implementation-related issues after go-live.
  • Raise, track and coordinate technical cases with the relevant system provider.
  • Maintain a case and activity log to identify recurring system or process issues.
  • Support regular audits of client configurations, workflows and travel policy rules.
  • Recommend improvements to system usage, operational processes and online adoption.
  • Assist with major client configuration changes, policy amendments and service model changes.
  • Communicate relevant OBT and process updates to internal teams.
  • Work with Key Account Managers to identify implementation gaps or improvement opportunities.
     

Desired Experience & Qualification

Role Boundaries
 

The Client Implementation Specialist is accountable for implementation planning, configuration coordination, testing, go-live and stabilisation.

Routine booking fulfilment, daily queue management, refunds, cancellations and ongoing client servicing remain the responsibility of the relevant operational teams after formal handover. The specialist may assist with these activities during testing, go-live or an agreed hypercare period.
 

Required Experience and Qualifications
 

• At least five years’ experience in the corporate travel industry.
• Strong understanding of both traditional and online corporate travel servicing.
• Practical experience implementing or administering an online booking tool.
• Strong working knowledge of Galileo is essential.
• Good understanding of travel policies, approval workflows, traveller profiles, fares, ticketing, refunds and fulfilment processes.
• Experience working with corporate or government travel accounts.
• Experience managing client implementations or operational projects.
• Experience coordinating multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Good working knowledge of back-office, reporting, document management and client support systems.
• Relevant travel, project management or business analysis qualification would be advantageous.
   

Required Skills and Competencies
 

• Strong project planning and organisational ability.
• Excellent attention to detail and document control.
• Ability to understand complex client requirements and convert them into workable processes.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Confident client presentation and training ability.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and multiple implementations.
• Strong stakeholder management and follow-up discipline.
• Ability to challenge unrealistic requirements or unsafe implementation decisions.
• Sound judgement regarding implementation risks and go-live readiness.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Teams.
• Basic understanding of system integrations, APIs, data feeds and authentication methods would be advantageous.
   

• Key Performance Measures
   

  Performance will be measured against:

• Implementations delivered within agreed timelines.
• Completion of implementation plans, process documentation and sign-offs.
• Number and severity of unresolved issues at go-live.
• Accuracy of client policy, workflow and system configuration.
• Successful completion of user acceptance testing.
• Training completion and user readiness.
• Online adoption levels where applicable.
• Stability during the hypercare period.
• Quality and completeness of operational handovers.
• Client and internal stakeholder satisfaction.
• Recurrence of implementation-related issues after handover.
• Compliance with agreed implementation governance and document control standards.

Package & Remuneration

To be discussed

Interested?

Christeen@rpkservices.co.za