Leah Rapuleng

Dynamic and highly articulate professional with a proven track record of building meaningful workplace relationships. Combines a confident, mature perspective with high energy and exceptional communication skills. Known for an approachable, friendly demeanor that fosters collaboration and consistently drives positive team outcomes.

Key Accounts Manager at Ultimate Travel (2025-03 – Present)

• Manage and grow strategic relationships with Government, Corporate and high-value travel clients, ensuring exceptional service delivery and long-term client retention.
• Develop a strong understanding of each client's business operations, organizational culture, travel policies, procurement requirements and budget constraints to provide tailored travel solutions.
• Serve as the key point of contact between clients, travel consultants, suppliers and internal departments, ensuring that client requirements are handled efficiently and professionally.
• Organize and coordinate hotel site inspections and supplier visits for Government and Corporate clients, enabling clients to assess accommodation standards, room types, facilities, service levels and value for money.
• Resolve complex booking issues, service challenges, cancellations, amendments and emergency travel requirements, ensuring minimal disruption to the traveler and client.
• Negotiate and support the renewal of annual travel agreements, supplier rates, pricing and service terms, with a focus on maintaining competitive rates, improving service delivery and supporting company profitability.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to acquire new Government and Corporate travel accounts, including preparing tender documentation, quotations, proposals and presentations for prospective clients.
• Monitor and review monthly and quarterly travel expenditure, prepare reports and analyzing client travel patterns to provide meaningful insights into business travel expenditure and potential cost-saving opportunities.
• Keep clients informed of relevant travel industry developments, airline updates, accommodation changes, travel regulations, supplier policies and emerging travel trends.
• Work closely with Travel Consultants and the Finance Department to ensure bookings, invoicing, reconciliations, payments and client requirements are processed accurately and within agreed timelines.
• Attend and coordinate monthly and quarterly client meetings, discuss service performance, outstanding matters, travel expenditure, operational challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinate client site visits, hotel inspections and supplier engagements, including transport, accommodation, meals, meeting arrangements and schedules.
• Prepare supplier payment vouchers and reconciliations (Recons) to support accurate and timely monthly supplier payments.
• Prepare and submit remittance advice and support documentation for commission claims, ensuring commissions are accurately tracked and followed up.
• Maintain accurate client and supplier records and monitor account activity using QuickTrav and Papertrail systems.
• Proactively identify service gaps and implement solutions to improve the overall client experience, operational efficiency and supplier performance.
• Build strong relationships with key decision-makers, travel bookers, procurement teams, finance departments and senior stakeholders to strengthen client partnerships and support account growth.

Key Accounts Manager at Orange Travel (2024-05 – 2025-02)

• Assisted with the establishment and development of a start-up travel company, supporting the business from its initial setup through to operational readiness.
• Supported the company in obtaining and maintaining key industry accreditations, including IATA and ASATA licences, ensuring the business met relevant industry requirements.
• Assisted with business development and acquisition of new travel accounts, including identifying opportunities, preparing tender documentation, developing proposals and delivering presentations to prospective clients.
• Assisted in developing and implementing company policies, procedures and travel management policies to establish clear operational guidelines and ensure consistent service delivery.
• Supported the development of business processes and administrative systems required for the effective day-to-day operation of the travel agency.
• Worked closely with management to identify new business opportunities and strategies for company growth.
• Assisted with client onboarding and the implementation of travel management processes for new accounts.
• Utilized QuickTrav and Xero for travel operations, financial administration and business processes.

Travel Manager at SA Post Office (2012-11 – 2024-04)

• Reconcile credit card statement for PostOffice and Postbank
• Verify if tax invoices comply with SARS requirements and sign them off for capturing and prepare the monthly recons.
• Resolving creditors' queries.
• Vetting of suppliers around South Africa for our travelers.
• Prepare payment requisitions for pre-payments
• Verifying if travel requisitions submitted were legit.
• Working out and capturing the correct international travel allowance on SAP for payment.
• Prepared a Travel Budget Report and a Supplier Age Analysis of the 30-day accounts
• Prepare management travel reports for PostOffice and Postbank, monthly.
• Bidding for new business to boost the revenue of the travel office.
• Prepared the year-end accruals/provision for the travel office.
• Negotiated rates with difference service providers and adhered to the SLAs.
• Implemented the company's travel policy to all travelers.
• From time to time, I was elected to Act as a Senior Manager in the absence of our manager.
• Scheduled customer meetings for the Business Rescue Practitioners.
• Assisted companies such as Postbank, SANParks and Public Protector to start their own Travel Office.
• Reconciled flight tickets and applied for refunds on the tickets not used.
• Adhered to the IATA remittance date for payments.
• Issued flight tickets for travelers on Galileo and made reservations of accommodation and car rentals on the system.
• Arranged conference/workshops and catering for less than 30 to a maximum of 200 delegates.
• System worked on was SAP and Quick Trav

Travel Bookkeeper at SA Post Office (2012-11 – 2024-04)

Creditors Clerk at XL Nexus Travel (2011-11 – 2012-10)

• Capturing supplier invoices including flight tickets
• Resolving creditors' queries.
• Applying for flight tickets refunds on the IATA system.
• Adhere to the IATA remittance dates
• Prepare monthly supplier recons for payments.
• System worked on was Quicktrav

BSP and Creditors Clerk at SAT MagicTravel (2007-03 – 2011-10)

• Capturing supplier invoices including flight tickets
• Prepared ticket for refund submissions to IATA Offices (BSP)
• Issuing for credit notes on incorrectly captured invoices and refund tickets.
• Took minutes in the office meetings which were held weekly and monthly.
• Resolving creditors and flight tickets queries
• Reconciling monthly statements and preparing recons for payments.
• Filling of captured invoices in the office.
• Arranged travel reservations for clients.
• Prepared daily pre-payments for payments.
• Trained to do debtors, resolving debtor's queries, submitting invoices to the clients.
• System performed my daily work on was Quick Trav
• Awarded Best Credit Controller and Safety, Health and Environment Committee Member.

BSP and Creditors Clerk at Connex Travel (2004-05 – 2007-02)

• Operated the Switchboard/Reception Area
• Processed travel requisitions for travelers
• Took minutes in the office meetings
• Captured supplier invoices with the flight tickets
• Applied for flight tickets are refunds on the IATA (BSP) system.
• Resolving creditors' queries
• Adhere to the IATA remittance dates
• Prepare monthly supplier recons for payments.
• Prepared recons for payments
• Handled Petty Cash for R5000 a month
• System worked on Quick Trav/Accpac
• Fetched letters from the Post Office Box

Diploma in Travel and Tourism – Damelin College, Bloemfontein (2003-02 – 2007)

Certificate in British Airways Level 1 and Level 2 – Damelin College, Bloemfontein

Certificate in Billing and Settlement Plan – Damelin College, Bloemfontein

Grade 12 Certificate in Matric Certificate – C & N Oranje Meisies Skool (2002-01 – 2002-12)