TRAVEL ASSISTANT

Contract

This is a G-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 1,613 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Travel Team within the Human Resources Unit (HRU) in the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC). The incumbent will report to the Head of the Travel Team.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Travel Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

•Functions as an Umoja Travel Processing Officer (TPO), verifies and approves travel requests and expense reports for different travel categories. •Calculates and approves lumpsums for entitlement travel and determines the maximum reimbursable amounts for self-tickets. •Assists in providing efficient and cost-effective routings with regards to more complicated staff itineraries. •Assists in making travel plans in order to take advantage of advance purchases or special promotional fares. •Maintains records of all travel authorizations processed and savings accrued to the organization as a result of the cost savings techniques employed. •Calculates daily subsistence allowance for travel of senior UN staff, mission assignees and appointments, and other UN Staff, taking into account whether meals will be provided, and which stopovers are designated official business or personal. Depending upon the actual category of the traveler, prepares travel authorization, calculates all other costs, including excess baggage, terminal expenses, subsistence allowance and travel advance. •Provides information to staff, United Nations Volunteers, International Observers, consultants and other non-staff on the most direct and economical route, and plans routings and itineraries plus the most economical airfare rates for such travel as permitted by the UN rules and regulations. •Contacts airlines or travel agency to make reservations at least expensive fares and requests issuance of tickets. •Initiates requests for visas in liaison with the Client Support team under HRU. •Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries. Computes and determines the revised amounts of per diem where there is deviation from original travel plans. •Arranges for change or cancellation of already issued tickets upon request of the traveler, including obtaining reimbursement, where applicable. •Converts departure and arrival times, as needed, and identifies the accommodation class corresponding to the nature of the travel. •Reviews travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, and validity, prior to submission to the Finance Section for payment. •Monitors the performance of the travel service providers, bringing discrepancies to the attention of the Head of the team. •Ensures that entitlements are in conformity with UN Rules, Regulations, and policies. Refers discrepancies back to Administrative and /or Certifying Officers for clarification and possible correction. •Advises substantive offices, travelers, all mission personnel, and movement control staff of arrival information and requesting arrangements to be made accordingly for traveler. •Ensures that all UNVMC policies are applied and followed thoroughly across all processes, including adherence to UNVMC code of conduct and ethics, and integrates a gender-sensitive approach in all functions. •Performs other duties as required.

Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge of travel related processing requirements; ability to recognize and act in the face of conflicting priorities. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Client orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view. Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects. Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification A technical or vocational certificate in the field of business administration or travel and related matters or related fields is required.

Work Experience A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in travel administration, including travel rate calculation, routing, and travel reimbursement, other administrative services or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

Experience working on Global Distribution System (GDS): Airline/Hotels reservation systems such as Sabre/Amadeus/Galileo is desirable.

Experience in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems, such as Umoja, SAP or equivalent is desirable.

Experience working in a conflict or post-conflict setting for the United Nations or for an international organization is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required.

NOTE: Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by an informal interview.

Special Notice - This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2023. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. - As per the Staff Rule 4.4 if a serving staff member in the General Service (GS) or National Professional Officer (NPO) category applies and gets selected for a temporary job opening in another duty station, the GS or NPO staff member would have to be separated and reappointed on a temporary appointment since a lien cannot be maintained on their parent position. The expenses related to the movement of a GS or NPO are not covered by the Organization. - Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. - At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. - The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff, as per the Secretary General´s Gender Parity Strategy. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. #United_for_Gender_Parity - Candidates interested to work for the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia may wish to check out our Realistic Job Preview videos to get an idea of the living and working conditions in different duty stations in Colombia.: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8SCkVjg-e3073SwTDG1VQf1oLTWfUQ4 - This temporary job opening may be limited to "internal candidates," who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. - Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. - Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.