TRAVEL ASSISTANT

Contract

This is a G-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 4 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 6,552 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 post is located in the Travel and Logistics Unit of the Purchase and Transportation Section, Central Support Services, Division of Administration, United Nations Office at Geneva.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Travel Assistant, Travel Documents and Diplomatic Privileges, the incumbent:

UNLP (United Nations Laissez-Passez) and UN and FAMILY CERTIFICATE PROCESSING - Receives/opens incoming mail containing applications for UN travel documents and register them in the system. -Verifies the completeness and accuracy of received applications. - Promptly follows-up with the relevant organization or staff members if additional information is required and communicates with the relevant organization or staff members in the event of routine client service situations. - Processes UN travel documents in a timely manner, in accordance with the relevant Service Level Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding. - Applies the appropriate level of care to ensure documents' accuracy and compliance with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). - Promptly deposits the issued documents for client pick-up or prepare them for mail dispatch and ensures that the shipment is sent. - Acts as focal point for assigned client organisations. - Supports and follows-up on requests from client organizations (including providing updates, explaining potential issues, clarifying rules, etc.) - Performs quality checks on data entry and final documents. - Participates in quality check and approval mechanisms. - Communicates with relevant organizations/staff members in challenging client service situations. - Assists the Chief/Supervisor in resolving any challenging or complex client service situations.

DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES and ENTITLEMENTS PROCESSING - Provides accurate and helpful advice to staff regarding their diplomatic privileges/entitlements (face-to-face, telephone, email), and assists in related briefings, including answering Helpdesk queries. - Verifies and registers received applications for new/renewed permanent and temporary petrol cards, promptly follow up with the requestors/focal points/Shell contacts for any clarifications, and informs the requestors and distributes the cards upon receipt. - Sends the weekly reports to Shell for issuance/cancellation of the cards. - Prepares the requested forms and verifies them before stamping and signing them. - Assists in verifying and processing any received yearly reimbursement files for value-added tax (VAT). - Verifies the filled-in CD plate request forms, stamps them and prepares them for further processing. - Provides advice on the importation and car registration process. - Liaises with Swiss customs on matters related to car importations.

VISA PROCESSING - Prints and reviews Notes Verbales. - Promptly issues standard visa attestations when required. - Forwards applications for USA G4 visas, consultant visas, and special cases (high-level officials or emergencies) to the appropriate receiving embassy/consulate. - Provides advice regarding routine cases, where required, in communication with the visa subcontractor. - Liaises with the Swiss mission on visa matters, as required.

OTHER DUTIES - Ensures documents under one's area of responsibility are up to date and appropriately filed in Unite Docs. - Assists the chief and supervisor of the Sub-unit on special projects, as required. - Acts as back-up to other team members as required. - Participates in the shift rotations of the Client Support Centre. - Responds to client' mail in Ineed.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of diplomatic privileges and UN travel documents (i.e UN Laissez-Passer, UN Family certificate, UN certificate). Shows pride in work and in achievements. 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

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of three (3) years of progressive work experience in administrative services is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to one (1) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

Experience in the area of official travel and visa services is desirable.

Experience in Microsoft applications (word, excel, access and power point), web-based applications is desirable.

Customer Service experience is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English or French, and knowledge of the other is required.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2023. Extension is subject to fund's availability. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• 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.

• 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.

• This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for General Service and related positions must be authorized to work in the country where the position is located. A staff member subject to local recruitment is not eligible for the allowances or benefits applicable to international recruitment.

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.

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 carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.