Travel Assistant, GS-4, Mexico City, Mexico, Fixed-Term Appointment

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 1,622 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.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

Mexico is a country of origin, transit, and destination for migrant children from the countries of northern Central America, seeking safety and opportunity in Mexico or the United States. These are children fleeing from gang-related and gender-based violence, organized crime, extortion, poverty and limited access to education and social services. They have been repeatedly exposed to threats, intimidation, and insecurity in a lawless environment. Many also want to be reunited with their families who reside in the United States.

UNICEF is supporting state and local authorities for the rapid identification, registration and care of unaccompanied and separated children and adolescents who have entered the country or are moving through Mexico at both the northern and southern borders. UNICEF provides technical assistance to child protection authorities to implement standard procedures and case management. UNICEF is also supporting the implementation of alternative care options for short and long-term solutions. UNICEF is also a key actor providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to children on the move, and their families, currently housed in different shelters across the country, through recreational and sport activities with support from implementing partners.

México is also an emergency prone country. Mexico’s complex landscape, extensive coastline, and unique geological and climatic setting make it vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis, flooding and landslides, volcanic eruptions, and meteorological hazards. Each of these primary hazards in turn is associated with a variety of secondary hazards (e.g., flooding from tropical cyclone precipitation or landslides triggered by an earthquake).

Purpose for the job:

Under the supervision and guidance of the Administrative Associate, the Administrative Assistant is responsible for executing a broad variety of routine tasks for the respective unit requiring full knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies

How can you make a difference?

Communications & Workflow:

• Facilitates the communications and workflow of the organizational unit to enhance the efficiency and timeliness of operations and outputs.
• Manages incoming and outgoing correspondence, e-mails and telephone calls.
• Communicates routine and some non-routine information pertaining to the work of the team.
• Establishes and maintains the office filing and reference systems, both traditional and digital; and ensures the inter/intra-net websites are up-to-date and accurate.

Calendar/Meetings/Correspondence Management:

• Maintains office calendar and arranges meetings.
• Takes minutes of meetings and keeps the correspondence of the unit well organized.

Events/Logistics

• Supports capacity development activities and conferences by making logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, caterers and hosts.
• Arranges times through liaising with participants over availability.
• Liaises with budget focal points and section over costs and needs.
• Prepares background materials for participants and uploads cleared materials on the intranet.
• Prepares and maintains agendas on meetings and events related to the work group commitments.

Travel

• Provides travel assistance to staff members in the section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaises with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Briefs/de-briefs staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, and documentation procedures.
• Extracts, inputs, maintains, and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel.
• Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintains travel plan and budgetary control records.
• Monitors travel certification and reports back to the team.

Invoice Processing

• Responsible for collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in VISION.
• Uploads electronic files and verifies results to destination system.
• Responds to client transaction status and other inquiries.

Supplies/Equipment

• Supports management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating inventory of items.
• Monitors and supervises adequate and appropriate use of supplies. Ensures that services and maintenance of premises are in accordance with organizational standards.
• Arranges for the purchase and timely distribution of office supplies.
• Responsible for generating the PR and PO of the operational area in the system
• Responsible for the opening of tenders in the supply area

MDM Local focal point

• Act as a focal point of Master Data Management (MDM) for requests for registration, amendment, or cancellation of suppliers in our system (VISION).
• Review supplier form, tax identification number, bank information, Form-to MDM to verify that it is correct and complete to later make the formal request to our internal service Global Shared Services Center (GSSC)
• Follow-up from start to finish of this process

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following required education, experience, and languages:

• Completion of secondary education, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work. Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree can substitute two of the required years of experience.
• A minimum of 2-4 years of relevant administrative or clerical experience, depending on the educational background.
• Fluency in Spanish.
• Intermediate English (writing and reading). Fluent English will be considered an asset. If the hired candidate is not yet fluent, he/she will have to commit to improving their English skills.

Additionally, experience in travel management will be considered a strong advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

This Vacancy Announcement is open to all (internal and external candidates) but n****on-Mexican candidates must be in possession of an existing Mexican FM3 visa or be a Mexican permanent resident/citizen.