Travel Assistant, G5 at United Nations Regional Service Centre Entebbe

Job Description

Responsibilities
The focus of this position is to provide Travel related services within the Service Delivery model of the RSCE. The post provides guidance and direction to the relevant service delivery area with regard to travel related issues and processes.
On behalf of the service line, the Travel Assistant supports the Centre as follows:
•Resolves client queries logged through iNeed within agreed Service Level Agreement.
•Creates work orders in iNeed, monitors work orders, and provides daily reports on ageing analysis. Closes work orders in iNeed.
•Calculates air fare, excess baggage entitlements, terminal expenses, daily subsistence allowance for staff and dependents traveling on missions, etc.
•Calculates airfare for requested destinations, lump sum, and costs for shipment of personal effects.
•Processes DSA advance; and expense reports.
•Provides information to staff and consultants on the most direct and economical route, and plans routings, and itineraries plus the most economical airfare rates for such travel as permitted by rules and regulations.
•Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries. Advises on travel issues. Replies to queries to clients.
•Contacts airlines or travel agency to make reservations at least expensive fares, and requests issuance of tickets.
•Arranges tickets for official and training travel; arranges tickets and cargo pace for repatriation of Human remains; Arranges tickets for medical evacuation.
•Advises substantive offices, travelers, and other relevant staff of arrival information, requesting arrangement to be made accordingly for traveler.
•Checks entitlements eligibility, approves entitlement leave, calculation of points according to cycles, post travel management, update of leave card, and compilation of staff benefits accruals.
•Processes entitlement travel service as requested by client missions and RSCE Staff.
•Approves payments in UMOJA; monitors payments activities, provides feedback to clients on payments made.
•Performs other duties as required.

Competencies
• Professionalism: 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.
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• 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 Qualifications
• Work Experience
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in travel administration or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) for candidates who possess a first level degree or higher.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software e.g. Umoja or similar is desirable.
• Experience in application of United Nations or similar international organization’s Staff Rules and Regulations in an operational environment is desirable.
• Experience in a shared service center or similar setup is desirable.
• Languages
• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of French is desirable.
• Assessment
• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice
• This position is funded for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension.
• This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations
• Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.
• The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff.
• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
• Staff Members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.