TRAVEL ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and ReportingThe position is located in the Executive Office of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York. OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. The Travel Unit is responsible for Official Travel for OCHA offices in New York and Geneva, and also for Non- Commercial Travel for OCHA offices in the field around the world. The incumbent reports to the Chief of Travel Unit within the Executive Office. ResponsibilitiesUnder the supervision of the Chief Travel Unit, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: 1. Travel Requests: • Reviews the Umoja travel inbox daily and certifies the travel requests timely by ensuring the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) and Terminal Expense are correctly established, the cost assignment is correctly input, the financial authorization to UNDP for payment of DSA or local travel agency in the field offices are properly processed. • Ensures amendments are processed expeditiously. 2. Expense Reports: • Reviews the Umoja travel inbox daily to process Expense Reports in a timely manner by ensuring that the supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, reasonableness, validity and conformity with UN Rules and Regulations are attached. • Advises the clients of the impending recovery, and coordinates with the Account Division and Payroll to cancel or postpone the recovery in situations of technical or system errors. 3. Troubleshooting travel and payment issues in the traveler's bank account: • Analyzes the root cause of the nonreceipt of payment. • Coordinates with the Treasury Office to resolve the issues and updates the clients on the actions taken and expected outcome on a regular basis. D. Other related activities: • Reviews submissions, provides guidance and drafts correspondence for the Ad hoc Daily DSA and submits the requests to the Executive Officer for timely approval before the travel commences. • Reviews submissions for the Exception to Standards of Accommodation for Air Travel (TTS.3 form) for accuracy and compliance with the UN Travel policy and submits the quarterly and annual reports. • Reviews the Unliquidated Obligations (ULOs) received from Finance, coordinates the closing of the obligations with HQ (Geneva and New York) travelers and/or the Admin Officers. • Reviews Trips recoverable reports to follow up with staff members at HQ and OCHA visitors on recoveries of travel allowances overpayments. • Run reports pending submission of Expense Reports on a monthly basis and sends the follow-up emails to the Travelers and the field Admin Officers for the timely submission, in particular before the end of the year closing of account. • Provides training and guidance for the clients in the HQ on processing travel requests and expense reports. • Assists in preparing the internal guidelines. • Performs other administrative functions as needed. Competencies• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the travel administration and policies. Ability to interpret the relevant policies and procedures in certifying the travel requests and expense reports; and the ability to analyze the issues encountered to find a workable solution. 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. • PLANNING and ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. • 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. EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent is required. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of seven (7) years of experience in administration, including at least three (3) years in travel administration within the United Nations Common System or similar international organization is required. The minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience in processing official travel using an Enterprise Resource Planning system such as SAP Umoja or similar ERP solutions, is required. Experience in the provision of advice and guidance on the official travel of the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat, for this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview. Special NoticeThis position is for an initial period of one year. Extension of the appointment/assignment is subject to extension of the mandate and the availability of the funds. Staff member is 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. 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. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions subject to local recruitment are required to be authorized to work in the country regardless of where they live at the time of applying for the job opening. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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 FeeTHE 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.