TRAVEL ASSISTANT

The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-
end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating
entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from
headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. Under the strategic
guidance of the Department of Operational Support (DOS), the Kuwait Joint
Support Office provides efficient and client-oriented services with the goal
of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions from
its client entities. These include transactional elements of human resources,
finance, travel and payroll.

This position is located in the Kuwait Joint Support Office (KJSO). The Travel
Assistant at this level will report to the Travel Team Leader and under the
overall guidance of the Chief Travel Officer.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Travel Assistant will be responsible for the
following duties:

• Calculates airfare, excess baggage entitlements, terminal expenses, daily subsistence allowance for staff and dependents traveling on missions, etc.


• 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 the rules and regulations.


• Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries


• Contacts airlines or travel agency to make reservations at least expensive fares, and requests issuance of tickets.


• Initiates requests for visas.


• Reviews of travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, reasonableness, validity, and conformity with UN Rules.


• Reviews and process travel requests and expense reports in Umoja for all travel categories for staff members and non-staff categories including military personnel.


• 
  

  Calculates lump-sum amounts for entitlement travel.
  Competencies
  • PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of travel related processing requirements;
  ability to recognize and act in the face of conflicting priorities. 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.

  
  


• 
  

  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 Qualification
  IATA certification in Fares and Ticketing is desirable.
  Work Experience
  A minimum of five (‎5) years of experience in travel administration, including
  travel rate construction, routing, and travel reimbursement, or related area
  is required

  
  

A minimum of two (‎2) years of working experience in travel administration
using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP is desirable.

A minimum of two (‎2) years of working experience in a Global Distribution
System (GDS) such as Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, Worldspan is desirable.

Experience in travel data analysis and use of business intelligence (BI)
software e.g., Microsoft Power BI, is desirable.

A minimum of two (‎2) years of experience in serving clients in travel
management is desirable.

A minimum of two (‎2) experience in the United Nations Common System or
international organizations 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 is required.

Note: "Fluency" equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read,
write, and 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 competency-based interview.
Special Notice
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. Applicants may apply and be considered for
locally recruited positions no matter where they are currently located
(including the current serving staff members at other duty stations), provided
they are locally available upon appointment. A staff member subject to local
recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively
applicable to international recruitment.

As per staff rule ‎4.4 (a), applicants for GS and related positions must be
authorized to work in the country regardless of where they live at the time of
applying for the job opening. Selected candidates/staff members will have to
relocate at their own expense to report for duty.

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
and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly
encouraged to apply for this position.
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.

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.

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.