Travel Assistant
Organizational Context
This Travel Assistant position is based in Islamabad, Pakistan, within the UNODC Country Office. It operates under the Regional Hub for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, supporting travel consolidation for multiple regional offices. The role reports to the UNODC Travel Lead in Vienna, with administrative guidance from local management.
Job Purpose
The Travel Assistant provides essential operational support for official travel within UNODC Country Offices across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. This involves coordinating travel arrangements, advising staff on entitlements and procedures, calculating travel costs, and preparing itineraries. The role ensures travel is conducted economically and efficiently, adhering to UN regulations. It also involves troubleshooting travel-related issues within the SAP/Umoja system, liaising with travel agencies, and assisting with the reconciliation of travel claims and invoices to maintain accurate financial records and support cost-saving strategies.
Responsibilities
Coordinate official travel for staff, affiliate personnel, and meeting participants, providing information on entitlements, policies, and procedures for travel, personal effects shipment, and visa requirements. Calculate airfares, excess baggage, terminal expenses, and daily subsistence allowances, and prepare economical travel itineraries. Troubleshoot the SAP/Umoja system for travel-related issues and support field offices. Secure reservations and issue tickets through airlines or travel agencies, liaising on complex itineraries and managing cost deviations. Approve travel and shipment authorizations, and calculate lump-sum entitlements. Guide travelers on claim reconciliation and review claims for accuracy and compliance, referring discrepancies to management. Analyze travel requirements to identify cost-saving strategies and maintain records of processed authorizations and savings. Monitor ticket refunds and review travel agency reports and invoices for accuracy, facilitating payments and reconciling errors in Umoja. Support the drafting of Terms of Reference for travel agency services and vendor registration. Maintain travel agency contracts and databases, informing users of contractual obligations. Contribute to travel process improvements and SOP development. Liaise with Travel Management Contractors on performance, discounts, cancellations, and refunds. Assist with preparing briefing materials and presentations. Collect, analyze, and report data related to travel, including SAP and BI reports, and assist with updating information materials.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of experience in travel administration, administrative services, or finance is required. This experience should include processing official travel, calculating entitlements, preparing itineraries, or reviewing travel claims. Experience with Microsoft Office and web-based applications is also required. Experience with ERP systems like SAP/Umoja, the UN system, or international organizations is desirable.
Skills
Professionalism, Teamwork, Planning and Organizing, data analysis, SAP/Umoja system proficiency, communication, attention to detail.