Travel Assistant
Organizational Context
This position is situated within the Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Division for Operations. The role reports to the UNODC Travel lead in Vienna and is under the administrative supervision of the Administrative and Finance Officer in ROMENA.
Job Purpose
The Travel Assistant coordinates official travel for staff, affiliate personnel, and meeting participants, providing guidance on entitlements, policies, and procedures. This includes calculating travel costs, preparing itineraries, securing reservations, and troubleshooting travel-related issues within the SAP/Umoja system. The role ensures travel is conducted economically and efficiently, liaises with travel agencies, approves authorizations, and assists with the reconciliation of travel claims. Additionally, the position supports cost-saving strategies, maintains travel records, monitors refunds, and assists with vendor management and the development of Standard Operating Procedures for travel and logistics.
Responsibilities
Coordinate official travel for staff, affiliate personnel, and meeting participants, providing information on entitlements, policies, and procedures. Calculate airfares, excess baggage, terminal expenses, and daily subsistence allowances. Prepare economical and direct travel itineraries in coordination with the Vienna Travel Unit. Troubleshoot the SAP/Umoja system and support field offices with travel issues. Secure reservations with airlines or travel agencies and issue tickets. Liaise with contracted agencies on complex itineraries and manage cost deviations. Approve travel and shipment authorizations. Provide guidance on travel claim reconciliation and review claims for accuracy and compliance. Support analysis of travel requirements and identify cost-saving strategies. Maintain travel records and monitor ticket refunds. Review travel agency reports and invoices, submit payment requests, and reconcile errors in Umoja. Assist with drafting Terms of Reference for travel agency services and vendor registration. Maintain internal databases and UNOV/UNODC Travel Agency Contracts. Contribute to operational strategies and SOP development for travel and logistics. Liaise with Travel Management Contractors on performance, discounts, and cancellations. Assist in preparing briefing materials and presentations. Collect and analyze data for reports, visualizations, and decision-making.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of experience in travel administration, administrative services, or finance is required. This is reduced to three years with a first-level university degree. Experience in processing official travel, calculating entitlements, preparing itineraries, or reviewing travel claims is essential. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and web-based applications is required. Experience with ERP systems like SAP/Umoja, the UN system, or the travel industry is desirable.
Skills
Professionalism, Teamwork, Accountability, Travel processing, Data analysis, SAP/Umoja system knowledge, Microsoft Office proficiency, Communication, Problem-solving.