Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA), Division for Operations (DO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The incumbent will report directly to the UNOV/UNODC Travel lead General Support Section (GSS), Division for Management (DM), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), in Vienna, and under the administrative supervision of the Administrative and Finance Officer in ROMENA. For more information on UNODC, please visit the following website: www.unodc.org

Responsibilities

Within assigned authority, the Travel Assistant will be responsible for the following specific duties:

Coordinate the travel of and provide information to staff members, affiliate personnel and, meeting participants on entitlements, policies and procedures related to official travel, shipment of personal effects, and passport and visa requirements, in accordance with governing rules and regulations.
Calculate airfares, excess baggage entitlements, terminal expenses, and daily subsistence allowance for staff members, their dependents, and affiliate personnel, and submit them to the Unit Supervisor for approval. Prepare itineraries for staff members, their dependents, delegations, and affiliate personnel traveling on official business, ensuring the most economical and direct routes, in close coordination with the Travel Unit in Vienna.
Assist with the troubleshooting of the in-house SAP/Umoja system and provide support to UNODC Field Offices on travel related issues.
Contact airlines or travel agencies to secure reservations at the most economical fares and request the issuance of tickets. Liaise with contracted travel agencies on complex itineraries and ticket issuance. Determine revised cost estimates where deviations occur and obtain reimbursement, where applicable.
Approve travel and shipment authorizations, including amendments.
Calculate and record lump-sum entitlements (where applicable).
Provide guidance to travellers on the reconciliation of travel claims in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. Review travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, validity, and compliance with UN Rules and Regulations. Refer discrepancies to the Administrative and /or Certifying Officers for clarification and corrective action.
Support the analysis of travel requirements and the identification of cost-saving and cost-reduction strategies.
Maintain records of all processed travel authorizations and documents savings achieved through the implementation of cost-savings measures.
Monitor refunds related to tickets issued to individual travellers.
Review monthly reports and invoices received from the travel agencies for issued tickets, ensuring the accuracy of amounts payable against approved Travel Requests. Submit payment requests to the FRMS Payments Unit and reconcile Travel Agent Invoice error reports in Umoja to facilitate settlement by the Financial Resources Management Service.
Support the drafting of Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the procurement of travel agency services across the MENA Region and assist with vendor registration in the in-house SAP/Umoja system.
Maintain relevant internal databases and files; Assist in maintaining all UNOV/UNODC Travel Agency Contracts in Umoja, monitor contractual agreements with travel service providers and inform affected users of contractual rights and obligations.
Contribute to the implementation of operational strategies by providing input to travel processes and supporting the development and maintenance of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to travel and logistics, in consultation with the direct supervisor.
Liaise with Travel management Contractors (TMCs) on operational matters, including but not limited to the TMC’s performance monitoring, negotiation and utilisation of airline discounts, follow up on ticket cancellations and refunds, and any other travel-related matters.
Assist in compiling and preparing briefing material, and presentations, background information, and documentation for meetings involving UNODC colleagues.
Assist with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making, including travel reports from SAP Modules and compilation of BI reports, as required.
Assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
Perform other work-related duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Has knowledge of travel related processing requirements; is able to recognize and act in the face of conflicting priorities. Able to perform analysis, modelling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of work in travel administration, administrative services, finance or related areas is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Work experience in travel administration, including the processing of official travel, calculation of travel-related entitlements, preparation of itineraries or review of travel claims, is required. Work experience using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint) as well as web-based applications, is required. Work experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system such as SAP/Umoja is desirable. Work experience within the United Nations system or similar international organizations, in particular in areas of providing administrative services is desirable. Work experience in a travel related industry is desirable. Work experience with an airline reservation or Global Distribution Systems (GDS) is desirable. Work experience in data collection and analysis, graph development, charts, tables and reports using data visualization is desirable.

Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
English	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II
Arabic	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The appointment against this position is limited to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. THIS IS A FIXED TERM LIMITED POSITION. Appointment against this project post is for an initial period of one (1) year. The candidate selected for this position will be granted a fixed-term appointment limited (“FTA-limited”) in accordance with section 2.2 (c) of administrative instruction ST/AI/2025/3 on Administration of appointments. Renewal of appointment is contingent upon continued existence of mandate and availability of funding. If this position is discontinued, the incumbent will be separated from service. United Nations Secretariat staff members who meet the definition of "internal candidate" in staff rule 4.10 who are selected for this position will be reassigned or transferred to the position, without a lien to their parent position. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their career in accordance with established rules and procedures. 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. The movement of staff members from the General Service and related categories to the Professional category in the United Nations Secretariat is exclusively allowed through the Young Professionals Programme competitive examinations. Only few staff members pass the competitive examinations. Passing the competitive examinations does not guarantee movement to the Professional category. For further information, please visit the UN Careers Portal at https://careers.un.org/young-professionals-programme?language=en Cairo is classified in the A category (family duty station).

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. 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.