Background

Under the supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Travel Assistant provides travel related services in a Country Office (CO) ensuring high quality and accuracy of work in order to obtain the optimum travel services. He/she analyzes and interprets rules and guidelines regarding travel and entitlements and provides solutions to a wide spectrum of complex issues related to travel.  The Travel Assistant closely monitors travel expenditures and internal cost and ensures their timely and accurate billing, settlement and cost recovery.   The Travel Assistant promotes a collaborative, client-focused, quality and results-oriented approach in the delivery of travel services.

The Travel Assistant works in close collaboration with the external Travel Service Provider selected by the CO, Programme and Operations teams in the CO to ensure consistent service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Implementation of operational strategies;
• Support to travel management processes;
• Implementation of sourcing strategies for travel-related products and services;
• Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Ensures implementation of operational strategies focusing on achievement of the following results

• Full compliance on UN/UNDP rules and regulations, policies and strategies on travel management;
• Implementation of cost saving measures through negotiation with travel service provider, arrangement of the most economic route and appropriate itinerary.

Performs travel management processes for the CO, NIM/DIM projects and at the request of other Agencies focusing on achievement of the following results

• Timely and accurate processing of Purchase orders for travel entitlements (tickets, DSA, etc) in Atlas. Ensures availability of budget according to COA;
• Processing of cost-recovery bills in Atlas for the travel services provided by UNDP to NIM/DIM projects and other UN Agencies;
• Working seamlessly with contracted travel agent to ensure provision of high quality professional products and services at the most competitive price, and ensuring consistent adherence to the Service Level Agreement (SLA);
• Provision of information to the staff on various travel details including entitlements, travel route, hotel arrangement, etc.;
• Ensuring traveller’s compliance with security clearance when required;
• Processing travel authorization and travel claims in line with travel entitlements for staff, consultants, project personnel, Government counterparts, UN and visitors, ensuring that the travel arrangement follow the UN/UNDP rules of most direct route and most competitive prices;
• Makes hotel reservations, where requested;
• Processing requests for visas for all UN travelers, as well as requests for Resident Permit and Diplomatic Identification Card for international staff;
• Conducts arrangement for airport pick-up of high-level officials and support to expediting of customs and immigration procedures, as necessary;
• Timely processing of application and renewal of UNLP for UN staff;
• Timely preparation of routine correspondence, travel tax exemption certificates, memoranda and reports in accordance with CO Travel SOP;
• Timely reconciliation of invoices with settlements to be paid by the Finance Unit.

Contributes to implementation of sourcing strategy focusing on achievement of the following result

• Collection and analysis of market situation on travel service area. Conduct of travel agency performance surveys;
• Support the Procurement Team in the conduct of competitive biddings of travel services;
• Conduct of annual DSA survey; survey and analysis of most competitive hotel prices and quality of hotel services; online encoding of DSA survey responses to ICSC website, submission of report to HQ and distribution of the Hotel list to all UN agencies;
• Obtaining corporate airline preferred rates and corporate hotel rates for the CO and on behalf of UN Agencies.

Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results

• Participation in the training for the programme, operations and projects staff on procurement and travel;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice, including the UN Operations Management Team (OMT) and other inter-agency task forces on travel processes.

Performs other functions as maybe assigned by supervisor.

Competencies

Building Strategic Partnerships

Maintaining information and databases

• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Basic research and analysis

• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change

• Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

Data gathering and implementation of management systems

• Uses information/databases/other management systems.

Client Orientation

Maintains effective client relationships

• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
• Responds to client needs promptly.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

Gathering and disseminating information

• Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;  
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Informed and transparent decision making.

UNDP Procurement Certification programme.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education;
• Bachelor’s degree in Tourism or other related management courses is desirable;
• Specialized training in travel desirable.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years of relevant administrative experience in the areas of administration, procurement or travel service, acquired from a travel agency, an airline, or other international organizations of comparable size and nature as UNDP; 
• Knowledge in using any or all of the Global Distribution System (GDS) currently being used by the travel agency definitely an advantage;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of automated procurement systems, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in oral and written English;
• Knowledge of another UN working language is an asset.

Application procedure:

The selected candidate will receive a salary that is commensurate with his/her background and work experience.  Interested applicants is requested to send their application online and attach the UNDP Personal History Form (P.11),  available in our website at http://www.ph.undp.org/content/philippines/en/home/operations/jobs/, on or before 6 December 2015.  Kindly note that only completed P.11 forms will be reviewed. 

UNDP is an equal opportunity employer.  Please note that we will contact only the short-listed candidates.