Travel Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Centralized Management Unit (CMU) of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Turin, Italy. The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Chief Centralized Management Unit. For more information, please visit: www.unicri.org

Responsibilities

Within assigned authority, the Travel Assistant will support UNICRI’s travel and logistical operations, contributing to the efficient functioning of its research and capacity-building initiatives. In particular, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: • Provide information to UNICRI staff members and non-staff (participants, fellows, individual contractors, and consultants) on entitlements, policies and procedures on official travel, removal of personal effects, arrangements and passport and visa requirements in accordance with governing UN rules and regulations; • Create itineraries and provide fares for staff and dependents, delegations, participants, and non-staff personnel travelling on official business in line with the current policies and provide guidance on UNICRI and United Nations (UN) travel policies and procedures; • Collaborate with the official UNICRI travel agency in the host country (Italy) and other travel vendors, as applicable, on complex itineraries and issuance of tickets to secure cost-effective and efficient travel solutions by requesting, confirming and coordinating flight quotations, schedules and travel reservations; • Calculate and record lump-sum for entitlements and settlements of travel claims, and provide guidance and information to travellers on the reconciliation of travel claims; • Act as Travel Processing Officer (TPO) by approving travel and shipment authorisations, including amendments, reviewing travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, reasonableness, validity, and conformity with UN Regulations and Rules, and coordinate with Travel/Shipment Approvers (TSAs); • Act as UNICRI focal point on all travel-related matters, including emergency travel arrangements, and represent UNICRI in the UN travel network by participating in regular UN Secretariat-wide consultation meetings; • Provide travel solutions in SAP (Umoja) to support any travel-related issues, assist staff with Umoja travel module applications, troubleshoot system issues, and identify challenges faced by staff in processing travel-related requests and transactions; • Liaise with external partners, government agencies, and local service providers to organize transportation, accommodation, and other logistical needs for UNICRI meeting participants and travellers; • Organize and maintain accurate and up-to-date records of travel arrangements, expenses, and related documentation in accordance with UN Regulations and Rules; • Verify travel agency invoices for services rendered to UNICRI and submit them to the Finance Section for payment; • Assist with the collection and analysis of UNICRI travel and participant statistical data as well as the preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making; • Prepare regular reports on travel expenditures, trends, and other relevant metrics to support decision-making by UNICRI management; • Assist with data-centred visualizations and updating content for travel-related policy or statistical information.; • Perform other work-related tasks as required.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Has knowledge of travel-related processing requirements; ability to recognise and act in the face of conflicting priorities. Is familiar with travel-related operations, including knowledge of airline passenger tariffs and International Air Transport Association (IATA) visa requirements, and is familiar with United Nations staff and financial regulations and rules and procedures. Has the ability to perform analysis, modelling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. Shows pride in work and 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 complex 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 work areas. • 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. • TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

A high school diploma or equivalent is required; additional education in travel management or related fields is an asset.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible work experience in administrative services, including international travel and/or transportation requirements, travel entitlements, shipping practices or related areas, is required. The minimum number of years of relevant experience is reduced to three for candidates with a first-level university degree or higher. Experience processing and/or approving transactions in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, preferably SAP, is desirable. Experience with an airline reservation system and/or booking tool (e.g., SABRE, AMADEUS, APOLLO, GALILEO, etc.) is desirable. Experience in using Microsoft 365 and MS Teams is desirable. Experience in the application of United Nations Regulations and Rules, particularly travel policies and procedures, is desirable. Previous relevant work experience within the United Nations System or similar large international organizations is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related areas is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official language of the United Nations is an advantage. Knowledge of Italian (host-country language) is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

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 authorised 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 concerning their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. This position is funded by extra-budgetary resources and is limited to UNICRI. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year and any extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of funds. Given the nature of the funding of the present position, should a UN Secretariat staff member apply and be selected for this position with the Institute, such a selection will be implemented temporarily. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in recruiting and employing 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 based on qualifications and organisational 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. Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. Education qualification exceeding the specified requirement of this job opening including university degrees and certificates shall not give rise to additional entitlements or benefits, or facilitate a move to the Professional category. 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 a few staff members pass the competitive examinations. Passing the competitive examinations does not guarantee movement to the Professional category. For further information, please visit https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=GP

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. 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.