Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services, and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. The Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda (RSCE), was established in July 2010, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 64/269. The Centre provides efficient, client-oriented, and scalable services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions to the Centre from its client entities. This includes transactional elements of human resources, finance, multimodal movement and control, personnel and cargo transport and information and communications technology (ICT) support. In addition to these services, the Office of the Chief RSCE and support offices through the Deputy Chief RSCE provides overall guidance on the operations of the RSCE including strategic planning, communication, budgeting, human resources management, property management, quality assurance and business intelligence, conference services, record keeping and archive management, and audit response and risk management. For more information, please visit https://rsce.unmissions.org. This position is located in the Service Delivery Section for Education Grant, Travel and Claims. The Travel Officer in the function of Service Line Manager for Travel at this level reports to the Service Delivery Manager.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, and on behalf of the Service Line, the Travel Officer (Service Line Manager) is responsible for the following duties: Provides guidance and operational policy interpretation to ensure compliance with UN Travel Polices: • Reviews and approves operating procedures within the Service Line in line with relevant policies. • Provides escalated client and stakeholder support for complex cases. Monitors and guides performance of the Service Line for the achievement of RSCE and Secretariat Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): • Formulates strategies for the Service Line in the form of a workplan with the goal of maintaining or improving performance against RSCE and Secretariat KPIs. • Collaborates with RSCE’s Quality Assurance and Business Intelligence section to ensure accurate and correct data is being provided to generate reports. • Creates ad hoc reports as requested by management to provide overview of travel-related transactions. • Provides substantive input in the formulation of the Service Line’s budget and implements in accordance with the principles of results-based budgeting. • Provides input to Service Level Agreements and the Scalability Model of the RSCE and ensures implementation. Strategic management of Teams within the Service Line to encourage efficiency and client-oriented work: • Identifies trends and issues in transactional data and adjusts resourcing and collaborates with Team Leads to formulate efficient workload distribution. • Researches and implements technological solutions to reduce manual interventions and increases responsiveness to client needs in collaboration with RSCE’s Regional Field Technology Service. • Provides performance management for Service Line Team Leads. • Proposes training needs to management on behalf of the Service Line. Strengthens strategic partnerships and monitors travel industry updates and developments: • Acts as overall lead representative for the Service Line between contracted vendors (travel management companies, shipment vendors, etc.), airlines, hotels, and other commercial entities in the negotiation and implementation of agreements/contracts. • Participates in the UN Global Travel Community, exchanging best practices with other travel offices and providing input based on RSCE’s experiences. • Participates in the Inter-Agency Travel Network of travel focal points throughout the UN System and related agencies, funds, and programmes, exchanging best practices and information on trends and common issues. • Participates in business travel associations/groups discussions and meetings to benchmark performance and procedures against private and public sector entities. • Participates in the Business Process Improvement Network to provide travel expertise in the review of proposals and provide travel-related proposals. • Provides support and training in the update and testing of improvements, changes, and upgrades to the Umoja travel solution. • Develops training and outreach plans, including client mission visits, for the Service Line in collaboration with the Travel Officer (P3) to increase knowledge sharing with travelers in client offices.

Competencies

Professionalism – Knowledge of travel guidelines and market. 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. 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. Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required. Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. Uses time efficiently. Managing performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability, and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly.

Education

An Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration is required. A first-level university degree in combination with relevant years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in travel management, customs operations, or related area is required. At least five (5) years of experience in the UN common system is desirable. At least two (2) years of experience in a shared services centre is required. At least two (2) years of experience in the supervision of teams of at least twenty (20) staff members is desirable. At least two (2) years of experience in negotiating airline discount agreements on behalf of a client is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

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.

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.