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Senior Travel Assistant (Business Analysis), G-7, DFAM, NYHQ #102986

New York City

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: New York City
  • Grade: Administrative support - GS-7, General Service - No need for Higher Education - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Accounting (Audit, Controlling)
    • Administrative support
    • Operations and Business Management
    • Public, Private Partnership
  • Closing Date: Closed

The Senior Travel Assistant (Business Analysis) is responsible for supporting the development, execution and governance of key global and NYHQ travel initiatives driven to bring savings, efficiencies and compliance to UNICEF’s travel program. This position includes assisting with the management of third party travel service providers and technologies. Additionally, on occasion, providing directional support for all travel related projects and initiatives. This program scope includes but is not limited to air, hotel, auto, meetings, events, and all other travel related services in/outsourced by UNICEF.

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every child, dedication…

The Division of Finance & Administration (DFAM) at UNICEF HQ strives to provide relevant, accurate and timely information to UNICEF executive leadership to facilitate robust decision-making and strategic direction recognizing the needs of children across the world. The DFAM overall objective is to ensure that Financial resources are fully attributed to the Strategic Plan results chain, made available in a timely manner, used effectively and efficiently within an optimized organizational structure which is ‘fit for purpose’. This is achieved through periodic measurement and transparent reporting of financial and administrative performance, and the development and application of risk-informed policy, improved procedures and innovative systems.

Travel and Transportation function is one of UNICEF's largest controllable expenses, and the organization gains significant financial benefits through a small team of travel professionals who manage travel related services. As a custodian of travel policy, compliance and technology; supporting field offices with spend optimization, sophisticated reporting, analytics and generating process efficiencies aligned to a volatile travel market space has become an essential component of service delivery.

How can you make a difference?

The Senior Travel Assistant (Business Analysis) is responsible for supporting the development, execution and governance of key global and NYHQ travel initiatives driven to bring savings, efficiencies and compliance to UNICEF’s travel program. This position includes assisting with the management of third party travel service providers and technologies. Additionally, on occasion, providing directional support for all travel related projects and initiatives. This program scope includes but is not limited to air, hotel, auto, meetings, events, and all other travel related services in/outsourced by UNICEF.  The key functions include:

Savings and cost avoidance:

  • Investigates, and develops strategies to achieve cost avoidance and savings within the agencies travels services delivery. Conducts process mapping and time in motion studies to identify process redundancies and recommends automation to reduce work hour costs and/or achieve process efficiency.

Requirements gathering, analysis and data modelling:

  • Query and analyze data from various sources and environments. Interpret data and provide analytical commentaries to explain or highlight significant findings in actionable formats such as, ROI (Return on Investment), business case, TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), decision trees.
  • Works with regional/ country operations teams in identifying savings opportunities and developing methodologies for accessing travel data, improving/ tailoring predictive models and executing targeted initiatives.

Efficiency management

  • Using a data driven focus, develops process improvement that leads to a positive and measurable impact on travel services locally, regionally and globally, leading to better customer/traveler experience and reduced tactical work hours.
  • Identifies a continuous performance and quality improvement effort monitoring and reporting system. Regularly reports the status of performance and quality improvement efforts and impacts.
  • Assists with developing business cases for maximizing savings, reengineering processes and workflows addressing inefficiencies or cycle time optimization, including cost/benefit analysis of proposed changes.
  • Researches and designs appropriate organization-wide performance and quality training.

Program compliance monitoring reporting :

  • Conducts basic travel policy audits on purchase and demand behavior to ensure adherence to standards is reported succinctly to management.
  • Shares ideas on reporting violations or potential violations to duly authorized leaders/budget owners as appropriate and/or required.
  • Acts as a conduit between travel services and staff members for discrepancies, Issues/concerns with policy reports and their evaluation.
  • Assists in aligning UNICEF’s travel program with organization-wide carbon offsetting initiatives.

Communication: 

  • Supports travel services communications objectives and strategies through development of region specific and local materials.
  • Ensures the quality, consistency and appropriateness of communication materials that are developed, produced, and disseminated to staff members and travelers.
  • Provides necessary support and insights on developing travel services social medial and supplier communication strategy.

Partnership, coordination and collaboration

As required, under direction of the supervisor, undertakes collaboration with other agencies, local authorities and implementing partners on administrative matters including information exchange and harmonization. 

To qualify as a champion for every child you will need to have…

  • A Bachelor's degree in finance, commerce, economics, statistics or related field will be highly desirable. Completion of secondary education is required in conjunction with industry experience.
  • Advanced level proficiency in MS excel and Access is required.
  • Six Sigma Certified, SAP BI, Programming/Scripting Training (VBA, SQL, Python, C# etc.) is considered an asset.
  • A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional work experience in the field of financial/business analysis and reporting including eliciting requirements and completing BRDs (Business Requirements Documents)is required.
  • Travel Management and/or Travel Agency experience in an ERP setting with understanding of the intricacies of the travel industry as it applies to a multiple point of sale programs is considered an asset.
  • Working knowledge of UNICEF systems, policies and procedures is considered an asset.
  • Non-US candidates must be in possession of a US G4 visa or be a US permanent resident/citizen.
  • Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
  • Candidates are normally expected to pass the Global General Service Test (or formerly UN ASAT) in English. This is a computer-based test that consists of three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning and Situational Judgment. An applicant’s specialized industry experience and specific qualifications related to this post may be considered in lieu of the GGST.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

This vacancy is now closed.
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