Senior Global Travel Advisor

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Senior Global Travel Advisor

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Under the supervision of the Chief of Section (General Services), the incumbent is responsible for overseeing Travel Services for UNHCR globally.
The Senior Global Travel Advisor provides overall guidance on Travel Management, and develops travel improvement strategies, giving consideration to the varying needs and operating environments of each of the Divisions and Bureaux, and to new opportunities resulting from having implemented the MSRP Travel Module and having access to comprehensive corporate travel data.
The incumbent is in constant contact with all units in the Organisation, particularly finance, budget, human resources and regional Bureaux as well as externally contracted travel management companies, external service providers offering online booking and other travel tools, airlines and counterparts in other UN and International Organizations.
The incumbent leads all the process and system improvement initiatives for travel in cooperation with other sections and particularly the System Administration Section and the Change Management and Field Support Section within the Division of Financial and Administrative Management (DFAM). 


2.2 FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- UNHCR staff travel is safe and complies with UN security standards and travel regulations.
v UNHCR is kept aware of and takes advantage of new trends and tools in the travel industry.
- All operational transactions are managed through the application of policies, procedures, rules and regulations, e.g. contractual agreements, staff travel, purchase of supplies and equipment.
- Effective support is provided to the field offices and Headquarters to assist in their proper understanding and application of policies and procedures related to Travel.
- Risks linked to the delivery of UNHCR Travel and Administration Services are identified and mitigation plans are implemented.
- UNHCR travel patterns and Key Performance Indicators are closely monitored, analyzed, benchmarked and reported; forecasting exercises are performed regularly.

Responsibility

- Develop cost-effective strategies for UNHCR global travel plans and drive continuous improvements initiatives.
- Provide continuing analysis and propose new processes, technologies and systems in the area of travel.
- Manage trustworthy relationships with travel management companies and other vendors, negotiate contracts and rates with travel service providers.
- Participate in working groups and new initiatives internally and externally.
- Formulate and implement staff safety and security measures on travel.
- In close collaboration with Procurement, identify, select and supervise travel service providers.
- Identify potential risks in relation to travel, and propose mitigating action to senior management.
- Ensure timely and accurate monthly and year end reporting on travel, including related savings. Define business intelligence, reporting and data analytics requirements to support the travel function.
- Advise on travel policies and procedures, suggest possible changes to improve efficiency, cost effectiveness and ease implementation of travel tools.
- Provide advice in the development of training materials linked to travel, facilitate, when required, training related activities, ensure that appropriate communication method is adopted, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of trainings.
- Ensure timely and effective follow-up to audit and oversight observations and recommendations relating to travel.

Authority
- Enforce compliance with UN rules and regulations in all Travel related activities.
- Initiate, negotiate and supervise contracts with selected service providers in close collaboration with Procurement.


ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

- Graduate Degree (equivalent of a Master¿s) in Public or Business Administration, Economics, Information Technology, Management or related field plus minimum 8 years of previous job experience in Finance and Administration with managerial/supervisory responsibilities; and a minimum of 5 years in Global Travel Management and Strategy. Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) plus 9 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 7 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Significant experience in managing projects in the context of finance and administrative transformation initiatives.
- Experience of change management and implementation of new systems/policies/procedures.
- Good knowledge of financial management systems, PeopleSoft or a similar ERP system.
- Customer-oriented experience having worked in a service delivery operation.
- Excellent computer skills, in particular in MS Office applications.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent knowledge of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

- Knowledge of United Nations administrative, human resources and financial rules and procedures.
- Experience in developing and managing Service Level Agreements.
- Knowledge of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards.
- Basic knowledge of French. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
M005L3 - Leadership Level 3
M004L3 - Strategic Planning and Vision Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X003L3 - Technological Awareness Level 3
X009L3 - Change Capability and Adaptability Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

 

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

 

Within a current context of business transformation, the candidate must demonstrate strong change capability, adaptability, customer orientation and stakeholder management skills and a solid background in Travel. This position is part of the General Services Section (GSS) within the Division of Financial and Administrative Management (DFAM).
The General Services Section (GSS) within DFAM has undertaken a series of change initiatives mainly driven by the implementation of a new Travel Module in UNHCR ERP system MSRP which has been rolled-out to the field and Geneva HQ during 2017 and 2018. The implementation of the Travel Module in MSRP has changed  heavily the way the process is managed, moving from a completely paper based process, to a more system based, paperless process.
This system-based process will facilitate the introduction of clear and measurable Service Levels and relevant Key Performance Indicators, hence ensuring a better understanding of travel trends and spending within UNHCR globally.   Continuous improvement initiatives will be facilitated.
The role of the Senior Global Travel Administrator is therefore primordial to lead these process and system improvement initiatives for travel to ensure best value for money, risks management and compliance with UN security standards and travel regulations.

Please note that the closing date for vacancies in the Addendum 4 is Thursday 28 February 2019 (midnight Geneva time)