Operation and Travel Associate
JOB DETAIL
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives. This position is located at the UNDP Pacific sub-office in Pohnpei State in the Federated States of Micronesia which was established in October 2021. This office is set up to serve the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The office will work closely with the UNDP Pacific office in Fiji to deliver the UNDP multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) in these five countries.
UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others. The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team that provides strategic guidance on results Management and compliance entrusted with the corporate alignment, programme finance management and quality assurance, and strategic communications team that provides knowledge management and communication support to all programme interventions.
Within the Office, the Operations Team provides backbone support and services to programme related to finance, human resources, digital services, travel and logistics, as well as common services and transactions support. The team further provides demand driven Common services to the UN agencies (per agreed procedures). In addition, the team will provide administrative support to UNDP Staff including project personnel e.g., protocol, visa facilitation, travel, and others.
Support Implementation of operational strategies, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Full compliance of administrative and travel activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.
- Contribution to proposal and implementation of cost saving measures in administration and travel including through negotiation with travel service provider, arrangement of the most economic route and appropriate itinerary.
- Inputs to business process mapping and implementation of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs) in administration and travel.
- Provision of inputs to preparation of operations team results-oriented work plans.
Effective and efficient provision of administrative support services, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Process and coordinate with MCO and GSSC the set-up of travelers in the system, travel payment processing and reimbursement of travel claims of UNDP personnel and vendors
- Assist in optimal cost recovery as directed by supervisor.
- Assist in the preparation of audits and implementation of audit recommendations.
Implementation of travel sourcing strategy and management of travel processes for the Office, projects and at the request of other Agencies focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Collection and analysis of market information in travel service areas.
- Collection of information for various surveys such as DSA survey.
- Processing of travel through the use of travel module in UNDP ERP system and ensures availability of budget
- Ensure efficient and timely cost-recovery using the ERP system for the travel services provided by UNDP to projects and other Agencies.
- Provision of information to the travelers on travel including travel routes, airport and airlines protocols, visa processing arrangement of appropriate accommodation as well as allowable Daily Subsistence Allowance as per UNDP policy and guideline
- Processing travel requests and post travel claim for UNDP Personnel and other sponsored travelers as per travel entitlements ensuring that the travel arrangement follow the UN/UNDP rules Edit/Update of Traveler (supplier profile) in Quantum and keep it updated on a regular basis.
- Support and process requests for visas, ID cards and other relevant documentations for UN/UNDP officials, if necessary.
- Arrangement for airport pick-up for mission travelers when required and support to expediting of customs and immigration procedures, as necessary.
- Processing of application and renewal of UNLP for UN staff.
- Provide regular inputs to travel database without any error.
- Check and ensure that invoices submitted by travel agent are error free and accompanies appropriate supporting documents for timely processing and payments
- Ensure timely follow up on outstanding POs, closing of POs on time and integrity of PO data related to travel services.
- Reconciliation of settlements to be paid in coordination with the finance unit in Suva, as required.
- Preparation of routine correspondence, faxes, memoranda, and reports in accordance with the SOP. Administrative and logistics support to conferences, workshops, retreats.
- Support to organization of common admin and logistics services.
- Regular maintenance of record files and efficient database management.
Ensures implementation of registry, reception and pouch services focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Manage and oversee registry and reception services that includes customs and shipment clearance.
- Receipts and dispatch of postals, pouches, etc.; receive, sort, register and distribute files and incoming messages/mail; receive and process outgoing messages/mail including log charges.
- Support in preparing bills for cost-recovery
- Support supervisor on UNDP surveys on data collection and market research
- Maintain an up-to-date filing system.
Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Office focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Participation in the training for the programme, operations and projects staff on administration and travel.
- Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Perform other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The Operations and Travel Associate will be responsible for supervision, performance management and development of the Driver.
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making
People Management Competencies:
- UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
Business Management – Customer Satisfaction/Client Management
- Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.
- Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
- Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests.
- Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
Administration & Operations – UN travel documents
- Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and processes related to UN travel documents; ability to facilitate the insurance of UN travel documents for UNDP and UN agencies; processing of visas and ensure oversight and endorsement.
Administration & Operations – Travel policy and procedures
- Knowledge of travel policy and procedures; ability to interpret travel policy, the Staff Rules, administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel- related matters.
Administration & Operations – T&E Cash Advance Reconciliation
- Knowledge of policy and procedures on T&E cash advance reconciliation; ability to link T&E Cash Advance transactions with transactions in the General Ledger including case analysis for clearances for staff separating from the organization.
Administration & Operations – Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings)
- Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
Administration & Operations – Documents and records management
- Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
- Completion of Secondary education is required or
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business or Public Administration is an advantage.
- Minimum of 6 years (secondary education) or 3 Years (Bachelor’s degree) of progressively experience of working in Administration; knowledge and/or experience of travel arrangement is required.
- Experience in UN and/or UNDP admin and/or operations support or travel services is an advantage.
- Experience in ERP system and processes such as SAP, Peoplesoft, Oracle is an advantage.
- Experience in the organization of workshops and trainings is an advantage.
- Knowledge of the UN and/or UNDP Operational Rules and Regulations is a desirable competency.
- Knowledge of Quantum travel and expense module is a desirable competency.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems required.
- Fluency in English is a requirement.
- Fluency in Pohnpeian, is a requirement.
