Travel Assistant

About the role

The Travel Assistant supports the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa in Dakar, Senegal, by managing and coordinating staff and affiliate travel in accordance with UN regulations. The position reports to the UNODC Operations Officer and works under the overall guidance of the UNODC Regional Representative, the Programme Coordinator and the Procurement Officer.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate travel of staff and affiliate personnel to and from a wide range of locations.
• Calculate and initiate travel entitlements (airfare, baggage, terminal expenses, airfreight, daily subsistence allowance) and submit for approval.
• Provide information on air service frequency, direct and economical airfare rates, and travel schedules for budgeting purposes.
• Contact airlines to make reservations, negotiate least‑expensive fares and prepare competitive‑bidding documentation.
• Calculate residual values of partially used tickets and revised per‑diem amounts for rerouted travel.
• Arrange changes or cancellations, ensure ticket re‑issuance and obtain reimbursements where applicable.
• Coordinate departure and arrival times and identify appropriate class of accommodation.
• Review travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy and conformity with Staff Rules before forwarding to Accounting.
• Advise on more efficient and cost‑effective routings and assist in planning travel to take advantage of advance purchase benefits.
• Maintain records of travel authorizations and document savings achieved through cost‑saving techniques.

Required profile

Required skills