Job Description
Statement of Duties to be Performed.
Travel Management and Policy Interpretation 75%
- Serves as a subject matter expert on travel and is responsible for the full range of E2 system administrative support services, including: requesting creation of new user accounts; transferring user accounts; and creating and updating routing pools to ensure approval rights for employees designated with this authority. Interacts with and works closely with Administrative Assistants/Secretaries and travelers to provide advice, guidance, and clarification on travel regulations, processes and resolve system errors.
- Prepares and reviews Mission Travel Authorizations (TAs) for all international travel such as departure, transfer, reassignment, emergency, medical evacuation, training, and entitlement travel. In addition, prepares and reviews a high-volume of local Travel Authorizations for Mission employees as well as for Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and other Missions that receive support from the unit from time to time depending on the security situation as has happened with Missions Ethiopia and Sudan recently. This responsibility also includes timely execution and review of Open Travel Authorizations (OAs) for staff that require regular project site visits.
- Supports and makes recommendations to EXO by researching and interpreting travel regulations and policy, and disseminating findings under the Automated Directive System (ADS), Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR), USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), and Mission Orders with all Mission staff. Conducts regular reviews of Missions travel procedures and makes recommendations to align changes with Post Regional Security directives and updates in Agency policies.
- Provides policy interpretation to USAID staff of all hiring mechanisms and their dependents depending on the type of travel e.g. educational travel. This is done through one-on-one engagements, virtually or through email communication. This responsibility will involve close engagement with EXO to determine interpretation of policy to facilitate effective management of government travel management. The Travel and Transportation Division (TTD) may be contacted from time to time to provide resources needed to better support USAID Operations
- When working with paper TAs, the Assistant assigns numbers to the travel authorizations; verifies the correct reservations with Travel Office and employee as described in the travel authorization requests; prepares or reviews estimated travel expense budgets; forwards the TAs to the accountants for funding; and ensures the Regional Financial Management Office and EXO approve travel in a timely manner and to customer’s satisfaction.
- Assists with issuance of invitational TAs and other USAID employees TDY travel, as requested. Works on electronic and paper TA amendments as required ensuring compliance with USG travel regulations.
Accountability and Operational Support 25%
- Manages and updates a tracker for all eligible employees entitled to request home leave, rest and recuperation, and educational travel. Responsible for tracking, updating and reporting on the Mission’s temporary duty (TDY) arrival and departures list and daily accountability roster. This responsibility entails tracking and monitoring every TDY visitor’s location details in direct support of enhancing safety measures. Responsible for tracking and updating reports for post management which identify USDH travel plans.
- Manages the Missions’ Electronic Country Clearance (eCC) approval processes via the Department of State myservice system. This includes coordinating with technical offices to determine the number of expected visitors within a specified period of time, ensuring all TDYers have relevant post approval prior to travel, communicating post requirements to technical offices, updating requirements as and when needed, preparing weekly eCC status reports, and providing training sessions to Mission staff.
- Works in collaboration with the Immigration Services and Mission Statistics Assistant to ensure correct and up-to-date information is captured for the emergency evacuation list. Manages and updates the Mission Emergency Cascades lists.
- Works in collaboration with the Embassy General Service Office (GSO) Travel office to facilitate proper coordination of especially local travel. The Travel Assistant will take a lead liaison role to facilitate communication of key updates from the Department of State such as changes in the list of approved hotels locally that USG staff can use when executing local Temporary duty and changes to the Travel Management Company (TMC) terms of engagement. The Travel Management will coordinate communications with TMC to support USAID employees with their travel preparation as and when required and elevate any issues with TMC engagements to EXO and GSO.
- Archives and files all travel documents and maintains a current master file for references and in accordance with ADS 502, Records Management Program.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated.
a. Education: Completion of two years of College/ University studies is required.
b. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in travel management, travel operations, customer service, or general administration including experience gained in related work with a U.S. Government Agency, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), other donor organizations, host- government organizations, or private-sector institutions is required.
c. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) in both written and oral English and Kiswahili is required.
CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: June 05, 2024 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
