Travel Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The Shared Services Centre (SSC) is dedicated to recommending and administering process management and procedures that ensure effective execution. Established to enhance service delivery, the SSC focuses on quality assurance activities associated with transactional processes. The organization is committed to continuously improving customer satisfaction, whether internal or external, while pursuing a continuous improvement agenda aimed at driving service excellence and reducing costs through process standardization, automation, and self-service capabilities. The SSC operates with a mission to streamline operations and enhance efficiency across various departments.

Job Overview:
The Travel Specialist plays a crucial role in managing travel operations within the organization. This position involves processing travel expense claims, verifying travel performed against entitlements, and computing costs within the organization's liability. The Travel Specialist is responsible for identifying and claiming refunds of travel costs from carriers, travel agents, or travelers, and ensuring necessary follow-up actions are taken. Additionally, the role includes processing lump sum payments and post-factum claims, providing guidance on travel rules and procedures to staff across various divisions and field offices. The Travel Specialist will manage the Travel E-mail account, addressing queries related to travel payments, recoveries, and entitlements. The position requires verifying the correctness of records related to travelers in corporate systems, reviewing daily rejections related to travel payments, and reconciling monthly recoveries reports for submission to Accounts Receivable. The Travel Specialist will also assist Accounts Payable in clearing consultants' honoraria payments and perform any necessary accounting adjustments. Furthermore, the role supports corporate initiatives aligned with the Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy, focusing on reducing emissions and increasing efficiency. Overall, the Travel Specialist is expected to perform various duties as required, contributing to the smooth operation of travel-related processes within the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Travel Specialist is tasked with a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including but not limited to: processing travel expense claims and verifying travel performed against entitlements; identifying and claiming refunds of travel costs from carriers, travel agents, or travelers; processing lump sum payments and post-factum claims while ensuring correctness with the FAO travel agent; providing guidance and advice on travel rules and procedures to staff across SSC, divisions, and field offices; managing the Travel E-mail account to address queries on travel-related payments and recoveries; verifying the correctness of records related to travelers in corporate systems; reviewing daily rejections list related to travel payments and investigating incorrect entries; reconciling monthly recoveries reports for submission to Accounts Receivable; assisting Accounts Payable in clearing consultants' honoraria payments; addressing and initiating requests in the Service Now customer portal; supporting corporate initiatives in line with the Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy; and performing other duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements: secondary school education is required, while a university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in fields such as Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Hospitality, Logistics, Tourism, Economics, or customer service is considered an asset. Additionally, candidates should have at least 4 years of relevant experience in office, travel, and/or accounting support work. A working knowledge of English at a proficient level (C) is mandatory, and candidates must be national or residents of Hungary with a valid work permit.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for the Travel Specialist position includes secondary school education as a minimum. A university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in relevant fields such as Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Hospitality, Logistics, Tourism, Economics, or customer service is considered advantageous and may enhance a candidate's suitability for the role.

Experience:
Candidates are expected to have a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience in office, travel, and/or accounting support work. This experience should demonstrate a solid understanding of travel operations and financial processes, ensuring that the candidate is well-equipped to handle the responsibilities associated with the Travel Specialist position.

Languages:
A working knowledge of English at a proficient level (C) is mandatory for this position. Additionally, some knowledge of other official FAO languages at an intermediate level (B) is considered an asset, which may enhance communication and collaboration within the organization.

Additional Notes:
The position is based in Budapest, Hungary, and candidates must be nationals or residents of Hungary with a valid work permit. The job may involve full-time responsibilities, and candidates should be prepared to engage in various travel-related tasks as required by the organization. The role emphasizes the importance of supporting corporate initiatives aimed at enhancing sustainability and efficiency in travel operations.