Temporary Appointment: Travel Assistant, GS-5 (multiple posts), in Travel Hub, Operations Section, Global Shared Services Centre, Budapest, Hungary

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a calling.

We are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not a job, it’s a calling.

UNICEF's Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) in Budapest, Hungary provides services to UNICEF offices globally in the areas of Finance, Human Resources, Payroll and Information Technology. For more information about GSSC please visit our webpage at Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) and check this YouTube.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF’s Global Shared Services Centre in Budapest is recruiting highly dedicated individuals with structured, service-oriented working styles to join UNICEF GSSC`s Travel Unit which will be responsible for the travel administration and management of UNICEF Offices worldwide. The ideal candidates should have experience in travel administration and management functions.

This post is a Temporary Appointment until 31 December 2026.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related tasks:

Under the supervision of their Officer in the Travel Hub, Operations Section, the Travel Assistant (GS-5) will process the travel requests (such as official missions, appointment, reassignment, separation/repatriation, home leave, family visit, education grant travels) of the UNICEF Offices. In compliance with UNICEF`s Travel policies, this will include the posting of travel authorizations, verification of itineraries and ticket costs as well as the examination, processing of travel claims prior to final settlement, when needed.

Summary of key responsibilities:

1. Travel administration work assignment
2. Transactional service management
   • Pre-Processing
   • Client Service

For key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks please check the Job Description JD Travel Assistant GS-5.pdf.

The role may require shift work at different times during the day, from Sunday through Friday. Night differential applies where applicable. When working on Sunday, it may be considered a regular workday and Friday as one of the weekend day. Official holidays will be compensated with compensatory time-off. Flexible arrangements apply, including the possibility of partial remote work depending on shift schedules.

As an advocate for every child, you will receive

UNICEF offers an attractive remuneration package with UNICEF GSSC Benefits 2026.pdf.

Please visit Compensation and Benefit site on UNICEF Career page.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

• Completed secondary education (i.e. high school diploma). University level degree in business administration and public administration is an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience in the international travel industry, operations, administration, or logistics is required. A completed BA degree from an accredited institution qualifies as 3 years experience and will be counted towards the minimum work experience requirement. Minimum two (2) years of relevant experience is required for candidates holding bachelor’s degree in relevant fields. Master’s degree will be considered additional two years of relevant work experience.
• Experience in travel administration or Management is required.
• IT skills and working knowledge in the Microsoft Suite of Products (including MS Word, MS Excel & MS PowerPoint) is required

Skills:

• Project Management, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Digital Dexterity

Language requirements:

Fluency in both spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is considered as an asset.

Internal applicants from the GSSC are required to complete the Learning Path corresponding to their current level before applying for another position. Additionally, they must attach a snapshot of the completed path to their applications. Applications that do not meet these two minimum requirements will not be considered. For further details on learning paths, please visit the L&D Portal: Learning in the GSSC.

Applicants must be nationals of Hungary or EU/Schengen countries OR in the possession of a valid long-term Hungarian residence and work permits. Temporary and/or sponsored visas are not accepted. UNICEF GSSC does not facilitate MFA accreditation for locally recruited staff, applicants must be holders of acceptable permits already at the time of application. Applicants with non-EU citizenship must attach copies of their valid Hungarian work permits, otherwise their applications will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships, (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, (3) Drive to achieve results for impact, (4) Innovates and embraces change, (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity, (6) Thinks and acts strategically, (7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.