Global Travel Specialist

**** Unable to provide sponsorship at this time. Only considering persons eligible to work in the United States.*

Position Title: Global Travel Specialist

Supervisor’s Title: Transport Manager 

Exemption Status: Exempt

Positions Supervised: None

Location: Charlotte, N.C. with travel to other U.S. and international locations as needed 

BACKGROUND: 

Global Support and Development (GSD) is a humanitarian organization whose mission is to work with regional, national, and local communities across the Caribbean, Central America and South Pacific for resilience to crisis through rapid response, disaster preparedness, and climate adaptation. 

GSD began as an impromptu response to Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu in 2015. Since our founding, we have worked with a number of regional, national and local communities and supported various international and United States domestic disaster response and preparedness efforts.  Our first response defined the core of GSD’s DNA as an organization – to work with communities – led by their needs, filling the gaps they have identified, while leveraging unique approaches and capabilities with an innovation mindset. By integrating our team’s diverse skill sets and resources into local responses, we provide rapid response assistance to affected communities in coordination with regional, national, and local community partners. We work to support and strengthen local capacity through disaster preparedness initiatives, including innovation and climate adaptation, to reduce the impact disasters and the climate crisis have on communities.

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Global Travel Specialist maintains significant interaction and collaboration with GSD staff. Working closely with all departments, the Global Travel Specialist ensures staff movement and lodging is secured in a timely manner and meets the needs of the organization. During GSD operations, the Global Travel Specialist assists with the movement of material, as well as team members, to the disaster response area.  This role will develop and maintain travel management systems and be the point of contact for related  vendor relations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Manage GSD’s travel system to ensure ready and reliable deployment of all administrative and operational travel needs, to include serving as liaison to staff and vendors or acting on their behalf within the travel system;

2. Manage the arrangements for contractors and sponsored travel associated with GSD partners, including, but is not limited to, flight, hotel, ground transportation, and cancellations;

3. Manage domestic and international executive travel including remote executives traveling to and from GSD HQ or DAWN (GSD’s humanitarian vessel), to include securing accommodations and transportation;

4. Audit all travel expenditures against policy and make recommendations to resolve complex matters in a timely manner;

5. Manage travel vendor relations to include billing review and accounts payable coordination, contract renewals in partnership with legal, and price negotiation;

6. In the event of an emergency or disaster response, support deployed teams with transport and shipping from forward locations, including collecting information related to utilization of private charter assets and serving as the main point of contact for immediate outbound travel needs;

7. Draft new policies and maintain existing policies within Logistics to support departmental and organizational workflows and requirements, updating information on organizational Intranet and Google drives as needed, and, in partnership with GSD Communications, drafting and disseminating travel announcements and related policy updates to all HQ staff;

8. Generate organizational reports detailing travel utilization, staff location, or other information as needed;

9. Develop and maintain the framework for organizational travel needs related to domestic, international and partner / grant specific travel, ensuring systems support streamlined operations and that training is maintained for all current and future travel participants;

10. Support budgetary planning, control, and analysis for the Logistics Team;

11. Prompt and action GSD’s core values of accountability, humility, and integrity in all work we conduct;

12. Promote good stewardship of financial and other resources to achieve maximum benefit to those impacted by disaster or at risk of impact; and

13. Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Required Experience:

• Four (4) or more years of relevant experience in hospitality, office administration or travel logistics, preferably in the humanitarian sector;

• Two (2) or more years experience applying policy directives in the development of organizational policy, preferably in an international context;

• Two (2) years managing corporate domestic/international travel scheduling; and

• Two (2) years working within a travel management platform.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in business management or a relevant field is preferred; or
• Equivalent combination of education and experience;

Professional Licenses/Certifications:

• Certification in project management is desired.

Knowledge/Skills:

• Ability to interpret, write and present reports, diagrams, business correspondence and procedural manuals at all levels within an organization;

• Ability to calculate figures, to include discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference and volume;

• Ability to engage in practical problem solving and management of a variety of variables in situations when limited standardization may exist;

• Ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously under pressure;

• Ability to exercise professionalism, discretion, and strict confidentiality as applicable with all materials and matters;

• Confident and effective written and verbal communication, to include presentation ability;

• Cultural awareness and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide array of stakeholders to build relationships;

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to rapidly shift tasks;

• Experience working and/or traveling domestically and internationally; and

• Working knowledge of Spanish and/or French desired.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• At this time, GSD is not offering sponsorship and is only accepting applications from persons eligible to work in the United States; and

• Routine domestic and international travel up to 10% is required.

BENEFITS: 

You'll get..

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Premiums 100% covered by GSD for employee, employee +spouse, employee +family
• Basic Life, AD&D, and Long Term Disability Insurance: Fully covered by GSD
• Health Reimbursement Account (HRA): Up to $4,000 in total annually for employee +2 or more family members
• Voluntary Life Insurance: Options available at reasonable group rates
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO): All employees are eligible for a minimum of 6 weeks of PTO per year after 90 days of service
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks paid by GSD
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Professional Career Development Opportunities
• 401(k): GSD will match up to 6% of base salary for all employees ages 21+. Employees are eligible to begin contributing after 1 pay cycle, and the company match will go into effect immediately after employee begins contributing

• • Additional Perks!

This job description is a summary rather than a detailed list of the duties performed.  The essential functions, knowledge, skills, and working conditions may change along with business needs.  This job description does not constitute a contract between employer and employee as employment is at will.  Global Support and Development provides reasonable accommodations to assist qualified individuals in order to perform the essential functions their job requires.

GSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and embraces all candidates regardless of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), nation of origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military/veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law. GSD promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all candidate selections. GSD promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all candidate selections.