Business Support Assistant (GDS & Ticketing Specialist), SC4

Role Overview

You will be the operational backbone of the GHQ Travel Hub, handling air travel requests from start to finish: searching and reserving flights in the Global Distribution System (GDS), presenting travellers with compliant options, and triggering electronic ticketing through the BCD Automated Ticket Issuance platform. Your attention to fare rules, route logic, and policy limits directly determines whether the organisation spends efficiently, stays compliant, and keeps travellers moving without delays. Day to day, you work under deadline pressure, coordinate with internal focal points and external partners, and step in to rebook or reissue tickets whenever disruptions occur.

Key Responsibilities

• Receive and process air travel requests channelled through WFP travel workflows, validating all details before starting the booking process.
• Run live availability searches in the GDS, comparing routing options, fare families, and carrier choices to propose the most cost-effective and policy-compliant itinerary.
• Present clear, concise flight options to travellers and travel focal points, explaining fare conditions, restrictions, and any trade-offs between price and convenience.
• Confirm final itineraries with requestors, then submit complete booking records to the BCD Automated Ticket Issuance system for e-ticket generation.
• Verify each ticket for correctness, including passenger data, dates, fare basis, and applicable taxes, before release to the traveller.
• Manage reissues, exchanges, cancellations, and refunds, coordinating with BCD Travel and resolving any ticketing mismatches raised by airlines or internal systems.
• Act as the first point of contact when travel plans change, offering alternative routings and executing the necessary GDS transactions to keep travellers on track.
• Maintain accurate booking and ticketing records for audit readiness, and contribute suggestions to improve standard operating procedures and reduce recurring system issues.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Completion of secondary school education is required; a university degree or diploma in travel, tourism, business administration, or a closely related field is preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years of hands-on experience in airline reservations, ticketing, or travel operations, with demonstrated proficiency in at least one major GDS platform.
• Previous work within a travel management company, a UN agency, or an international organisation is an advantage, as is familiarity with common-system travel rules.
• Solid understanding of fare construction, ticketing time limits, penalty rules, and electronic ticketing procedures, including how to compare and apply lowest logical fares.
• Meticulous attention to detail, especially when validating passenger information, fare codes, and itinerary segments before issuance.
• Proven ability to prioritise multiple requests, meet tight deadlines, and remain accurate under pressure.
• Strong communication and client-service skills, with the ability to explain complex ticketing decisions clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Fluent written and spoken English is mandatory; knowledge of additional UN working languages is a plus.