Travel Officer

The Travel Officer position, situated within the Procurement division of the Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC) and reporting to the Head of Procurement, is a permanent, C1-graded role based in Centurion. The successful incumbent will be responsible for arranging, processing, booking, managing and coordinating all travel arrangements for Board members, employees, guests of ECIC and any other individuals travelling on ECIC business. Beyond the operational booking function, the role requires identifying, analysing and resolving travel-related issues while actively seeking cost-saving opportunities and process improvements. The Travel Officer will work closely with the Finance Unit to ensure the travel budget is captured and recorded correctly and that reconciliations are accurate and timely.

Key duties include scheduling travel in line with the ECIC Travel Policy and applicable Treasury Instructions, preparing the travel budget timeously, managing costs within established budgets, and overseeing relationships with the appointed Travel Management Company and other service providers. The role also involves conducting travel analytics, preparing management reports, reviewing invoices against bookings, communicating bookings to travellers, tracking travel spend against the annual budget, ensuring timeous processing of invoices, and confirming that the travel credit card has sufficient funds and is reconciled. The post holder will safeguard and reconcile travel petty cash, respond to customer service issues across all levels of the organisation, conduct ongoing reviews of travel operations and policy to improve efficiency and traveller experience, and assist in developing travel and other business expense procedures. Additional duties may be assigned, and continuous improvement of workflows is expected. Performance is measured by the number of changes made after itinerary issuance, traveller satisfaction percentages, and the average time between travel requests and itinerary delivery. The role interfaces with ECIC employees, management and the Board, as well as the Travel Management Company, suppliers, internal and external auditors, and National Treasury.

Candidates must hold a three-year diploma in travel, tourism or an equivalent relevant qualification, with at least two years of corporate travel co-ordination experience. Strong knowledge of domestic and international reservations processes, including faring, routing and ticketing, is essential, along with a good working knowledge of MS Office. Familiarity with the Public Finance Management Act as it relates to travel is required, while knowledge of MS Dynamix 365 and Workday Adaptive or equivalent budgeting tools will be advantageous. Familiarity with GDS booking systems and relevant public or corporate finance regulations is also expected. The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation, analytical and project management skills, with strict attention to detail, deadline orientation, and the ability to work independently or under direction, often under time pressure and with minimum supervision. Behavioural competencies include problem-solving, business acumen, delivery, conflict resolution, team participation, and flexibility, including availability to work beyond ordinary hours and to undertake extensive local and international travel.

ECIC is committed to promoting equity through the filling of posts according to its Employment Equity targets. Personal information collected during recruitment will be protected from unauthorised access and improper use, and by submitting an application, candidates consent to the processing of their personal information and declare that all information supplied is accurate, up to date and complete.