Travel Administrator

Aura Astronomy; Tucson, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 49,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Retirement plan contributions

Attractive work environment

Job summary

Aura Astronomy is seeking a Travel Administrator to organize and manage travel for staff, committees, guests, and contractors. You will arrange flights, lodging, and transportation while ensuring compliance with regulations and internal policies.

You will monitor travel costs, prepare detailed reports, and maintain SOPs for travel processes. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and excellent communication with vendors and travelers.

Qualifications

• High School diploma required; bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience with travel coordination and knowledge of geography/time zones is desired.
• Familiarity with SAP Concur or other travel management software.
• Knowledge of travel industry tools like Travelport Apollo or Sabre GDS is a plus.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate air travel, hotels, car rentals for staff, committees, guests, and contractors.
• Ensure timely and accurate communications of travel arrangements.
• Maintain compliance with travel regulations (OMB Uniform Guidance, FAR).
• Develop reports on flight costs, lodging, and travel expenses.
• Draft and update travel SOPs and expense guidelines.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Customer service

Time management

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

High School diploma

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

SAP Concur

Reqless

Travelport Apollo

Sabre GDS

Deltek Costpoint

Confluence

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

The Travel Administrator is responsible for administering, coordinating, and managing NOIRLab's travel programs. The Travel Administrator will research, schedule, and coordinate travel and services for employees, committee members, guests, and contractors. They will ensure that reservations for air travel, car rentals, and overnight accommodations are accurate and communicated in a timely manner to the traveler.

Essential Functions

• Provide support to NOIRLab staff members, committee members, guests, and contractors to provide mutually agreeable, cost-effective, compliant travel arrangements, including airfare, hotel bookings, and car rentals
• Provide continuing support to the traveler throughout the travel arrangement process
• Ensure compliance with federal travel regulations outlined in OMB Uniform Guidance and terms and conditions as applicable to NOIRLab travelers and as required by AURA Policies, and the NSF
• Develop, maintain, and provide reports on all items related to travel, including flight costs, arrival and departure times, lodging, and other reports as requested.
• Draft, maintain, and update standard operating procedures for flight and lodging processes, including travel expense reports and guidelines.
• Update the NOIRLab Travel Resources web pages as needed to maintain current information, including current security-related travel guidelines as necessary
• Assist staff with travel advance requests
• Thoroughly review all Travel Expense Reports
• Collaborate with colleagues, internal and external agencies, and all NOIRLab locations in service improvement initiatives
• Ensure that services are provided in a consistent, high-quality manner by responding to questions and concerns raised via email and instant messaging platforms.
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else. This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position or subordinates of this position as defined in the Vela Award Management system, https://cas.aura-astronomy.org/Awards .

Other Functions

• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• High School graduate required; bachelor’s degree preferred
• At least two years of experience in a position with similar duties and responsibilities, and working knowledge of geography and time zones
• Experience with SAP Concur or other web-based Travel Management Software
• Experience with Reqless
• Intermediate knowledge of Uniform Guidance, Federal Travel Regulations, and FAR
• Intermediate knowledge of travel booking and airport city codes
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Gmail, and Confluence
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills to effectively work with clients, employees, and vendors
• Ability to maintain consistent performance and availability in a fast-paced environment
• A cooperative attitude and a positive demeanor
• Ability to manage competing demands and ensure important issues are handled along with emergency or urgent issues
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to handle sensitive situations with poise and responsibility
• Ability to recognize the difference between urgent and important matters
• Excellent customer service skills and commitment to resolving daily logistical issues
• Ability to make decisions with minimal direction and supervision
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with all parties involved
• A high level of discretion, confidentiality, and judgment
• Accuracy and attention to detail

Preferences

• Experience working with Travelport Apollo or Sabre GDS
• Experience with Carina, Fatima, and Deltek Costpoint
• Bachelor’s Degree

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk; or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms and stoop; kneel; crouch; or crawl.
• The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Must possess - sufficient mobility, strength, or dexterity in both arms and hands and both legs to a) reach upward, sideways, downward to work with paper files; b) sufficient mobility and dexterity to utilize computer systems, fax machines, copiers, and other office machines.
• Must possess ability to read and understand instructions, drawings, safety guides, and other written materials necessary to perform job;
• sufficient visual capacity to perform the applicable functions without assistance of visual aids other than eye contacts or eyeglasses;
• sufficient spoken aural capacity to hear and understand instructions, warning bells, fire alarms, or shouted instructions without assistance of auditory aids other than a hearing aid; and
• ability to impart information orally so that others understand and can respond appropriately.
• Travel may be necessary in and/or outside the contiguous United States

Salary Range: $49,000-$67,000 per year. The final salary will depend on skills, qualifications and experience.

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement plan contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment. Details on benefits can be found atBenefits by Location - Aura Human Resources

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.