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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for International Assistant

💰 $35,000 - $60,000

AdministrationInternationalTravelOperationsExecutive Support

🎯 Role Definition

An International Assistant provides high-touch administrative and operational support for global teams and executives. This role focuses on seamless management of international travel and logistics, visa and immigration processing, cross‑cultural communication, coordination with external providers (travel agencies, embassies, relocation vendors), and ensuring compliance with global mobility and data privacy policies. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, fluent in multiple languages or comfortable working across time zones, and experienced with travel systems, expense tools, and executive calendar management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant with travel or executive support responsibilities
  • Travel Coordinator or Travel Administrator
  • Customer Service Representative with international operations exposure

Advancement To:

  • Senior International Assistant / Executive Assistant (Global)
  • Global Mobility Specialist or Relocation Coordinator
  • International Operations Coordinator / Manager
  • Travel Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • HR Coordinator (Global Mobility)
  • Office Manager (Global Site)
  • Procurement or Vendor Management Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Coordinate all aspects of complex international travel itineraries for executives and teams, including multi‑city flights, trains, ground transportation, private transfers, multi‑sector ticketing, and low‑notice itinerary changes to optimize time and cost.
  • Manage end‑to‑end visa and immigration processes for business travel and international assignments by preparing visa packets, submitting applications, liaising with consulates/embassies, tracking approvals, and advising travelers on documentation and embassy requirements.
  • Arrange international accommodation and long‑term housing coordination for relocating staff, researching neighborhoods, negotiating lease or corporate rates, coordinating move‑in logistics, and communicating local utilities and registration requirements.
  • Act as primary point of contact for global vendors and service providers (travel agencies, relocation firms, couriers, concierge services), negotiating rates, establishing service level agreements, and monitoring vendor performance to ensure quality and cost control.
  • Maintain and update centralized travel and mobility databases, booking systems (Amadeus, Sabre, or corporate booking tools), and CRM or expense platforms (Concur, SAP Concur, Chrome River) to ensure accurate records, audit trails, and reporting readiness.
  • Prepare and process international expense reports, reconciling receipts, coding expenditures to project or client accounts, enforcing company travel and expense policies, and coordinating with finance for timely reimbursement and audit support.
  • Provide proactive pre‑travel briefings and country intelligence for travelers, including visa timelines, local laws and customs, safety advisories, health and vaccination requirements, currency guidance, and recommended contacts.
  • Coordinate international shipments, customs documentation, and temporary import/export permits for equipment and materials needed by traveling employees, ensuring compliance with customs regulations and delivery timelines.
  • Support executive calendar management across multiple time zones, scheduling cross‑border meetings, translating availability, and ensuring seamless coordination with external stakeholders and global offices.
  • Facilitate cross‑cultural communication by translating routine documents, drafting multilingual correspondence, and providing cultural briefings to improve engagement and mitigate misunderstandings.
  • Manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion, including personal executive data, immigration paperwork, employment contracts, and health documentation, ensuring compliance with data protection laws such as GDPR.
  • Support global event logistics for conferences, offsites, and client visits by coordinating travel visas, attendee lists, accommodations, ground transport, venue logistics, and hospitality requirements for international guests.
  • Track and report monthly travel spend and mobility metrics, analyze cost drivers, propose budget optimizations, and present insights to operations or finance stakeholders to inform travel policy and supplier strategy.
  • Act as the frontline contact for emergency travel and crisis management, providing immediate assistance for medical evacuations, travel disruptions, rerouting, last‑minute visa support, and liaising with security providers when needed.
  • Create and maintain standardized templates, travel checklists, visa trackers, and SOPs to streamline repeatable international processes and accelerate onboarding of new travelers and staff.
  • Support onboarding of international hires by coordinating pre‑arrival logistics, immigration support, orientation schedules, temporary housing, and liaising with HR and relocation providers for a smooth transition.
  • Process and track supplier invoices, purchase orders, and contracts related to travel and mobility, ensuring payments are matched to services delivered and vendor contracts are up to date.
  • Monitor regulatory changes related to travel, immigration, and customs requirements and proactively update travel policy, traveler advisories, and process documentation to maintain compliance.
  • Coordinate healthcare and insurance logistics for international business travel, enrolling travelers in briefings for international health cover, coordinating local medical providers, and managing claims assistance when necessary.
  • Support cross‑functional projects involving mobility, such as global office openings, short‑term secondments, and international recruiting events, providing operational coordination and logistical execution.
  • Serve as liaison to internal stakeholders (legal, HR, finance, security) to escalate immigration, compliance, or expense issues and ensure timely resolution in line with company policies and local law.
  • Maintain accurate traveler profiles, passports and visa expiry trackers, and reminder processes to reduce last‑minute disruptions and non‑compliance risks.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • International travel and itinerary management (multi‑sector routing, complex ticketing).
  • Visa and immigration processing experience, including embassy/consulate liaison and document preparation.
  • Proficiency with corporate booking and expense tools (Concur, SAP Concur, Amadeus, Sabre, Chrome River, Egencia).
  • Advanced Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel for reporting, pivot tables, and data reconciliation.
  • Familiarity with Google Workspace (Calendar, Drive, Sheets) for cross‑team collaboration.
  • Experience with CRM or HRIS systems for traveler profiles (Salesforce, Workday, or bespoke systems).
  • Expense reconciliation, PO processing, and basic accounting knowledge for accurate chargeback and cost allocation.
  • Knowledge of customs documentation and shipping logistics for international freight and temporary imports.
  • Basic legal and compliance literacy related to GDPR, immigration law, and global mobility policies.
  • Multilingual capability or professional translation skills (preferred languages often include Spanish, French, Mandarin, German, Arabic).

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy when preparing travel documents and processing visas.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for multilingual and cross‑cultural interactions.
  • High degree of discretion, confidentiality, and professional judgment handling sensitive information.
  • Proactive problem solver who remains calm under pressure and can manage travel crises quickly.
  • Excellent stakeholder management and ability to liaise with C‑level executives, vendors, and cross‑functional teams.
  • Time management and the ability to prioritize competing requests across multiple time zones.
  • Cultural sensitivity and adaptability to navigate diverse business customs and international etiquette.
  • Negotiation skills for supplier rate management and service escalations.
  • Collaborative team player who can document processes and train others.
  • Resilience, flexibility, and willingness to support occasional after‑hours travel needs or emergencies.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent with strong administrative experience; vocational certificate in travel & tourism, business administration, or related field preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in International Relations, Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Global Mobility, Languages, or similar.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • International Relations
  • Business Administration
  • Hospitality or Travel & Tourism
  • Languages / Linguistics
  • Global Mobility or Human Resources

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of administrative, travel coordination, or executive support experience with an international focus.

Preferred: 3+ years supporting global executives, managing visas and international travel logistics, or working in global mobility/relocation functions with evidence of vendor management and expense reconciliation.

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