Back National Project Personnel - Finance/ Admin Assistant

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and programmes to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO Liberia is implementing a joint programme on Community Forestry Management in two of Liberia’s priority landscapes (Northwest and Southeast). With funding from the Embassy of Sweden, and under a UN-to-UN arrangement with UNDP, through the Multi Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), FAO will implement its component of the programme working with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and other relevant government institutions, international and national non-governmental organizations, as well as development institutions working towards sustainable natural resource management, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.  To support engagements and delivery of programmatic outputs, including engagements with the private sector for partnerships and service provisions, FAO Liberia seeks the services of a Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist. S/he will work fulltime and lead all gender-related aspects relevant to the achievements of the objectives of the joint programme, and support, under the leadership of FAO’s Project Management Specialist, the team at UNDP for the overall delivery under a joint programme management unit. 

The Joint Programme, funded by Sweden, is entitled “Community-Based Forestry and Protected Area Management: Boosting Biodiversity Conservation and Improving Livelihoods of Forest-Fringe/Forest-Dependent Communities and Groups in Liberia”. It seeks to strengthen management of community forests and protected areas in Liberia through improved governance of community forest management bodies, capacity building of forest regulatory institutions, empowerment of national CSOs/NGOs and Forest and Farm Producer Organizations, integrated natural resources management and the promotion of sustainable livelihood incentives for forest fringe communities. The Joint Programme, building on the experiences of each organization, will work across the following four components: 
•    Component 1: Enabling policy, governance framework and institutional capacity for CFM
•    Component 2: Promote effective community-based management of PAs and INRM in the target landscapes
•    Component 3: Create and strengthen resilient, low-emission land management, equitable, non-timber forest product smallholder value chains through sustainable business development of forest and farm producers, and their organizations (e.g., cooperatives) 
•    Component 4: Knowledge management, communication and awareness, gender mainstreaming, and monitoring & evaluation

The Joint Programme builds on the findings of the Snap Analysis for the Forestry Sector in Liberia commissioned by the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia with report finalized in January 2022.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Liberia, the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative for Administration, and in close collaboration with the Country Office’s Gender Focal Point, the Finance/Admin Assistant will liaise with the Gender Officers and other technical officers of supporting thematic units. S/he will work with relevant colleagues at the country, sub-regional, regional, and headquartered offices, will undertake the tasks outlined below.

Technical Focus

The Finance/Admin Assistant will be responsible for a wide range of routine administrative and control functions in support of FAO’s finance services. He/she contributes to timely and efficient finance operations and supports the management and implementation of the gender and social inclusion aspects of all programme activities in accordance with the Programme Document, supporting UNDP and all implementing partners.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following:

•    Assist the AFAOR (A) to maintain financial records and monitoring systems to record and reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data for day-to-day transactions and reports.  
•    Assist in the preparation of periodic budgetary reports 
•    Assist in the preparation of recurring reports on assigned accounts, noting variations from budgeted expenses and income and reports thereon.  Prepares special reports as required for budget reports as required for budget preparations, audits or other reasons;
•    Advise and assist international staff, experts and consultants on all respects of allowances salary advances, travel claims and other financial matters and calculates and authorizes payments due for claims and services;
•    Assist the AFAOR(A) to brief international personnel on general administrative matters relating to visas, licenses, security; provides advice and ensures administrative support as required;
•    Assist in the recruitment of General Service staff for non-specialized work including evaluating candidate applications, administering typing exams, conducting preliminary interviews of candidates; assigns General Service staff to meet work requirements; reviews and evaluates work of subordinates;
•    Maintain liaison with officials of local banks to obtain day-to-day information on exchange and interest rates, changes in procedures and regulations and matters pertaining to maintenance of office bank accounts;
•    Ensure that procurement and custom clearances for field programmes are properly requested and obtained;
•    In addition to general administration responsibilities, may also assist in the supervision directly or indirectly, activities concerned with office and grounds maintenance, security, transport and similar services;
•    May supervise one or more lower-level accounting clerk;
•    Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
 
•    Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Management or related field
•    At least four (4) years of progressively responsible accounting/administrative and clerical experience
•    Working knowledge of English and local languages is required
•    National of Liberia 

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Relevance and extent of experience in Finance and Administration
•    Organizational & communication skills, computer literacy, fluency in written and spoken English, teamwork skills
•    Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds
•    Familiar with United Nations System and/or FAO’s programming mechanisms. 
•    Knowledge of word processing equipment and spreadsheet packages.         
•    Good knowledge of MS Office application, internet technology equipment
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION