Organizational Setting

FAO's Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) assists Members to improve diets and raise levels of nutrition, as well as provides support with appropriate policies, strategies and methodologies for improving the efficiency and inclusiveness of their agriculture and food systems. As a knowledge leader, areas addressed include dietary assessment, support on nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture policies and programmes, effective nutrition promotion programmes, food value chains, market linkages, post-harvest handling, food loss and waste reduction and nutrition-sensitive agro-processing. FAO is committed to support Members in their efforts to improve nutritional outcomes as stated in the Rome Declaration on Nutrition (November 2014) and to mainstream nutrition across all of the work of the Organization.

The position is located in ESN at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a large variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to one or more professional staff, and receives guidance from a Senior Officer, ESN. He/she acts independently in routine matters. Supervision received is focused on the quality of the work performed and provides for on-the-job learning.
 

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant usually interacts with a wide variety of colleagues within the work unit and with immediate clients within the Organization, providing routine administrative and office support services.

Key Functions/Results

•    Arrange appointments for the supervisor, receive visitors, screen and send e-mails and respond to routine requests for information.
•    Provide office, protocol, administrative and logistics support to meetings, committees, conferences, etc.
•    Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions.
•    Respond or draft responses to standard/routine correspondence and other communications; use word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports.
•    Proofread documents and format texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style, as well as for adherence to established standards.
•    Initiate general administrative tasks in the computerized general administration/procurement/financial/travel/human resources system.
•    Prepare purchase orders, purchase requisitions and support the preparation of Letters of Agreement (LoA), obtain clarification and follow up, when necessary.
•    Make travel and hotel arrangements and prepare travel authorizations/claims for staff and affiliate workforce as required.
•    Provide assistance in the administrative processing of vacancy announcements and consultants' contracts.
•    Research, compile and organize information and reference materials from various sources for reports; create spreadsheets and presentations; manage and update databases for mailing lists and other information; and maintain electronic and paper files.
•    Perform other duties as required.

Impact of Work

The incumbent's work impacts on the timely and efficient delivery of office support services and on the overall output of the work unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING


Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education.
Experience: Three years of relevant experience in office support work.
Languages: Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English.
IT Skills: Good knowledge of MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment.

Residency: General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing visa/work permit and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application. \"Commuting distance\" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

Competencies

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

Technical Skills

•    Good knowledge of communication and documentation standards
•    Good knowledge of corporate computerized administration/procurement/financial/travel/human resources systems, administrative procedures and policies

Desirable Qualifications and Skills

•    Good knowledge of the organizational structure
•    Good Excel Skills
•    Good experience in budget monitoring
•    Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of French or Spanish
•    Good knowledge of the Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS) and familiarity with the integrated Management Information System (iMIS)
•    Very good knowledge of common administrative and financial rules and regulations
•    Very good experience with preparation and monitoring of Letter of Agreements (LoAs)
•    Good knowledge of applications for meetings in the virtual environmen

This vacancy is archived.

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