Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre's four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance. These are complemented by the innovation - knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level. For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure.

The position is located in the Latin America and the Caribbean Service (CFIF) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant coordinates and performs the full range of office support, management support and administrative tasks, providing for the smooth and efficient running of the Office. He/she ensures quality and consistency of the flow of office work and information in the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to the Chief, CFIF. The incumbent operates independently and takes decisions on work priorities and exercises initiative for dealing with cases without precedents. Supervision received is focused on the quality of work outputs. He/ she provides guidance and advice to other office support staff.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant works closely with a wide range of colleagues in the office, with central units and external clients, performing and coordinating office and management support services and providing procedural guidance and information.

Key Functions/Results

•     Screens requests for appointments with supervisor; maintains supervisor's calendar; confirms mutually convenient schedules and arranges appointments; receives visitors; screens and sends e-mails; responds to queries and correspondence, often of a sensitive, confidential or technical nature.
•     Coordinates office support services for meetings, trainings, seminars, committees and special projects and events; attends meetings, prepares minutes, monitors follow-up activities; makes arrangements for formal editing, translation, etc., of documents and publications.
•     Reviews, records, distributes and processes incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions; prepares draft responses to a wide range of correspondence and other communications, often requiring knowledge of technical terminologies and/or detailed office procedures; carries out quality control functions for outgoing documents; proofreads texts for adherence to format, grammar, punctuation and style.
•     Performs a variety of administrative duties, e.g. contract extensions and requests for temporary staff, leave and attendance recording, budget preparation and follow-up; coordinates with other units to ensure smooth running and expedition of work within the unit.
•     Researches, compiles and organizes background information and reference materials from various sources for reports, briefs and speeches; generate a variety of statistical and other reports from various databases.
•     Coordinates the work of other office support staff, establishes priorities and ensures equitable distribution of work; trains new staff to relevant administrative procedures and practices and provides general assistance as required.
•     Creates and maintains the work unit's filing and reference systems, including an e-book for signatures; reviews the efficiency of office procedures and makes recommendations for improvements; updates office websites.
•     Performs other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The incumbent's work impacts directly on the smooth and efficient running of the Office. He/she plays a lead role in the provision of office support services for successful achievement of the organizational unit's mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
Education: Secondary School Education.
Experience: Four years of relevant experience in office/management support work.
Languages: Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English.
IT Skills: Very good knowledge of the 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

•     Very good knowledge of communication and documentation standards. 
•     Very good knowledge of corporate computerized financial / travel / Human Resources systems and administrative procedures and policies. 
•     Very good knowledge of the organizational structure.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

•     Ability to multi-task and coordinate the tasks of a team of support staff. 
•     Ability to draft complex correspondence to CFI internal or external partners. 
•     Experience in coordinating administrative matters with country offices and external partners. 
•     Good knowledge of travel and consultant recruitment procedures. 
•     Good knowledge of FAO house-style and formatting of documents. 
•     Familiarity with international financing institutions is considered an asset.  
•     Familiarity with Investment Centre Management Information System (ICMIS) is considered an asset.  
•      Intermediate knowledge (proficiency - level B) of Spanish is considered an asset.