Office Assistant

Organizational Setting

The Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) promotes and facilitates the sustainable development of the livestock sector, optimizing its contribution to nutrition, food security and rural poverty reduction. NSA integrates scientific, technical expertise and policy advice, it facilitates policy dialogue (including through intergovernmental bodies), encourages good governance, manages knowledge and provides information, analysis and technical assistance for the development and implementation of innovative solutions to produce safe animal products more sustainably, efficiently, and in a more integrated manner.

The activities of the Sustainable Animal Production, Feed and Genetics Branch cover all production systems, from pastoralism to intensive systems, including crop-livestock integrated systems, and aims to enhance their sustainability in its three pillars: environmental, economic and social.

The position is located in the Sustainable Animal Production, Feed and Genetics Branch (NSAP) of the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) 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 the Chief, Sustainable Animal Production, Feed and Genetics Branch (NSAP)and receives guidance from the senior Office Associate.

The incumbent 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, finance, 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 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 (proficiency - 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 valid visa to work or a valid 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 administration, procurement, finance, travel, human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies.
• Very good knowledge of the organizational structure.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Relevant experience with corporate administrative processes.
• Experience with official correspondence and protocol matters.
• Experience with travel management and support to the organization of meetings in particular Statutory Bodies meetings.
• Ability to work under pressure and deal with multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Good oral and written communication skills and ability to write and/or edit documents clearly and concisely in English.
• Intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language'(Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).