National Project Personne - Administrative Assistant

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized technical agency of the United Nations established in 1945 whose mission is to contribute to eradicating hunger and achieving food security for all. FAO contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO’s Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO mobilizes high level national and international technical expertise to build capacity of institutions and human resources. It also helps to bring in modern and innovative technologies and formulate conducive policies in countries through piloting, adapting and scaling up of successful global practices to achieve sustainable agri-food systems transformation.

Currently in Nepal, FAO projects focus on technical capacity building, policy development, enhancing agri-production, strengthening food systems, improving food & nutrition security, enhancing resilience to Disasters and impacts of Climate Change as well as threats posed by zoonotic diseases to human health through the One Health approach. FAO also contributes to the coordination of humanitarian assistance/relief and transition to livelihoods recovery within the agriculture sector, under the framework of the food security cluster.

In this context, FAO Nepal seeks to hire a National Administrative Assistant who will perform a large variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the FAO Nepal Projects.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Nepal, the Administrative Assistant will report to one or more professional staff and receives guidance from an Administrative Assistant/Associate (to be adapted in the VA\: state title/s of supervisor/s). 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.

Technical Focus

The Administrative Assistant usually interact with a wide variety of colleagues within the work unit and with immediate clients within the Organization, providing routine administrative and office support services and will support in the implementation of the country office activities on a day-to-day basis timely and efficient delivery of office support services and on the overall output of the work unit.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Retrieve, enter, select, and analyze data from a wide variety of sources, including FAO's corporate system and databases; verify accuracy of data documents; make necessary calculations.
• Support to assemble and review documentation for processing affiliate workforce, travel, or financial actions in FAO's corporate systems, while ensuring compliance with FAO's rules and regulations.
• Maintain imprest accounts; reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements, and other data; assist in the preparation of recurring and special reports by preparing and editing data in appropriate format as requested; monitor project, programme, and general office accounts.
• Maintain detailed records of budget estimates, obligations, and available balances; record receipts and disbursements (ledgers, cash books, vouchers, etc.); make disbursements from petty cash fund and balance accounts.
• Prepare routine correspondence of administrative nature; draft correspondence to verify data, answer queries, and obtain additional information on transactions and financial matters, as required.
• Maintain local inventory records with responsibility for proper recording of assets, their maintenance and safeguard.
• Maintain a filing system of administrative and financial documents.
• Maintain liaison with local banks and financial institutions to keep up-to-date with financial and regulatory information (exchange and interest rates, procedures and rules, maintenance of bank accounts, etc.).
• Support the administration of personnel and equipment as well as protocol-related issues.
• Assist in duties related to recruitment, payroll, staff development, and support to other HR related administrative duties
• Sort and organize, for appropriate action, various requests from staff members for immigration and visa-related services.
• Arrange and facilitate protocol, visa, and immigration related services for FAO staff and non-staff members and guests by assisting with the acquisition of resident permits, visas and other required immigration or travel documents.
• Advise staff on the visa and immigration requirements of the Host Country; process visas for delegates or FAO travelers from countries where FAO has no diplomatic representation; proof-read visa applications.
• Draft Note Verbale, documents and routine correspondence on the above.
• Maintain an electronic database and an updated filing system of relevant information to track the expiry dates of documents and visas to remind the relevant staff member to initiate action for renewal of the same in good time.
• Arrange airport pick-up service of high-level officials and assist in expediting of customs and immigration procedures, as necessary; provide other protocol services to high-level officials.
• Obtain offers from suppliers and contractors in relation to minor official purchases, maintenance services, printing, etc. and draft relevant minor contracts, in collaboration with other colleagues.
• Undertake the renewal of car licenses with the authorities concerned.
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• National of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
• Bachelor’s degree in management/business administration.
• At least three years of work experience in the administrative and office support work.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English both in written and spoken.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Good knowledge of communication and documentation standards.
• Good knowledge of corporate computerized financial/travel/human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies.
• Good knowledge of the organizational structure.

Selection Criteria

• Good knowledge of computer operation of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment
• Extent of technical and practical experience on the day-to-day operational activities of the project or programmes.
• Communication, writing and presentation skills in English and Nepali.
• Ability to work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
• Prior work experience with UN agencies, development partners, banks, and government of Nepal.
• High degree of team ethics, well-organized, result focused and dynamic personality

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION