Conference Officer (Meeting Planning)

IMPORTANT NOTICE\: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

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

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through 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.

Organizational Setting

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

The Governing Bodies Servicing Division (CSG) provides the Secretariat of the Conference and the Council and supports all Governing and Statutory Bodies of FAO. It houses the Multilingualism expertise of the Organization, delivering corporate language goods and services. CSG also provides Protocol and Meetings services to the Organization and sustains liaison and communication with Members.

The Meeting Services Branch (CSGM) carries out the scheduling and programming of all Governing and Statutory Body meetings of the Organization. It is responsible for overseeing and supporting the planning and provision of logistical facilities for the conduct of all such physical, hybrid and virtual meetings.

The position is located in the Meeting Services Branch (CSGM) in the Governing Bodies Servicing Division (CSG) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
This function requires the ability to meet the multiple demands of complex meetings, often held outside normal working hours.

Reporting Lines

The Conference Officer (Meeting Planning) reports to the Director of the Governing Bodies Servicing Division CSG.

Technical Focus

Lead the preparation, support and coordination of in-presence, hybrid and virtual meetings. Manage the team responsible for scheduling and programming of meetings, liaison with meeting and conference organizers. Supervise operational support to meetings, coordination of meeting support staff and the promotion of innovative working methods and tools.

Key Results

Delivery of operations directly related to the conference/sessions, including non-FAO meetings.

Key Functions

• Leads the coordination of high-level conferences, meetings and other events, ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of services in accordance with FAO policies and regulatory framework.
• Provides advice and guidance on conference protocols, planning requirements and the overall execution of events.
• Collaborates with external partners, such as broadcasting and/or production companies, involved in the preparation of major events.
  Oversees the on-site management of conference activities, ensuring smooth operation and coordination of all event components.
• Supervises the technical upgrade of meeting rooms.
• Collects and analyses information for inclusion in statutory and/or management reports.
• Researches and analyses policy and service delivery issues, maintains operational statistics and prepares related reports.
• Participates in the development of training and related training materials and promotes best practices and capacity development at headquarters and the Decentralized Offices.
• Participates in CSG teams, leads working groups and/or collaborates with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on short-term assignments.
  Specific Functions
• Coordinates the preparation of the biennial plan of sessions based on requirements from FAO Divisions/Offices/Centres for submission to Member Nations through the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) as well as the preparation and monitoring of FAO sessions for reporting to Member Nations on actual meetings held through the Programme Implementation Report (PIR).
• Approves Session Programming Forms (SPFs) for FAO Sessions, ensuring that these are submitted in accordance with established deadlines and duly cleared by all services concerned.
• Analyses potential conflicts on meeting schedules and other issues and identifies possible measures to be taken; liaises with meeting secretariats to amend/modify SPFs as needed to ensure availability of all requested services.
• Makes arrangements for secretariat and other services before FAO meetings and ensures their efficient functioning during sessions and plans the provision of physical facilities, audio-visual support and services for Governing Bodies and other meetings at headquarters.
• Prepares budgets for non-FAO events.
• Supervises and evaluates Conference facilities staff; oversees all administrative tasks related to the management of staff and of the messengers’ roster.
• Liaises with relevant units on the provision of meeting facilities to ensure adequate deployment of information technology (IT) and office equipment and provision of audio-visual support as required.
• Prepares planning submissions for budgetary resources for meeting-related activities.
• Promotes and pilots innovative working tools to ensure adequate provision of conference support.
• Performs other duties as required.

Specific Functions

• Coordinates the preparation of the biennial plan of sessions based on requirements from FAO Divisions/Offices/Centres for submission to Member Nations through the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) as well as the preparation and monitoring of FAO sessions for reporting to Member Nations on actual meetings held through the Programme Implementation Report (PIR).
• Approves Session Programming Forms (SPFs) for FAO Sessions, ensuring that these are submitted in accordance with established deadlines and duly cleared by all services concerned.
• Analyses potential conflicts on meeting schedules and other issues and identifies possible measures to be taken; liaises with meeting secretariats to amend/modify SPFs as needed to ensure availability of all requested services.
• Makes arrangements for secretariat and other services before FAO meetings and ensures their efficient functioning during sessions and plans the provision of physical facilities, audio-visual support and services for Governing Bodies and other meetings at headquarters.
• Prepares budgets for non-FAO events.
• Supervises and evaluates Conference facilities staff; oversees all administrative tasks related to the management of staff and of the messengers’ roster.
• Liaises with relevant units on the provision of meeting facilities to ensure adequate deployment of information technology (IT) and office equipment and provision of audio-visual support as required.
• Prepares planning submissions for budgetary resources for meeting-related activities.
• Promotes and pilots innovative working tools to ensure adequate provision of conference support.
• Performs other duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, political sciences, international law, international relations or another field relevant to the work of the Organization.
• Seven years of relevant experience in administration and/or organization and management of major events, meetings, conferences at a national and/or international level.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Knowledge sharing and continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in conference management activities in an inter-governmental environment of managing Governing Body sessions of a major international organization.
• Ability to meet the multiple demands of complex meetings often held outside normal working hours.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and communicate effectively to the multiple actors involved in intergovernmental meetings.
• Demonstrated ability, accuracy and tact in handling governance issues such as ballots and elections.
• Capacity to oversee staff and budgets.
• Knowledge of the governance structure of FAO is considered a strong asset.
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.
• Intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of Italian would be an advantage.

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FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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• Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds
• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http\://www.whed.net/
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance\: https\://fao.service-now.com/csp

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