International Administrative and HR Specialist

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

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has reinforced its presence in Ukraine by signing an agreement with the Government to set up a Project Office that will facilitate and expand the provision of technical and humanitarian assistance to the country’s most vulnerable communities, especially in rural areas.

Ukraine joined FAO in 2003 and since 2015 the Organization has been operating in two strategic directions: emergency humanitarian response in conflict-affected oblasts and agricultural development across the whole country. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, FAO has scaled up its activities in the country to support agricultural production and food systems with the aim of protecting the food security of vulnerable households and communities across Ukraine.

This role is based full-time in office, with duty station in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Reporting Lines

The position holder reports to and is under the direct supervision of the Head of FAO Office in Ukraine

Technical Focus

The assignment provides leadership and oversight of administrative and human resources functions in support of programme and project implementation. The role ensures effective planning, coordination, quality control, compliance monitoring, and follow up across all administrative and HR processes, in line with FAO rules, procedures, internal controls, and approved work plans.

The incumbent provides functional leadership of the Administrative Unit of the FAO Ukraine Project Office, coordinating the work of a multidisciplinary team and overseeing core administrative and HR functions. The role works closely with Senior Officers, programme managers, and counterparts in the Regional Office and Headquarters to ensure efficient, compliant, and responsive administrative support to programme delivery.

Tasks and responsibilities

The International Administrative and HR Specialist performs the following delegated key functions, within the limits of authority defined by the Head of Office and in accordance with FAO rules and regulations, to support effective administration and human resources management within the Country Office. Under the supervision of the Regional Senior Administrative Officer/HR Officer and the Head of Office, and with the overall technical guidance of the Human Resources Division and relevant administrative units, the incumbent performs the following functions:

• Provide advice on staff and affiliate workforce matters to hiring managers.
• Support delivery of HR services for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Attend internal/external meetings as requested.
• Provide support with the hiring of staff and affiliate workforce.
• Provide support during internal and external audits on HR-related matters and follow-up with closure of agreed actions/recommendations.
• Identify capacity gaps and training needs for the HR team and propose solutions to address the gap through capacity development or other knowledge sharing opportunities.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Participate in interview panels for the recruitment of affiliate personnel (but not staff members)
• Exercise supervisory functions over other affiliate personnel (but not staff members)

• Lead the administrative portfolio of the Country Office, including fleet, premises, and facilities management, ensuring the effective functioning of all support services.
• Develop, implement, and monitor corporate administrative activities, identifying IT and logistical constraints while proposing solutions to improve quality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness.
• Optimize the management of office premises, common premises, including space allocation and the provision of services for renovation and maintenance.
• Provide strategic oversight to management and project teams on the application of FAO administrative policies, procedures, and standards.
• Lead and coordinate administrative initiatives, monitoring progress, resource needs, performance indicators, and risk mitigation measures.
• Coordinate administrative procurement planning, including facilities, utilities, IT, operational assets, and fleet-related requirements.
• Ensure the implementation of administrative control and verification frameworks, providing oversight to support accuracy and audit readiness across all non-HR administrative functions.
• Train and guide personnel on all administrative matters to ensure institutional knowledge and compliance.
• Prepare and review management reports, analytical briefs, and dashboards related to administrative capacity, service delivery, and resource requirements.
• Lead the standardization of administrative tools, workflows, and templates to enhance efficiency and service quality.
• Contribute to business continuity and operational preparedness planning regarding administrative and workforce arrangements.
• Support change management initiatives affecting administrative processes, ensuring clear communication and stakeholder engagement.
• Maintain effective working relationships with UN agencies and government counterparts to support administrative coordination and data exchange.
• Ensure the protection of administrative data in line with organizational policies and data protection standards.
• Ensure regular updates in corporate tools relevant to Administration, i.e. UNINFO common premises, COIN and etc…
• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in business or public administration, management, accounting, human resources, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in administrative support, human resources, or related office administration functions, with skills gained in roles of increasing complexity or responsibility.
• Proven experience in field operations and managing processes with multi-stakeholder involvement.
• Working knowledge of English (Level C).

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions and emergency context.
• Knowledge of FAO/UN administrative and HR procedures and rules is highly desirable.
• Experience supervising the development and implementation of administrative control procedures and coordinating external auditing exercises.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to track activities, timelines, and standard budgets, and flag issues as needed.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), IT systems and software; Knowledge of Oracle is desirable.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

HOW TO APPLY

• 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/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.

• 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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