Operations Officer

1A111A11

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 member nations 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 our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, 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
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization.

Organizational Setting
FAO's Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SFS) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO's Regional Office for SFS.

Reporting Lines
The Operations officer reports to the Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and works under the technical supervision of the Project Coordinator, and in close liaison with lead technical officers and the relevant technical units in headquarters.

Technical Focus
Lead and coordinate the operational support function of the field programme including emergency, rehabilitation and development projects, in national, regional and global projects. In particular, provide operations support to the Southern Africa Resilience Hub. In regular consultation and coordination with the Regional (RAF) and Subregional (SFS) technical officers, ensure adherence to the FAO corporate policies and operational guidelines for all outputs, paying particular focus to deliver on the Project 'Strengthening Coordination, Scaling Up and Governance of Conservation Agriculture in Southern Africa (SSUGCASA)’.

Key Results
The provision of operation support services.

Key Functions
• Acts as a focal point for all project operational matters, organizes and handles the day-to-day operational activities of the field programme (including emergency, rehabilitation and development projects, in national, regional and global projects) and takes action in consultation with supervisors on any issues which arise during the execution period;
• Prepares project task force meetings and provides secretariat support;
• Ensures the timely provision of project inputs (personnel, technical support services, subcontracts, training, equipment and supplies) directly by the Organization or, when appropriate, through contractors and in liaison with other support units;
• Participates in the preparation of project work plans, monitors progress and identifies corrective measures to overcome operational constraints;
• Reviews and monitors the project budget, prepares requests and revisions as required, maintains and monitors budget expenditures and resources, reviews project transaction listings with a view to identify errors in accounting against budget lines;
• Prepares and submits the Project Implementation Reports and any other reports required by the Organization;
• Ensures the completeness and quality of data and documentation in the FAO corporate systems (e.g. GRMS, FPMIS), for all assigned operational field projects and activities;
• Prepares analytical reports on project performances as required;

• Coordinates action concerning the completion of field projects and arranges for timely and adequate reporting, including identification of project follow-up requirements;
• Contributes to the formulation of project proposals according to FAO's procedures and prepares project documents for technical clearance and final approval under different funding arrangements;
• Performs other duties as required.
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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in public or business administration, finance, accounting, economics, social sciences or another field related to the FAO mandate;
• Five years of relevant experience in project management/operations and support;
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge 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
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable;
• Extent and relevance of experience in programme/project formulation, analysis, planning and implementation;
• Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset;
• Extent and relevance of experience in supporting, advising and guiding the implementation of complex multistakeholder projects;
• Extent of experience in formulation, implementation and monitoring of projects;
• Ability to develop plans for the implementation and coordination of project operations in developing countries, in partnership with the United Nations (UN) agencies and other concerned stakeholders and/or partners;
• Familiarity with UN administrative, operational and financial procedures is an asset.