National Project Personnel - Administrative Assistant

Organizational Setting

The FAO has been identified by the Government and the EC as implementation partner for Suriname Agriculture Market Access Project (SAMAP) aimed at increasing, more competitive and safer production of selected crops (particularly fruits and vegetables) through an enabling environment and enhanced capacities of private sector and institutions. Specifically, two main results are expected: a) Increased horticultural production and sustainable market-access achieved for 1000 small-scale farmers and b) Improved food safety capacities and standards achieved for private sector and public institutions.

The project has three components:

1) Sustainable production and value chain development with three sub-components: a) Improved market access to market (export) standards for small scale farmers and agribusinesses with targeted investments and loans; b) Business and financial management skills for farmers & agribusinesses improved; c) Quality production supported through introduction of improved technologies and effective extension services to farmers;

2) Strengthening food safety capacities and standards and their application to the private sector, with three sub-components: d) inter-institutional coordination, dialogue and legislative and regulatory framework for national food safety standards; e) national laboratories capacity for food safety monitoring and certification; f) sustainability of food safety investments and enabling environment; and

3) Project coordination, management and implementation.

The main institutional partners will be the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV, which will be the lead counterpart), the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of, the Ministry of Regional Development and other important non-Government and private sector.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the general supervision of the FAO Representative and the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor.

Technical Focus

Programme administration and financial management, including accounting and personnel administration.

Tasks and responsibilities

The main tasks and responsibilities include:

• Maintains an up-to-date accounting system of all expenditures.
• Assists with the preparation and processing of travel arrangements (TAs, LTECs, procurement of tickets, UNDSS clearances, etc.), support in procurement activities, including organizing and filing background information of vendors and suppliers, organizing meetings and events for the delivery of goods and services procured by the project in coordination with the Office Assistant, etc.
• Maintains Vendors’ contact information and payments; Purchase Orders; Payments to Consultants and Service Providers; etc.
• Screens incoming invoices and bills for correctness; respond to telephone and e-mail enquiries on payments, transactions; refer non-recurring matters and difficult issues to respective persons.
• Retrieves, enters, selects and analyses data from a wide variety of sources, including FAO’s corporate system and data bases (e.g. COIN, GRMS, etc.); verifies accuracy of data documents; makes necessary calculations.
• Receives, screens, files, distributes, drafts, formats, and monitors incoming and outgoing administrative correspondence and documentation; selects and abstracts pertinent material for supervisors’ review; identify complex or sensitive material for special treatment.
• Types correspondence, administrative forms and documents, and any other material as required; prepares routine correspondence of administrative nature to verify data, answer queries, and obtain additional information on transactions and financial matters, as required.
• Maintains consultants’ files ensuring all documentation is up-to-date re contracts and payments
• Inserts/completes administrative forms/ vendor creation forms invoices/ in GRMS tracks responses/payments to completion.
• Assists with the preparation of project budgets including revision documents.
• Maintains petty cash account including disbursement of funds and records of these disbursements and balances of accounts as required.
• Prepares Monthly Activity Report of her/his activities and their outputs in support of this project, to be certified by the Budget Holder and kept on FAOR record, in case of future project verifications.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Completion of tertiary education in a relevant subject matter preferably supplemented by financial and administrative courses at diploma level or above.
• Knowledge of computer software including MS Office suite.
• Five years working experience and knowledge of modern office procedures.
• Nationality of Suriname.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to organize work efficiently with minimum of supervision and to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION