Office Assistant

21012101

Staff in the General Service category are recruited locally from the Primary Location area, which is where the office is located.

• 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.

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

The Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) enables the transition to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable plant production and protection through optimization and minimization. This requires the integration and harmonization of all appropriate crop production policies and practices in order to increase production in a sustainable manner in order to eradicate hunger while preserving the natural resources and environment for future use.

The post is located at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Seeds and Plant Genetic Resources Team (NSPGD), one of the six teams in the division. NSPGD’s work contributes to NSP’s overarching goal of resilient and sustainable plant production and protection systems by resulting in the enhanced timely access of farmers to affordable quality seeds and planting materials of the preferred, well-adapted, productive and nutritious crop varieties that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. Working with countries and other partners to safeguard plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, to use them in breeding progressively superior crop varieties and to deliver the quality seeds and planting materials to farmers, are means to achieve this aim.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a large variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to the Team Leader of NSPGD and receives guidance from senior GS staff. 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.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant usually interacts with a wide variety of colleagues within the work unit and with immediate clients within the Organization, providing routine administrative and office support services.

Key Functions/Results

• Arrange appointments for the supervisor, receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls and respond to routine requests for information;
• Provide office, administrative and logistics support to meetings, committees, conferences, etc.;
• Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions;
• Respond or draft responses to standard/routine correspondence and other communications; use word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports;
• Proofread documents and format texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style, as well as for adherence to established standards;
• Initiate general administrative tasks in the computerized financial/travel/human resources systems;
• Make travel and hotel arrangements and prepare travel authorizations/claims for staff as required;
• Provide assistance in the administrative processing of vacancy announcements and consultants' contracts;
• Research, compile and organize information and reference materials from various sources for reports; create spreadsheets and presentations; manage and update databases for mailing lists and other information; and maintain electronic and paper files;
• Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The incumbent's work impacts on the timely and efficient delivery of office support services and on the overall output of the work unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education
Experience: Three years of relevant experience in office support work
Languages: Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
IT Skills: Good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment

Residency: General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing visa/work permit, and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application. "Commuting distance" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

Competencies

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

Technical 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

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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