Programme Assistant

Job Posting: 12/Nov/2024

Closure Date: 26/Nov/2024, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: ESS

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition: General Service

Grade Level: G-5

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration: Fixed-term: one year with possibility of extension

Post Number: 0094218

CCOG Code: 2102b

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device**
- 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**:

- 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 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 Statistics Division (ESS) develops and advocates for the implementation of methodologies and standards for data collection, validation, processing and analysis, in the food and agriculture statistics domains. In these statistical domains, it also plays a key role in the compilation, processing and dissemination of internationally comparable data, and provides essential capacity building in support of Member Nations. The Division also disseminates publications, working papers and statistical yearbooks, that cover agriculture and food security statistics, including prices, investments, production, trade and agri-environmental statistical data. Finally, as the ESS Director also plays the role of FAO Chief Statistician, the Division supports the various functions of the Chief Statistician, that is to ensure stronger governance of FAO's data and statistical system, foster consistency of FAO's Data and Statistical programme within the Strategic Framework, ensure statistical excellence through the implementation of statistical standards and quality assurance mechanisms and position FAO's presence in data and statistical discussions at global level.

The post is located at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Office of the Director, ESS. The incumbent will provide programme support to the Director, two Deputy Directors and the Programme Officer.

**Main Purpose**

The Programme Assistant is responsible for the coordination of specialized and complex processes and activities in support of the delivery of the Office's work programme, planning and budgeting activities. He/she provides procedural guidance to managers and staff in the Office.

**Supervision Received/Exercised**

The Programme Assistant reports to the Programme Officer.
The incumbent operates independently and takes decisions on work priorities. Supervision received is focused on the quality of work output. He/she provides guidance and advice to other programme support staff.

**Working Relationships**

The Programme Assistant works closely with a wide range of colleagues across the Organization, ensuring the consistency and quality of programme/project support services provided by the Office.

**Key Functions/Results**
- Monitor both Regular Programme and Project budgets, ensuring that funds are properly allocated and reported upon, and take corrective action if required; inform management of any budget issues that may require attention.
- Provide support to budget holders in the preparation of the Periodic Budgetary Reports (PBR), the biennial Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) and related work plans for the division as needed.
- Prepare project budget revisions in consultation with budget holders.
- Respond to a variety of routine queries and provide clarifications on programme and project matters; inform management and team members of processes, procedures and timeframes to secure administrative services needed for programme/project execution; initiate correspondence to verify data, obtain additional information on transactions and budgetary matters.
- Coordinate the full array of administrative and financial actions related to staff management, non-staff support, travel, payments and procurement.
- Provide procedural g