Junior LoA

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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

Organizational Setting

The Procurement Service (CSLP) provides advice, guidance and oversight for FAO procurement operations and Letters of Agreement Quality Assurance both at headquarters and in FAO decentralized offices; it provides policy and operational support to ensure that the Organization procures goods, works and services based on "Best Value for Money" principles.
Letters of Agreement are specialized contractual instrument that are used to acquire from non-profit and government organizations services that are not commercially available (e.g. in the context of humanitarian operations, academic research etc.) 
The Letters of Agreement Specialist will be located at FAO HQ and will provide support to all FAO offices requiring guidance on Letters of Agreement and perform administrative compliance reviews for high value Letters of Agreement submitted by headquarters units and field offices.

Reporting Lines

The Letters of Agreement Specialist will work under the general guidance of the Contracts Officer (LoA) in CSLP. 

Technical Focus 

Contracts for non-commercial services.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Specialist will perform compliance checks on LoAs and other administrative tasks to support the function of Quality Assurance review for high value LoAs. The key functions of the Specialist will be as following:
• Advise staff in HQ and country offices on LoA preparation and LoA management. 
• Perform compliance controls on the content of LoAs submitted for CSLP review and approval.
• Compose the redelegations of CSL officers’ authority to approve LoAs
• Maintain custody of the records of the HQ LoA committee deliberations and decisions.
• Edit / translate training material and forms related to GRMS and MS 
• Organise training sessions on LOAs that will be delivered by CSLP staff.
• Advise users across all organizational units, when required, on the preparation and management of LoA Purchase Orders in FAO’s ERP
• Control the accuracy and integrity of LoA Purchase Orders that require CSL’s approval. 
• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University Degree in Accounting, Procurement, Law, Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Organization Management, Human Resources or a related field. 
• A minimum of one year of relevant experience in finance or business administration or procurement or legal work or project management or administration of contracts or grants or logistics.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and French or Spanish. For PSAs working knowledge of English is required.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

• Familiarity with enterprise resource planning and other corporate management software, particularly purchasing and financial management functions is desirable.
• Familiarity with administrative management practices
• Proven report writing skills in English and in French/Spanish is desirable.

Selection Criteria

• Previous experience in non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, or related fields. 

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing) Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list 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 For more information, visit the FAO employment website Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

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