Office Associate

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

• 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 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 FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over countries, the Centre provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre's four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level. For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure please visit the following .

The post is located in the Director's Office, CFID of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Office Associate leads and coordinates the office and management support functions of the Office. He/she ensures the smooth flow of office work and information by setting priorities and organizing the day-to-day work. The job role requires in-depth knowledge and interpretation of office policies, procedures and practices. The incumbent provides procedural guidance to managers and staff in the division or location.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Associate reports to the Director, CFI and works in close collaboration with the two Deputy Directors and five Service Chiefs and their front offices. The incumbent works autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative and independent judgement. Supervision received is focused on facilitation service delivery. The incumbent effectively organizes and supervises other office support staff and provides relevant guidance and training.
 
Work is performed autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative and independent judgment. Supervision received is focused on facilitating service delivery. The incumbent effectively organizes and supervises other office support staff and provides relevant guidance and training.

Working Relationships

The incumbent maintains a wide range of contacts with managers, staff and counterparts both within and outside the Organization. Work relations may be on a high organizational level, requiring very good communication skills and experienced handling of issues.

Key Functions/Results

• Analyse, manage and monitor a large and diversified volume of complex correspondence and documentation, often of confidential and sensitive nature; ensure appropriate routing, reply, prioritization, accuracy, consistency, informal translation and timeliness; bring complex, sensitive or priority issues to the supervisor's attention.
• Provide information and guidance to staff at all levels within the organizational unit; ensure understanding of intent and deadlines.
• Arrange appointments and duty travels, maintain supervisor's calendar and receive visitors.
• Organize high-level meetings, finalize agendas and invitations, ensure the production and distribution of documentation, take notes and prepare minutes, and follow up on required actions.
• Organize and coordinate the work performed by other office support staff; coordinate activities across the division, including divisional issues, deadlines and other requests.
• Establish internal procedures and tracking systems for correspondence and documents; verify that work is done in accordance with corporate standards; monitor work progress.
• Respond to written inquiries and draft responses to non-routine questions; coordinate responses to sensitive enquiries on behalf of the supervisor.
• Follow up on the preparation of reports, correspondence, briefing notes and other documents; review documents and make changes to their format or style in accordance with standard practices; conduct research and prepare briefing materials for the supervisor; provide informal translations into another official language.
• Evaluate ongoing support requirements of the office, adapt service provision to meet changing needs and solve operational problems as required.
• Ensure the initiation of a variety of transactions in the Organization's computerized administrative systems.
• Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The incumbent's work impacts directly on the smooth and efficient operations of the Office. He/she plays a lead role in the coordination and provision of the office support services for the successful achievement of the Division's mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education.
Experience: Five years of relevant experience in management and 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: Very good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology.
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

• Thorough knowledge of communication and documentation standards.
• Thorough knowledge of a corporate computerized financial/travel/human resources systems.
• Extent of knowledge of organizational structure, administrative procedures, policies and matters of protocol.
• Extent of experience in providing guidance and supervision to junior General Service staff.
• Ability to draft standard and complex correspondence and to proofread texts/ outgoing correspondence and formal documents.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Good knowledge of FAO procedures and organization structure.
• Good knowledge of consultant recruitments and travel procedures.
• Ability to draft complex correspondence to CFI internal or external partners.
• Good knowledge of FAO house-style and formatting of documents.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO,

Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

_______________________________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• 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 

• The length of the appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to extension of appointments

• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 
• 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.
• No international benefits will be payable as selected candidates are recruited locally and paid in the local currency of the office location
• For additional information visit the FAO employment website:

REMUNERATION
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link:
class="blockpanel">