Office Assistant

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　　
• 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.

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 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO's Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Land and Water Division (NSL) aims at enhancing agricultural productivity and advancing the sustainable use of land, soil and water resources through their improved tenure, management, development, and conservation. It provides technical and financial assistance to Member Nations in developing policies, programmes, best practices, and management tools to address the challenges they face in ensuring productive and efficient use of land and water resources to meet present and future demands for agricultural products, while enduring the long-term sustainability of the land, soil and water quantity and quality. It promotes equitable access to and sustainable management of these natural resources with a view to enhancing productivity, livelihoods, social equality, and ecosystem health - services.

The position is located in the Land and Water Division (NSL) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a 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 Programme Associate, NSL, under the guidance of the Deputy Director and Director's Office, NSL.
He/she acts independently on routine matters and consults with his/her supervisor(s) on new and/or more complex issues and procedures. Supervision received provides for technical and procedural guidance and on-the-job learning.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant interacts with a variety of colleagues from within the work unit. Interactions relate to the exchange of routine information and the provision of standard office support services.

Key Functions/Results

•    Type, format and draft routine correspondence; collate tables, reports, presentations, publications and other documentation.
•    Receive and direct telephone calls and visitors; screen and send e-mails; respond to routine internal and external enquiries and/or refer to appropriate contacts/units.
•    Enter, retrieve, structure and update selected information and data from various sources (e.g. Intra-/Internet, office files, etc.); present results in standard format.
•    Set up and maintain office files and reference systems according to standard procedures, including an e-book for signatures.
•    Initiate, view and track a variety of administrative transactions in the computerized financial, travel, human resources systems.
•    Support the organization and administration of meetings, workshops and events (e.g. arranging for meeting rooms and other facilities).
•    Assist with arranging for travels: organize transport, logistics, accommodation, documents.
•    Ensure availability of office supplies and appropriate maintenance of office equipment.
•    Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The Office Assistant participates as part of a team in the provision of administrative and office support services. Actions reflect on the immediate and wider work unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education.
Experience: Two years of relevant experience in office support work.
Languages: Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English.
IT Skills: 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 the communication and documentation standards.
•    Good knowledge of corporate computerized financial, travel, human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

•    Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish).
•    Experience working in a front office.
•    Knowledge of the organizational structure.
•    Ability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple tasks.

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

Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

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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 http://www.whed.net/ 
• 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: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/ 

REMUNERATION

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: 
https://onehr.un.org/salary-survey/#/salary_scale 

HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Once completed, please apply and submit your application, with language certificates as attachments. Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications. FAO reserves the right to request candidates to undertake a language test in the future, as appropriate
• Incomplete applications will not be considered

• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered

• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT