CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST – VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2301481

Office Assistant

Job Posting: 22/May/2023

Closure Date: 05/Jun/2023, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : NFO

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition : General Service

Grade Level : G-3

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration : Fixed-term: 2 years with possibility of extension

Post Number : 0404500

CCOG Code : 2101

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 Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO’s work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition. It liaises with Member Countries, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues, and strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyses and disseminates information on the world’s forest resources and on the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.

The position is located in the Forestry Division 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 Director, NFO and receives guidance/supervision from the senior Office Assistant in the Director’s office. 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, screen and direct telephone calls and visitors; 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.
•  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 travel: 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 (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). 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

•  Knowledge of the communication and documentation standards.
•  Knowledge of corporate computerized financial/travel/human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies.
•  Knowledge of the organizational structure.

Desirable Qualifications and Skills

•  Experience in front office environment including correspondence and minute taking.
•  Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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 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: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries allowances/salary.htm

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 assistance please contact: Careers@fao.org

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT