Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. We believe that everyone can play a part in ending hunger.
FAO’s Country Office for Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname (FAOTT/FAOSR) and the Food Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF) at FAO HQ (Rome), under the Agri-food Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA) program co-led with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and funded by the UNSDG fund, are implementing a project for the sustainable development of the pineapple value chain (VC) in Suriname.
ESF supports a coordinated approach to the development of food systems, including inter alia, (i) the development of sustainable food value chains (SFVC) and sustainable investments across value chains (VC); (ii) the strengthening of food safety and quality at national, regional and international levels, (iii) the reductions in food loss and waste, (iv) the implementation of the urban food agenda and (v) the engagement in global level dialogues, platforms and initiatives
The ASTA project in Suriname aims to facilitate the country’s transformation from a marginal pineapple producer characterized by traditional growing practices, little value-addition and no exports, to an established producer and exporter of high quality organic fresh and processed pineapples. Applying an inclusive, sustainable VC approach, the programme will enable pineapple VC actors, notably indigenous producers, to increase their productivity, competitiveness, and access to markets.
To do so, three separate yet interconnected entities, will be introduced by the project: a Collateral Support Facility, a Pineapple Cooperative Development (PCD) company and a pineapple innovation Hub (the ‘Hub’), which will be set up as a one-stop-shop for all producer needs in terms of access to inputs, services, finance and technical assistance.
The purpose of this call is to identify candidates for the post of Project Administrative and Finance Support to work with the ASTA Project Team in Suriname. The Project Administrative and Finance Support performs a large variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the Project
Reporting Lines
The Project Administrative and Finance Support reports to one or more senior project personnel, including a Senior Economist from ESF, and receives guidance from the Business Manager. He/she acts independently in routine matters. Supervision received is focused on the quality of the work performed and provides for on-the-job learning.
The Project Administrative and Finance Support usually interacts with a wide variety of colleagues within the work unit and with immediate clients within the Organization, providing routine administrative and office support services.
Tasks and responsibilities
The main tasks and responsibilities include:
- Arrange appointments for the team, receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls and respond to routine internal and external enquiries and/or refer to appropriate persons.
• Provide office, protocol, administrative and logistics support to meetings, committees, conferences, etc.
• Receive, screen, file, distribute, draft, format, and monitor incoming and outgoing administrative correspondence and documentation; select and abstract pertinent material for supervisors’ review; identify complex or sensitive material for special treatment.
• Type correspondence, administrative forms and documents, and any other material as required; prepare routine correspondence of administrative nature to verify data, answer queries, and obtain additional information on transactions and financial matters, as required.
• Collate tables, reports, presentations, publications, meeting minutes and other documentation.
• Initiate, view and track a variety of administrative transactions in the computerized financial/travel/human resources systems. This includes, but is not limited to:
– Entering, retrieving, structuring, updating and analysing selected information and data from various sources (e.g. FAO’s corporate system, Intra-/Internet, COIN, GRMS, office files, etc.); verifying accuracy of data and documents and making necessary calculations.
– Assisting with the preparation and processing of travel arrangements (Tas, LTECs, procurement of tickets, UNDSS clearances, etc.),
– Facilitate procurement activities, including organizing and filing background information of vendors and suppliers, organizing meetings and events for the delivery of goods and services procured by the project, etc.
• Set up and maintain office files and reference systems according to standard procedures and ensuring all documentation and data bases are up-to-date (e.g. consultants and contracts files, Vendors contact information and payments, payments to Consultants and Service Providers)
• Ensure availability of office supplies and appropriate maintenance of office equipment.
• Support the PMU in taking minutes and finalizing meeting documents for the Project Steering Committee, the Project Task Force, the Hub board and the Cooperative.
• Prepare Monthly Activity Report of her/his activities and their outputs in support of this project, to be certified by the Budget Holder and kept on FAOR record, in case of future project verifications.
• Maintain an up-to-date accounting system of all expenditures.
• Update and monitor Loan collateral facility financial data and support the Hub in the review of farmers applications.
• Maintain petty cash account including disbursement of funds and records of these disbursements and balances of accounts as required.
• Screen incoming invoices and bills for correctness; respond to telephone and e-mail enquiries on payments, transactions; refer non-recurring matters and difficult issues to respective persons.
• Insert/complete administrative forms/ vendor creation forms invoices/ in GRMS tracks responses/payments to completion.
• Assist with the preparation of project budgets including revision documents.
• Support to the development, roll-out and continuous improvement of an ASTA project M&E system (including M&E strategy, framework and tools related to planning, monitoring, results measurement, evaluation, information and knowledge management) in line with the project’s Project document, logical framework and work-plan as well as the UNDG Standard Administrative Agreement for MDTFs.
• Monitor outcome and output indicators (gender sensitive, disaggregated by sex and age) based on donors’ requirements and FAO strategic objectives; and assist the PMU (Project Management Unit) with the development and review of M&E indicators and analysis.
• Support the PMU in providing real-time information on project progress for meetings and reporting exercises of the Project Steering Committee, Donors, the Joint Project Task Force, the Hub board and the Cooperative, and assist in the timely preparation of technical assessment, progress and terminal reports.
• Assist in documenting challenges, best practices and lessons learned, including through the design and conduct of evaluations, and provide technical guidance informing ongoing and future programming.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
- Completion of bachelor’s degree in financial and administrative support and/or a relevant subject matter
• Five years working experience in administrative, office and financial management tasks.
• Working knowledge of English.
• Nationality of Suriname.
FAO Core Competencies
- Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
- Ability to organize work efficiently with minimum of supervision and to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to analyse and work with quantitative data and information.
• Ability to develop PowerPoints
• Previous experience working on M&E systems.
• MS desired
• Working knowledge of Dutch and knowledge Sranan Tongo is a plus.
• Good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment. Ability to use accounting software and other information systems and databases to insert data, make enquiries, retrieve/define ad hoc reports and analyses and edit results in appropriate format.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
- 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/
- For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
HOW TO APPLY
- To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• 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 FAO 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 contact: Careers@fao.org
FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT
Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2301038&tz=GMT%2B02%3A00&tzname=Europe%2FRome