Operations and Administrative Assistant

Organizational Setting

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. FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. The main aim of the FAO country office in Zambia, which is headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist the Government to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO emergency and resilience building interventions contribute to the implementation of the Country Programming Framework (CFP) through two of the four priority areas: (2) Sustainable management of the natural resource base and Increasing Resilience and Uptake of Climate Smart Agriculture; (3) Enhance food security and nutrition status.

FAO’s work in emergencies and resilience building focuses on reducing people’s vulnerability to hazards before, during and after disasters through risk assessment, risk reduction, preparedness, coordination, emergency response and rehabilitation.

Reporting lines

The Project Assistant will work under the overall supervision of FAO Representative and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (programmes) and in close collaboration with the relevant staff in FAO Zambia and counterpart entities, the incumbent will carry out the following tasks:

Technical Focus

The incumbent will be responsible for providing operational and administrative support to emergency projects, thereby ensuring smooth and efficient daily project implementation. Primarily the focus will be on the following areas:
•    Budget preparation and tracking
•    Operationalisation and effective logistical support to the projects
•    Support services to project implementation and administration including liaison and coordination

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Monitor emergency project budgets, ensuring that funds are properly allocated and reported upon, and take corrective action if required; inform management of any budget issues that may require attention.
•    Provide support to the Emergency and Resilience Project Coordinator in the preparation of the Periodic Budgetary Reports (PBR), the biennial Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) and related work plans for the division as needed.
•    Prepare project budget revisions in consultation with the Emergency and Resilience Project Coordinator and the Programme Associate
•    Respond to a variety of routine queries and provide clarifications on programme and project matters; inform management and team members of processes, procedures and timeframes to secure administrative services needed for programme/project execution; initiate correspondence to verify data, obtain additional information on transactions and budgetary matters.
•    Review data quality and maintain office records and reference files on various subjects; compile and synthesize data from various sources to support financial analyses on programme/project activities; generate periodic or ad-hoc management reports.
•    Coordinate the full array of administrative and financial actions related to staff management, non-staff support, travel, payments and procurement.
•    Review and direct correspondence, calls and queries to appropriate contacts; provide for background information; respond to routine enquiries
•    Initiate or take follow-up action for a broad variety of operational and administrative actions necessary for the implementation of projects, such as government clearances, requests for personnel action, letters of introduction / instruction, briefing schedules, procurement of equipment, to ensure they are dealt with in a timely manner
•    Lead and act as the focal point for the emergency projects in the use of corporate systems and tools relevant to managing the field programme, i.e. FPMIS and its monitoring and budgeting tools, GRMS, etc.
•    Preparation of PRs and organizing trainings and workshops
•    Maintain an electronic filing system of technical and project documents
•    Review and make recommendations to improve current programme/project administration procedures and processes.
•    Perform other functions as required

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements  

Candidates should meet the following:
•    A minimum of bachelor’s degree in the field of Agriculture Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, or related fields.
•    At least 3 years’ experience in project management, operations, administration or related disciplines with a project under an international NGO, Development Agency, Government of the Republic of Zambia, or UN Organization in a multi-cultural office environment is required.
•    Working knowledge of the English language (C1)
•    Zambian National

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Experience in programmes, operations and administration
•    Excellent interpersonal communication and coordination skills, and a proven ability to work constructively with a variety of stakeholders to achieve common goals.
•    Ability to deal with political, technical, and people management challenges, administer budgets and work effectively with all groups involved in the project.
•    Excellent writing skills.
•    Strong computer skills with extensive experience in word processing, spreadsheets, and other basic software applications.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION