Office Associate at Food and Agriculture Organization Of the United Nations

Post Number: 0130818
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Organizational Unit: FRNIR
Job Type: Staff position
Type of Requisition: General Service
Grade Level: G-6
Duration: Fixed term: one year with possibility of extension

Organizational Setting

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Nigeria which is headed by an FAO Representative assists the governments 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. 
• The country also supports humanitarian responses in the North East of Nigeria in order to increase the resilience of livelihoods to food and agriculture threats and crises.
• The Office Associate, therefore supports the Country Representative in day to day management and administration of the office in order to achieve the mandate of the FAO.

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/ department or location.

Supervision Received / Exercised:

• The incumbent works under the general supervision of the FAO Representative and the direct supervision of the functional supervisor.  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.

Key Functions / Results

• Analyze, 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.

Minimum Requirements
Candidates will be assessed against the following:

• Education: Secondary School Education
• Experience: Five years of relevant experience in management and office support work
• Languages: Working knowledge (Level C) of English
• IT Skills: Very good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment

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 corporate computerized financial / travel / human resources systems
• Thorough knowledge of the organizational structure, administrative procedures and policies and matters of protocol

Desirable Qualifications And Skills
Limited knowledge of French (Level B) will be considered an advantage

Assessment:

• Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a technical / competency-based interview.

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