Executive Assistant

Organizational Setting

The key mission of the FAO Representation in Somalia, which is led by the FAO Representative (FAOR), is to assist and support the national government in developing policies, strategies and programme aimed at accelerating the implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in FAO's global mandate and strategic objectives.

More specifically, FAO's response aims to address national needs and priorities in achieving food security, reducing hunger and malnutrition, developing agricultural, fishery and forestry sectors, ensuring the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources and responding to recurrent emergencies.

The current portfolio of activities of the FAO Representation in Somalia includes a wide scope of technical support interventions ranging from policy support through livestock and crop production to natural resource management, Nutrition, value chain, food security analysis and water and land information management. FAO is also implementing several emergency, resilience building, and development interventions, with the support of its five field offices and close to 400 staff in partnership with the Federal and State line ministries.

Reporting Lines

The Executive Assistant will be under the overall supervision and general supervision of the FAO Representative in Somalia.

Technical Focus

The Executive Assistant will be responsible for successful and timely collation of high-quality briefing and presentation materials for the Representative for appointments, meetings, missions. He/She will promote positive organizational culture through finding quick solutions and turn around to challenges facing the FAOR’s office.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Manage the calendar of the FAOR to schedule appointments. • Prepare advance briefing notes for the FAOR on matters before meetings and trips. • Consolidate sectoral documents for ease of reference by the FAOR. • Prepare correspondence and assemble documents for participants and provide administrative and secretarial support during meetings. • Schedule and prepare meeting notes for FAOSO management meetings. • Organize meetings and events held in the country/ field offices FAOR will attend in coordination with relevant units Organize, compile and process information from donors, Regional and headquarter offices, and programme teams, for the FAOR. • Coordinate the support the preparation and drafting of aide memoires, concept notes, memoranda, and other substantive documents, in coordination with concerned FAOSO Sections and Units. • Liaise with high level officials on administrative issues. • Initiate and follow-up a broad variety of administrative and operational actions including the FAOR’s travel itinerary, procurement requests, and liaison with the relevant sectors for timely completion of the same. • Prepare briefs on specific issues to support the FAOR, at meetings and on mission and follow up on any actions resulting from the meetings or missions attended. • Receive and review FAOR correspondences, and identifying actions to be taken with minimum instructions and prepare replies to correspondence on operations matters; identify non-routine matters and potential policy issues, prepare background analysis, and refer matter with relevant notes to the FAOR. • Establish a filing system for the FAOR’s office, maintain up-to-date records, control of records, files, and official correspondence, and maintain communications and correspondence logs for various official matters. • Coordinate drafting, reviewing and preparation of talking points and speeches for FAOR participation in events and review of external communications. • Set up, update, and maintain directories, telephone and e-mail lists, office records and files, reference guides, and manuals for the FAOR’s office. • Receive and welcome the FAOR’s visitors, external staff and UN agencies and other national and international institutions and government officials). • Receive, screen and place calls; respond to telephone, e-mail, and personal enquiries; refer non-recurring matters and difficult issues to the FAOR. • Carry out general administrative and secretariat tasks as appropriate. • Perform other related duties required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in business administration, management, law, economics, or a related field is required. • At least five years of relevant experience (for consultant Category B) in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources. • Working knowledge (level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Successful and timely collation of high-quality briefing and presentation materials for the Representative for appointments, meetings, missions. • Promote positive organizational culture through finding quick solutions and turn around to challenges facing the FAOR’s office. • Effective support to various Donors, Government officials and stakeholders during meetings at the office. • FAO Representative's (FAOR’) calendar and professional networks including contacts with high-ranking visitors and partners managed appropriately. • Timely arrangement of FAOR’s appointments and meetings. • Timely compilation of meeting minutes. • Effective follow up with stakeholders on follow up actions.