Executive Associate

Organizational Settings

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) is a regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) established under the provisions of Article XIV of the FAO Constitution. The main objective of the GFCM is to promote the development, conservation, rational management and best utilization of living marine resources as well as the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. To this end, the GFCM formulates and recommends appropriate measures for the conservation and rational management of living marine resources and ensures these recommendations are implemented; constantly reviews the economic and social aspects of the fishing industry, recommending specific measures in connection with its development; promotes and carries out training, research and development activities, in addition to cooperation and technical assistance in fisheries-related fields; collects, publishes and disseminates information on exploitable living marine resources and on fisheries exploiting these resources; and promotes programmes for marine and coastal fisheries enhancement.

The post is located in the GFCM headquarters at Palazzo Blumenstihl (Via Vittoria Colonna 1, Rome, Italy) and the incumbent is expected to support the Executive Secretary and relevant staff of the GFCM Secretariat, including its subregional technical units, transversally.

Main Purpose

The Executive Associate manages the office and provides management support functions of the GFCM Secretariat, both at headquarters and within its five subregional technical units. He/she ensures the quality and smooth flow of office work and information, in line with the administrative decisions taken by the Commission. The job role requires applied knowledge and interpretation of office policies, procedures and practices. The incumbent provides procedural guidance to managers and staff in the Office.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Executive Associate reports to the GFCM Executive Secretary. Work is performed autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative and independent judgment. Managerial guidance received focuses on integration of the work with related services, organizational units and GFCM Contracting Parties, Cooperating non-Contracting Parties and select non-Contracting Parties as well as relevant partner organizations. The incumbent coordinates, supervises and trains other office support staff at GFCM headquarters and the subregional technical units operating in its area of competence.

Working Relationships

The incumbent maintains an extensive range of contacts both within the Organization and with external partners, counterparts and senior managers, providing comprehensive support services and offering process improvements. Matters are often sensitive or controversial, requiring proficient handling of information and contacts.

Key Functions/Results

• Analyse, 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. • Serve as reference point regarding the duties of the office: answer substantive questions requiring extensive research and independently obtain clarification; draft correspondence and reply to enquiries on own initiative; provide advice on procedural and administrative requirements. • Conduct extensive research and prepare briefing material for the supervisor; select a variety of information from various sources and present findings in appropriate form. • Manage the calendar for the supervisor and schedule appointments and meetings; arrange travels and visits, notifying organizations and officials to be visited, receive visitors. • Liaise with appropriate staff within FAO to ensure timely submission of inputs to publications, reports and other documentation; review documents and make changes to their format or style in accordance with standard practice. • Serve as contact person/link between supervisor and senior staff regarding office issues and information; on behalf of supervisor, keep others informed by conveying directives, reports, status updates and other relevant information; bring sensitive and urgent matters to the attention of the supervisor. • Coordinate the logistic arrangements of meetings with high-level officials including all preparation, delivery and follow-up activities with internal and external partners and participants; draft briefing information to support the supervisor's participation in meetings, councils and programme activities. • Coordinate, monitor and process administrative actions (human resources, contracts, procurement, accounting, finance, logistics) in FAO's computerized systems. • Provide expert guidance to staff on relevant administrative issues; train and coordinate other office support staff in the Office; coordinate the work of office support staff. • Review systems and processes under area of responsibility to ensure that they meet the needs of the work stream; formulate proposals for improvements. • Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The Executive Associate plays a lead role in the integration and coordination of office and management support services. The impact of work extends to related functions and corporate activities. The incumbent's work contributes to the successful achievement of the Commission’s mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education Experience: Six years of experience in office and management support work Languages: Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and either French or Spanish IT Skills: Very good 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 • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Skills

• Excellent knowledge of communication and documentation standards. • Excellent knowledge of organizational structure, administrative procedures and policies and matters of protocol. • Excellent knowledge of corporate computerized systems. • Excellent knowledge about the management of large/high level in-presence and/or hybrid meetings. • Excellent knowledge of the use and functioning of digital network systems, cloud services and virtual platforms (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.).

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Excellent knowledge of financial procedures in support to the management of office spaces, relevant resources and projects. • Excellent drafting skills and experience in complex multimillion administrative and financial reporting customized by donor. • Excellent planning, organizational skills and accuracy, including the required tact, courtesy and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. • Extensive experience in managing a front office and providing support to the management of assigned offices and/or buildings (e.g. procurement of goods and services, timely planning and execution of maintenance services, etc.). • Extensive experience in the internal organization of capacity building activities, including delivery of guidance, mentoring and supervision to relevant General Service staff. • Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of another official FAO language. • Certification of Prince2 on project management will be considered an asset. • Familiarity with the work of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and/or FAO Article XIV Bodies