Office Assistant

Organizational Setting

The post is located in the Programme Support Unit of the Deputy Director-General-Semedo (DDG-Semedo)’s Stream at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. It operates under the supervision of the Programne Support Officer and, in coordination with the other team members of the Programne Support Unit, provides office and administrative support to several matters related to corporate processes, travel, human resources and staff development for the Divisions/Offices/Centres under DDG-Semedo.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to Programme Support Officer. He/she acts independently in routine matters and consults with supervisor(s) on new and/or more complex issues and procedures. Supervision received provides for technical and procedural guidance and on-the-job learning.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant interacts with a variety of colleagues from within the work unit. Interactions relate to the exchange of routine information and the provision of standard office support services.

Key Functions/Results

• Type, format and draft routine correspondence; collate tables, reports, presentations, publications and other documentation. • Receive and direct telephone calls and visitors; screen and send e-mails; respond to routine internal and external enquiries and/or refer to appropriate contacts/units. • Enter, retrieve, structure and update selected information and data from various sources (e.g. Intra-/Internet, office files, etc.); present results in standard format. • Set up and maintain office files and reference systems according to standard procedures, including an e-book for signatures. • Initiate, view and track a variety of administrative transactions in the computerized financial/travel/human resources systems. • Support the organization and administration of meetings, workshops and events (e.g. arranging for meeting rooms and other facilities). • Assist with arranging for travels: organize transport, logistics, accommodation, documents. • Ensure availability of office supplies and appropriate maintenance of office equipment. • Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The Office Assistant participates as part of a team in the provision of administrative and office support services. Actions reflect on the immediate and wider work unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education. Experience: Two years of relevant experience in office support work. Languages: Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English. IT Skills: Knowledge of 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 Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of communication and documentation standards. • Knowledge of corporate computerized financial/travel /human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies. • Knowledge of the organizational structure.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Given the high volume of incoming/outgoing emails, proven experience in monitoring the unit mailbox and taking timely action is considered an asset. • Front office experience. • Knowledge of the Global Resource Management System (GRMS). • Limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of one of the other working languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) would be considered an asset.