Office Assistant

Organizational Setting

The Investment Centre (CFI) promotes investment in food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing in developing countries and countries in transition, assisting governments and country stakeholders, main development partners, in particular international financing institutions with the strategic planning and implementation of their investments to achieve food security and nutrition, make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more sustainable and productive, reduce rural poverty, make food value chains more efficient and inclusive and promote climate change adaptation and/or mitigation. CFI is a multidisciplinary centre composed of four regionally focused services, namely Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Service; Asia and the Pacific Service; Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean Service; and Near East, North Africa, and West Africa Service.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a large 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 one or more Professional staff and receives guidance from a higher graded Office Assistant. He/she acts independently in routine matters. Supervision received is focused on the quality of the work performed and provides for on-the-job learning.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant usually interacts with a wide variety of colleagues within the work unit and with immediate clients within the Organization, providing routine administrative and office support services.

Key Functions/Results

• Arrange appointments for the supervisor, receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls and respond to routine requests for information; • Provide office, administrative and logistics support to meetings, committees, conferences, etc.; • Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions; • Respond or draft responses to standard/ routine correspondence and other communications; use word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports; • Proofread documents and format texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style, as well as for adherence to established standards; • Initiate general administrative tasks in the computerized financial / travel / human resources systems; • Make travel and hotel arrangements and prepare travel authorizations/claims for staff as required; • Provide assistance in the administrative processing of vacancy announcements and consultants' contracts; • Research, compile and organize information and reference materials from various sources for reports; create spreadsheets and presentations; manage and update databases for mailing lists and other information; and maintain electronic and paper files; • Perform other duties as required.

Impact of work

The incumbent’s work impacts on the timely and efficient delivery of office support services and on the overall output of the work unit. **CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements**

Education: Secondary School Education Experience: Three years of relevant experience in office support work Languages: Working knowledge (Level C) of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge (Level B) of a second FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) IT Skills: 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

• Good knowledge of communication and documentation standards • Good knowledge of corporate computerized financial / travel / human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Good knowledge of consultant recruitment and travel corporate procedures • Knowledge of CFI investment operations and partners • Good knowledge of procedures for FAO Letter of agreements (LOA); • Working knowledge of Spanish would be an asset • Ability to proof-read Terms of Reference and Assignment Summary Reports in English

Assessment

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