Assistant FAO Representative (Administration)
Lilongwe
- Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- Location: Lilongwe
- Grade: Junior level - NO-A, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
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Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Administrative support
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Managerial positions
- Closing Date: 2025-02-27
IMPORTANT NOTICE\: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments
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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender and nationality
• People with disabilities are protected from any type of discrimination during any stage of employment, including the recruitment phase
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization
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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 Nations and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.
The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.
Specifically, FAO Country Offices\:
I. advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO's mandate;
II. provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
III. assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
IV. position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation;
V. ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.
The FAO CPF in Malawi 2024-2028 has three thematic priorities\: agriculture and food systems transformation; sustainable management of nature resource and environment; and resilience building and emergency responses.
The position is located in the FAO Representation in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Reporting Lines
The Assistant FAO Representative (Administration) reports to the FAO Representative.
Technical Focus
Programme administration and financial management, including accounting and personnel administration.
Key Results
Effective and efficient provision of administrative support to the programme and project activities of the FAO Representation.
Key Functions
• Provides support in the areas of administration, finance and budgetary control.
• Maintains all financial records and monitoring systems of the office and assists with monitoring of various accounts; supervises and/or maintains imprest accounts; ensures that operational expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and that all committing documents are complete and consistent; and reports variations from budgets.
• Supervises the administrative team, assisting with organizing and/or retrieving, entering, selecting and analysing data from a wide variety of sources, including FAO's corporate systems.
• Prepares financial and administrative correspondence for the office, including the processing of payments in accordance established rules; maintains a filing system; and ensures that an appropriate paper trail with key documentation is archived.
• Assists with the preparation of recurring reports on programme, project and office accounts; provides support in the preparation of reports for budget planning, audits and other related requests; liaises with local banks and financial institutions.
• Monitors the receipt of Government contributions and ensures that all procurement and custom clearances for programmes, projects and the office are properly requested and obtained.
• Ensures the compliance with the Organization's security guidelines (Minimum Operational Security Standards - MOSS).
Specific Functions
• Acts as the Head of the Administrative and Finance Unit of FAO-Malawi, and as the focal point person of FAO-Malawi to the Operational Management Team (OMT) of the UN Country Team (UNCT) Malawi.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• National of Malawi.
• Advanced university degree in a field related to business or public administration.
• One year of relevant experience in office management, administration, accounting and/or audit, budget or finance.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and Chichewa.
Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of office management and administration including supervisory experience.
• Extent of knowledge of UN or standard operational rules and procedures and project/programme administrative management procedures.
• Knowledge of FAO's corporate systems and data base, or knowledge of other accounting or financial modules or applications relevant to accounting procedures or project budget management would be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated analytical and judgment skills and ability to apply rules and regulations in the subject field.
Assistant FAO Representatives shall be granted fixed-term appointments for such period or periods as the Organization may determine and having an expiration date specified in the letter of appointment or extension. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the total length of service shall not exceed ten years. Appointments, including extensions, do not carry any expectation of renewal or of conversion to another type of appointment. However, this does not preclude the incumbents from applying to other positions in the Organization.
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Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
• AFAORs shall be granted fixed-term appointments for such period or periods as the Organization may determine and having an expiration date specified in the letter of appointment or extension. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the total length of service shall not exceed ten years. Appointments, including extensions, do not carry any expectation of renewal or of conversion to another type of appointment. However, this does not preclude the incumbents from applying to other positions in the Organization
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
• Staff members in this category are recruited locally and paid according to a local salary scale. Salary scales are reviewed periodically on the basis of comprehensive surveys of the best prevailing conditions of employment in the locality.
• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment
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CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link\: https\://commonsystem.org/cp/default.asp
FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes\:
• elements of family-friendly policies
• flexible working arrangements
• standards of conduct
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HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http\://www.whed.net/
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help, or have queries, please contact\: https\://fao.service-now.com/csp
FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.