Operations Officer

Organizational Setting

The FAO Project Office in Ukraine (FEUKR) is a formal established Office and responsible for leading FAO's response to the national priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities related to the impact of the war, as well as medium- and long-term effects for Ukraine under the overall guidance of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) and in close collaboration with respective units in headquarters.

FEUKR is among the larger FAO Offices in the region with around 100 national and international staff across five offices in Ukraine with locations in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Odesa.

The position of Operations Officer is located in the FAO Project Office in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Reporting LinesThe Operations Officer reports to the Head of Project Office in Ukraine and work closely with Programme, Emergency and Procurement Units and in close collaboration with Lead Technical Officers, the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, the Office of Emergencies and Resilience and FAO headquarters.

Technical FocusLeads and coordinates the operational support function of the field programme, including development, emergency and rehabilitation projects

Key Results

Effective and efficient coordination, as well as provision of operational support to field programme and project activities.

Key Functions

• Manages day-to-day operations on matters relating to the implementation of FAO field programmes, including emergency, rehabilitation and development project operations.
• Participates in the design and formulation of project proposals, ensures quality assurance under different funding arrangements.
• Coordinates project budget preparation, financial control, human resource management, travel, logistics, missions and operation backstopping to field offices.
• Oversees the support and strengthening of the operational structure, including training of national personnel, to ensure the necessary operational capacity is maintained for the implementation of the FAO field programme.
• Coordinates the preparation of emergency, rehabilitation and development project work plans, monitors progress and identifies corrective measures to overcome operational constraints.
• Liaises with FAO technical units to ensure technical quality in programme and project activities.
• Analyses the Government requests for emergency, rehabilitation and development assistance and develops project and programme proposals to mobilize donor (and aid programmes of the UN system) funds for FAO operations in line with the Country Programming Framework (CPF).
• Supports resource mobilization efforts by liaising with donors (in line with the Resource Mobilization Strategy).
• Coordinates the preparation of briefs, financial and programme/project implementation reports, including final statements to governments and donors.
• Builds and maintains partnerships with relevant stakeholders and/or partners to develop capacity for efficient field programme/project delivery.
• Coordinates field monitoring, programming and assessment missions as required to assess the emerging needs and implementation of the project as well as to plan project activities.
• Liaises with other UN organizations and partners (non-governmental organizations, national authorities and donors, etc.) at the appropriate level on emergency response and development assistance.
• Coordinates and participates in technical and international meetings.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Specific Functions

• Supervises teams working in Operations, Administration and Human Resources, leading personnel towards high performance, efficiency and collaboration.
• Coordinates the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects, etc., as well as monitors and analyses programme/project development and implementation.
• Oversees the preparation of relevant documents and reports and identifies problems and issues to be addressed, proposing corrective actions, liaising with relevant parties, identifying and tracking follow-up actions.
• Coordinates the Project Office operational procedures (monitoring of opening and closure of projects, budget monitoring, budget revisions) and on the use of FAO systems.
• Monitors project expenditures, periodically revises the projects' financial status and alerts project managers to impending under/over expenditures; ensures timely submission of financial reports to donors and reviews project transaction listings with the objective of identifying errors in accounting against budget lines.
• Reviews and certifies and approves all payments relevant to Service Providers and Suppliers.
• Develops and implements capacity building activities (training workshops, seminars, presentations etc.)
• Coordinates activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and reviews related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.)

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agriculture, economics, business administration and management, international relations or another field related to the work of the Organization.
• Seven years of relevant experience inthe management, operation and support of emergency - rehabilitation and development programmes.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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 field programme/project operations in the food security and agriculture sector.
• Familiarity with FAO's Project Cycle guidelines and knowledge of FAO processes and administrative systems is considered a strong asset.
• Extent and relevance of experience in liaising with international donor organizations and development partners and in preparing proposals for funding, monitoring budgets and preparing financial reports in donor specific formats.
• Extent and relevance of experience in programme or project management.
• Extent and relevance of experience in leading teams effectively.