Junior Letter of Agreement (LoA) Specialist

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that this call for expression of interest is only intended for candidates who are currently residing in Rome or are living within commuting distance (i.e. within 100 km from Rome). No travel or related expenses are envisaged.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The Procurement Service (CSLP) provides advice, guidance and oversight for FAO procurement operations and Letters of Agreement Quality Assurance both at headquarters and in FAO decentralized offices; it provides policy and operational support to ensure that the Organization procures goods, works and services based on "Best Value for Money" principles.

Letters of Agreement are specialized contractual instrument that are used to acquire from non-profit and government organizations services that are not commercially available (e.g. in the context of humanitarian operations, academic research etc.)

The Junior Letter of Agreement (LoA) Specialist will be located at FAO HQ and will provide support to all FAO offices requiring guidance on Letters of Agreement and perform compliance reviews for high value Letters of Agreement submitted by headquarters units and field offices.

Reporting Lines

The Junior Letter of Agreement (LoA) Specialist will work under the general guidance of the Contracts Officer (LoA) in CSLP.

Technical Focus

Contracts for non-commercial services. The Junior Letter of Agreement (LoA) Specialist will perform activities related to compliance checks on LoAs and other administrative tasks to support the function of Quality Assurance review for high value LoAs.

Tasks and responsibilities

The key functions of the Junior Letter of Agreement (LoA) Specialist will be as following:
• Perform Quality Assurance reviews of LoAs and amendments submitted to CSLP review and approval by assessing administrative completeness, consistency as per internal control framework, and alignment with MS507 requirements.
• Provide advice to personnel in HQ and country offices on issues related to the LoA management.
• Check documentation for quality assurance review of high-value LoAs and amendments, including Terms of Reference, Notes for the File, and any supporting documentation.
• Manage the requests for Ad-Hoc Re-Delegation of Authority inclusive recommendation for the approval of such requests.
• Prepare the documentation and minutes of the Headquarter Letter of Agreement Committee’s meetings and maintain custody of the records of the Committee deliberations and decisions.
• Prepare all necessary communications and documentation in the combination of languages of the Junior Letter of Agreement (LoA) Specialist, ensuring accurate and appropriate use of technical LoA terminology and consistency of language across materials.
• Assist in the preparation of materials for training sessions of LoA. Edit / translate training material and forms related to GRMS and MS507
• Produce statistical reports on SLAs related to LoAs processed by CSLP, decentralized offices, and HQ divisions.
• Advise users across all organizational units, when required, on the preparation and management of LoA Purchase Orders in FAO’s ERP
• Control the accuracy and integrity of LoA Purchase Orders that require CSL’s approval.
• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• For Consultants: Advanced University Degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Accounting, Procurement, Law, Business Administration, Economics, International Studies or International Relations, Organization Management, Human Resources or a related field. Consultants with bachelor’s degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
• For PSA.SBS: University degree (or technical degree/certificate) from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Accounting, Procurement, Law, Business Administration, Economics, International Studies or International Relations, Organization Management, Human Resources or a related field
• A minimum of one year of relevant experience in finance or business administration or procurement or legal work or project management or administration of contracts or grants or logistics.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Familiarity with enterprise resource planning and other corporate management software, particularly purchasing and financial management functions is desirable.
• Familiarity with administrative management practices is desirable.
• Knowledge of ERP based system is desirable.
• Proven report writing skills in English and in French/Spanish is desirable.

Selection criteria

• Knowledge of a second language including French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian is considered an asset
• Previous experience in non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, or related fields.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
• 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/
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

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/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.

• 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 create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT