National Administrative Assistant

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• 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

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the United Nations agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security, while promoting sustainable agriculture and the sustainable management of natural resources. FAO Papua New Guinea (PNG) supports programme and project delivery through effective country-office management and operational support.

The National Administrative Assistant provides executive, administrative and protocol support to the Head of Office, while also supporting the effective administrative and operational functioning of FAO PNG across its programme and project portfolio. The position supports the Head of Office as well as selected logistics, procurement, financial administration, office management and project coordination support functions to projects.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Head of Office (HoO) and reports directly to the HoO.

Technical Focus

Provide executive, administrative, secretarial and protocol support to the Head of Office, including management of calendars and correspondence, communication, travel and security arrangements, transport, meetings, records and official visitors. In addition, provide administrative and operational support to FAO PNG programmes and projects, including logistics and event coordination, procurement documentation and follow-up, financial and travel administration, asset and inventory records, office management, and liaison with internal and external stakeholders, in accordance with FAO rules and procedures.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive administrative, secretarial and clerical support to the Head of Office, including carrying out assigned errands and following up on tasks to ensure timely completion.
• Manage the Head of Office’s calendar and appointments; schedule meetings and events; prepare agendas and, as required, take minutes and follow up on action points.
• Screen and manage the Head of Office’s correspondence, draft emails and other routine communications, and monitor relevant FAO PNG email accounts, flagging requests requiring the Head of Office’s review or clearance.
• Act as a focal point for internal and external communications on behalf of the Head of Office, as required, and receive and direct official telephone calls and visitors.
• Liaise with office drivers to arrange transport for the Head of Office and coordinate official protocol arrangements, including airport reception and assistance with immigration or customs formalities when required.
• Arrange official travel for the Head of Office and other staff as assigned, including travel authorizations, security clearances and related logistics.
• Collate and maintain Management Team information, official documents, correspondence and records in organized electronic and physical filing systems, ensuring appropriate retrieval and confidentiality.
• Provide clerical support, including scanning, photocopying, binding, filing and preparation of official documents.
• Coordinate logistics for workshops, training sessions, stakeholder meetings and field missions, including venues, catering, equipment, participant arrangements and transport.
• Support the movement and delivery of programme/project inputs, equipment and materials; coordinate with suppliers, service providers and contractors to follow up on delivery of goods and services.
• Assist with payment requests, advances and expense claims; maintain petty cash records where applicable; reconcile expenditures; track expenditure against budget lines; flag variances; and compile supporting documentation for financial reporting and audit purposes.
• Coordinate, update and maintain FAO PNG travel plans, and follow up with project and programme teams ensuring proper planning and compliance with FAO travel policies and procedures.
• Prepare and process travel authorizations and travel claims for staff and consultants, as assigned.
• Record travel arrangements in the applicable FAO systems, including GRMS; submit UNDSS TRIP clearances where required; and follow up on Local Travel Authorizations (LTAs), Travel Expense Claims (TECs) and settlements for domestic and international missions, as assigned.
• Maintain records of office and project assets, equipment and supplies and support periodic inventory checks and physical verification.
• Maintain records of obsolete, damaged or unused items and support the approved disposal process, including documentation for items to be donated to government counterparts, partners or beneficiaries.
• Maintain and update stock and inventory records in COIN and supporting spreadsheets; support the annual Physical Asset Verification exercise and prepare or contribute to the Physical Asset Verification Report and Inventory Quantity Report.
• Support day-to-day office management, including monitoring office supplies, utilities and maintenance needs, and coordinating administrative matters with relevant FAO PNG colleagues.
• Maintain complete fleet-management records, including fuel dockets and fuel consumption data; compile, verify and reconcile fuel information, identify discrepancies and submit periodic fuel-consumption reports to the supervisor.
• Support the coordination of FAO project teams andprovide administrative and operational support to other FAO PNG projects as directed by the Head of Office.
• Issue monthly staff data credits and monitor shared office accounts or related administrative arrangements, as assigned.
• Provide backup administrative support as required and perform other related duties assigned by the Head of Office.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Business Management, Business Administration or a related field.
• At least five (5) years of relevant experience in a personal assistant, executive support or administrative role.
o Experience supporting programme/project operations, procurement, finance or logistics is an advantage.
o Relevant administrative and programme support experience is an asset.
• Working knowledge of English
• National of Papua New Guinea or resident in Papua New Guinea with a valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, including the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and coordinate with government and partner organizations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, including drafting clear correspondence and maintaining accurate records.
• Proficiency in standard office software, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, attention to detail, discretion and the ability to handle confidential information.
• Experience in procurement documentation, financial administration, travel processing, logistics or office management is an advantage.
• Ability to prioritize competing requests, solve routine operational problems and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Experience working with development projects, UN agencies, international organizations or NGOs is desirable.
• Familiarity with Papua New Guinea and local stakeholder context is desirable;
• Tok Pisin language skills are an advantage.

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

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• 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 other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required. Vaccination status will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.

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