Programme 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 its staff and international consultants 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
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.

The FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in the Republic of Kazakhstan is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing, and
implementing strategies for addressing food security, agriculture, and rural development priorities in the country in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and other national stakeholders.

Reporting Lines

The Programme Assistant will work under the overall supervision of the Lead Technical Officer and the direct supervision of the Programme Officer/Team Leader FAO Kazakhstan.

Technical Focus

The Programme Assistant develops and maintains support processes related to the coordination and delivery of FAO programmes, ensuring compliance with FAO norms and procedures.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will be performing following duties and tasks:

• In line with the revised Project Cycle, help ensure data concerning the office’s field programme portfolio is up-to-date in the
Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS), with relevant project documentation uploaded as
appropriate;
• Provide support to the project teams on day-to-day coordination/implementation of the project in accordance with the annual work plan;
• Assist in following up on administrative and financial actions related to programme/project staff/NHSR recruitment,
management and support; travel; payments; and procurement;
• Make arrangements for programme-related meetings, seminars and events: implement logistics, prepare correspondence, compile and distribute documents, make administrative arrangements; support in preparing background material, working papers, and tables for briefings, review sessions, and meetings.
• Process, format and proof-read project/programme reports, documents, publications and correspondence from draft texts,
related to the field programme;
• Review and direct correspondence, calls and queries to appropriate contacts; provide background information; respond to
routine enquiries related to project implementation;
• Support in following up with UNDP for the timely release of payments and disbursing office/projects expenditures in line with ASRs (Agency Service Requests) issued by FAO HQ/REU/SEC;
• Collect and compile data on programme/project activities to support reporting on programme/ project, provide information
on programme/ project expenditures and status of programme/ project budget;
• Prepare correspondence to verify data, answer queries, and obtain additional information on transactions and operational
matters, as required.
• Support in carrying out other specific operational tasks for programme/project implementation as requested.
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Completed Secondary School of Education supported by training in business administration, public management, finance or other fields relevant to the mandate of the Organization;
• 3 years of experience in programme/project implementation relevant to the mandate of the Organization;
• Knowledge of United Nations/FAO’s operational guidelines and project / programme management procedures is an asset.
• Working knowledge of English and Russian (C1). Knowledge of Kazakh is an asset.
• National of Kazakhstan or resident of the country with valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

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 a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
• 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.

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
• 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