What does the Administration officer role at WFP entail? Find out in this video:
Teoman Alp is an Admin Officer, currently supporting the emergency in South Sudan. Here he describes more about his job and daily challenges.
My role includes…
keeping the WFP wheels turning. The Admin function touches everything required to support WFP to implement programmes. We manage office facilities, vehicle fleets, travel, protocol and assets – which covers everything from furniture to IT equipment.
My job is very varied. One day you might see me in a suit and tie for meeting government officials, and the next surveying a construction site for a potential new office. In the morning I might be checking the capacity of a borehole and in the afternoon analysing budget numbers. Doing a mix of these activities is an average day for an Admin Officer. The role requires knowledge of business processes and systems, and an ability to do things in the most cost-efficient way.
The most common misconception about my job is…
that anyone can do it. In actual fact you need to have a strong and varied skill set. You need to be a good communicator with the ability to convey messages to different audiences – cross functionally and cross culturally. You have to be well organized as there are often a lot of balls in the air and you need to stay on top of every changing priority. You also need to be technologically proficient, as we use a number of different systems. And you need to be adaptable and creative - things change fast and Admin Officers need to be able to adjust and come up with solutions quickly and reliably.
A highlight during my time at WFP…
was my first general food distribution experience in Darfur in 2006. Seeing the direct impact of WFP’s work was eye opening and truly uplifting. The situation was tense but WFP teams worked together to make sure that the food arrived, that people were registered, and that parcels were delivered to the people who needed it. I felt overwhelmed at the scope of what we were doing but proud of WFP for getting it done, despite the challenging environment. As an Admin Officer I had to provide all necessary support to the Programme teams, and I had the sensation that as WFP delivered, so did I. It reaffirmed my choice to dedicate myself to work for Admin in WFP.
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Teoman Alp: Mini CV
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The most rewarding part of my job is…
knowing that if the job is well done and WFP reaches the people in need, then in part it was because we in Administration provided the support to make it possible. The visas were there, travel was organized on time, vehicles were operational and drivers were ready to take our colleagues where they needed to be. It’s gratifying to know that our work means that, even in difficult environments, WFP staff have functioning offices to work in, and guesthouses where they can rest and gather strength for the next day.
The one essential main attribute you need to have for this job is…
being results-oriented. This will drive you to be open-minded and find creative solutions. There are many ways to solve a problem, and diverse operational contexts often call for solutions that are different to those tried in the past.
The advice I'd give someone interested in this type of work is...
Not everyone realizes how much we are involved in operations and how broad the scope of the function is. WFP employees are our clients and we aim to provide the best level of service possible. This is an essential aspect of the culture of Administration.
Whether you love systems or people management, being in the field or in the office, Administration is at the heart of getting to people. If you like diversity in your work and are a problem-solver, come on board and let's do the job together!
We hope this WFP Staff member story inspired you, and that you will be looking forward to apply to the Administration FIT Pool and join our organization to Saving Lives and Changing Lives!.
Learn more about the FIT Pool and apply to the Administration FIT Pool by May 17:
P2 - Junior level P3 - Mid level P4 - Mid Level
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How WFP’s new Future International Talent Pool enables faster deployment of Organizational key-roles