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Operations Officer

Rome

  • Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  • Location: Rome
  • Grade: Mid level - P-3, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Forestry Division, NFO
  • Closing Date: Closed

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

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• 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 member nations 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 our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, 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

• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization.

Organizational Setting
The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO's work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of forestry, including contributions of forests and trees to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition. Staff of the Division liaise with member countries, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues and strengthening the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyses and disseminates information on the world's forest resources and on the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.
Guided by its new Climate Change Strategy, FAO is scaling up support to developing countries to transition toward sustainable and climate-smart patterns of agricultural development. Such a transition is vital to FAO's efforts to achieve food security and nutrition for all, and can play an important role in broader international efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In this context, FAO Members have emphasized the need to scale up public and private investment in climate action. FAO is responding through a variety of avenues, including by prioritizing the development of a project portfolio with the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The purpose of this position is to support FAO's lead role in the Sustainable Forest Management Impact Programme on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes (GEF DSL-IP) and FAO's co-lead role in the Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration Impact Programme (GEF FOLUR-IP) funded under GEF-7.

Reporting Lines
The Operations Officer reports to the Senior Natural Resources Officer - Global Programme Coordinator of the GEF DSL-IP Global Coordination Project (GCP) and GEF FOLUR-IP under the overall supervision of the Deputy Director, NFO. S/he will work closely with the Decentralized Offices, technical experts within NFO and other relevant FAO units.

Technical Focus
Lead and coordinate the operational support function of the GEF DSL-IP and GEF FOLUR-IP.

Key Results
The provision of operation support services.

Key Functions

  • Acts as a focal point for all project operational matters, organizes and handles the day-to-day operational activities of the field programme (including emergency, rehabilitation and development projects, in national, regional and global projects) and takes action in consultation with supervisors on any issues which arise during the execution period;
  • Prepares project task force meetings and provides secretariat support;
  • Ensures the timely provision of project inputs (personnel, technical support services, subcontracts, training, equipment and supplies) directly by the Organization or, when appropriate, through contractors and in liaison with other support units;
  • Participates in the preparation of project work plans, monitors progress and identifies corrective measures to overcome operational constraints;
  • Reviews and monitors the project budget, prepares requests and revisions as required, maintains and monitors budget expenditures and resources, reviews project transaction listings with a view to identify errors in accounting against budget lines;
  • Prepares and submits the Project Implementation Reports and any other reports required by the Organization;
  • Ensures the completeness and quality of data and documentation in the FAO corporate systems (e.g. GRMS, FPMIS), for all assigned operational field projects and activities;
  • Prepares analytical reports on project performances as required;
  • Coordinates action concerning the completion of field projects and arranges for timely and adequate reporting, including identification of project follow-up requirements;
  • Contributes to the formulation of project proposals according to FAO's procedures and prepares project documents for technical clearance and final approval under different funding arrangements;
  • Performs other duties as required.


Specific Functions

  • Acts as focal point for all IP operational matters, organizes and handles the day-to-day operational activities and takes action in consultation with the Project Management Unit on any issues which arise during the execution period;
  • Provides operational backstopping and oversight support to optimize the delivery of outcomes at global and child project level;
  • Reviews and monitors the IPs’ budgets, prepares requests and revisions as required, maintains and monitors budget expenditures and resources, reviews project transaction listings;
  • Ensures that relevant reports on expenditures, forecasts, progress against work plans, project closure, are prepared and submitted in accordance with FAO and GEF defined procedures and reporting formats, schedules and communications channels, as required;
  • Supports the Programme Coordinator in coordinating relations (including contractual arrangements) with key GCP/IP partners, ensuring technical and operational aspects, in order to optimize effectiveness and efficiency of outcome delivery;
  • In close coordination with GCP Project Management Unit members, international technical consultants and project steering committee members, oversees the planning of GCP activities in order to optimize their effectiveness and efficiency and identifies corrective measures to overcome operational constraints;
  • Provides technical and organizational support to the preparation, publishing and dissemination of strategy documents by the GCP;
  • Supports the Programme Coordinator in the preparation of trainings, workshops and stakeholder meetings at global regional and national level;
  • Participates and represents the project in collaborative meetings with project partners and the PTF, as required.
  • Supports the development and oversees the implementation of the IPs’ fee work plan;
  • Undertakes missions to monitor technical and operational performance, as appropriate;
  • In consultation with the FAO Evaluation Office and FAO-GEF Coordination Unit, supports the organization of the mid-term and final evaluations, and provides inputs regarding project budgetary matters.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

  • Advanced university degree in public or business administration, finance, accounting, economics, social sciences or another field related to the FAO mandate;
  • Five years of relevant experience in project management/operations and support;
  • Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

  • Results Focus
  • Team Work
  • 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 programme/project formulation, analysis, planning and implementation;
  • Understanding of FAO policies and programmes including different implementation modalities and experience working with GEF projects and programmes is considered a strong asset;
  • Extent and relevance of experience in supporting, advising and guiding the implementation of complex multistakeholder projects and programmes;
  • Extent of experience in formulation, implementation and monitoring of projects;
  • Ability to develop plans for the implementation and coordination of project operations in developing countries, in partnership with UN agencies and other concerned stakeholders and/or partners;
  • Familiarity with UN administrative, operational and financial procedures is an asset;
  • Experience with programmatic, multiagency coordination and resource partner relations.

This vacancy is now closed.
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