Office Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an international organization that aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and to ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. Established in 1945, FAO has a mission to eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable; reduce rural poverty; and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. With a workforce of over 12,000 employees, FAO operates in more than 130 countries, working towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promoting sustainable agrifood systems.

Job Overview:
The Office Assistant position is situated within the Human Resources Division at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The primary role of the Office Assistant is to coordinate and perform a comprehensive range of office support, management support, and administrative tasks. This role is crucial for ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the office. The Office Assistant is expected to maintain quality and consistency in the flow of office work and information within the work unit. The incumbent will report directly to the Director of the Human Resources Division and will operate independently, making decisions on work priorities and exercising initiative in handling cases that may not have precedents. The position requires a proactive approach to managing office tasks and supporting the overall objectives of the division.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Office Assistant will be responsible for a variety of key functions, including but not limited to: screening requests for appointments with the supervisor, maintaining the supervisor's calendar, confirming schedules, and arranging appointments. The incumbent will also receive visitors, manage telephone calls, and respond to queries and correspondence, often of a sensitive or technical nature. Additionally, the Office Assistant will coordinate office support services for meetings, trainings, seminars, and special projects, including preparing minutes and monitoring follow-up activities. The role involves reviewing, recording, distributing, and processing incoming mail and correspondence, preparing draft responses, and ensuring quality control for outgoing documents. Administrative duties will include managing contract extensions, leave and attendance recording, and budget preparation. The Office Assistant will also research and compile background information for reports and speeches, coordinate the work of other office support staff, and maintain filing and reference systems. The position may require performing other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a secondary school education and have a minimum of four years of relevant experience in office or management support work. Proficiency in English at a working knowledge level (C) is mandatory, along with intermediate knowledge (B) of one of the other FAO languages, which include Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish. Candidates should also have very good knowledge of MS Office applications, internet usage, and office technology equipment. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate competencies in results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing.

Educational Background:
The minimum educational requirement for this position is a secondary school education. This foundational education is essential for understanding the administrative and operational tasks that the Office Assistant will be responsible for.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of four years of relevant experience in office or management support work. This experience should ideally include a background in administrative functions, coordination of office activities, and support for management tasks. Candidates with experience in a front-office setting will be preferred, as they will have developed skills in handling sensitive and confidential information, as well as familiarity with organizational procedures and documentation.

Languages:
A working knowledge of English (proficiency - level C) is mandatory for this position. Additionally, candidates should possess intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of one of the other FAO languages, which include Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish. This multilingual capability is essential for effective communication within the organization and with external clients.

Additional Notes:
Candidates applying for this position must be nationals of Italy or possess a valid visa or work permit to work in Italy. It is important that applicants reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of application. The role is classified under the General Service Staff category, which typically involves local recruitment. The position is full-time, and the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the dynamic and inclusive culture of the FAO.