Organizational Setting

FAO’s mission involves reducing food insecurity and rural poverty; ensuring an enabling policy and regulatory framework for food and agriculture, fisheries and forestry; securing sustainable increases in the supply and availability of food; conserving and enhancing the natural resource base.  The FAOR for the Guyana country office is to ensure FAO’s mission is achieved with support from the programmatic and administrative team in the Guyana office.  The office has a vacancy for a Assistant Administrative Support who will assist the country team.

Reporting Lines

The Administrative Support Assistant will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Guyana and the two AFAORs.

Technical Focus

The Administrative Support Assistant will work closely with the FAO Representative in Guyana and the two AFAORs, Project Coordinators and support staff to provide overall assistance and advice on matters such as visa requirements, permits, correspondence, meeting coordination, protocol, etc.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the supervision and direction of the FAO Representative in Guyana and working closely with the Assistant Representative for Administration in the Country Office, the Administrative Support Assistant plays a critical role in ensuring the smooth operations of the FAO office.  In accordance with the Host Country Agreement between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the government shall assign an incumbent who will be responsible for the following:

•    Screen requests for appointments with supervisor; maintain supervisor’s calendar; confirm mutually convenient schedules and arrange appointments; receive visitors; place and screen telephone calls; respond to queries and correspondence, often of a sensitive, confidential or technical nature.
•    Coordinate office support services for meetings, trainings, seminars, committees, and special projects and events; attend meetings, prepare minutes, monitor follow-up activities; make arrangements for formal editing, translation, etc., of documents and publications.
•    Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions; prepare draft responses to a wide range of correspondence and other communications, often requiring knowledge of technical terminologies and/or detailed office procedures; carry out quality control functions for outgoing documents; proofread texts for adherence to format, grammar, punctuation and style.
•    Perform a variety of administrative duties, e.g. contract extensions and requests for temporary staff, leave and attendance recording, budget preparation and follow-up; coordinate with other units to ensure smooth running and expedition of work within the unit.
•    Research, compile, and organize background information and reference materials from various sources for reports, briefs and speeches; generate a variety of statistical and other reports from various databases.
•    Coordinate the work of other office support staff, establish priorities and ensure equitable distribution of work; train new staff in relevant administrative procedures and practices and provide general assistance as required.
•    Create and maintain the work unit’s filing and reference systems; review the efficiency of office procedures and make recommendations for improvements; update office websites.
•    Use the i-procurement module in GRMS to enter procurement requisitions, receive goods, etc.
•    Assist in acquiring travel itineraries, visas for personnel as directed.
•    Seek the necessary duty free, VAT concessions etc. from the relevant Ministries and assist with clearance (customs and warehouse) of goods for the representation.
•    Maintain the inventory of supplies for the representation and its projects and request the timely replenishment of supplies as required.
•    Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

Candidates are required to have:
•    Completed Secondary School (High School Diploma) with at least 8 years post-secondary experience or a Diploma in Business Administration from a recognised learning institution with at least 6 years relevant work experience.
•    Working knowledge of English is required (both spoken and written).
•    National of Guyana or resident of the country with valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

•    Working knowledge of Word, Excel, Email, Outlook.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements