National Operations Specialist

Organizational Setting

The position is located at the FAO Representation in Georgia. The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting Lines

The National Operations Specialist operates under the overall guidance and responsibility of the FAO Representative in Georgia; the direct supervision of the International Programme and Operations Specialist and in close collaboration with other staff of the FAO Country Office in Georgia. The work is performed largely autonomous, expressing initiative and independent judgment. Supervision received is focused on the quality of work outputs and is facilitating service delivery.

Technical Focus

The National Operations Specialist supports day-to-day operation actions, including specialized and complex processes and functions, ensuring consistency, timeliness and conformity with relevant rules, procedures and practices.

Tasks and responsibilities

Support the operational management of the ENPARD IV programme, in particular:
• Assist the International Programme and Operations Specialist in the planning of all project activities and their timely and effective implementation following the workplan and ensuring the correct progress regarding the logframe indicators
• Support the preparation and regular update of all the tools for the implementation of the projects (procurement plans, training plans, mission plans, HR plans) and oversee the correct implementation of these plans.
• Reviews and monitors project budget and prepare requests and revisions as required; maintains and alerts about budget expenditures and resources; reviews project’ transaction listings with a view to identifying errors in accounting against budget lines;
• Support the preparation of LoAs and acts as Alternate LoA Quality Assurance Officer;
• Act as a requestor (in coordination with the Programme and Operations Specialist) for the procurement plans, coordinating with the project teams and procurement, and ensuring the timely delivery of the requested items, as well as the payment to providers.
• Provide support to the project team for the timely provision of project inputs (events, LoAs, contracts, training, equipment and supplies);
• Support the process of identification and selection of relevant national affiliate workforce;
• Consolidate inputs from the project teams for the preparation of progress and final narrative reports; and ensure the clearances of the reports (LTO, PSR) on time for timely submission to donors;
• Ensure the quality of the data on FPMIS, in terms of expenditures forecasts, responsibilities, documentation, as well as equalization and budget revisions as needed;
• Ensure financial transactions are properly matched to EC expenditure codes and transactions are mapped accordingly;
• Provide draft financial reports for revision by the International Programme and Operations Specialist and submit for clearance with CSF.
• Ensures the compilation and quality of data and documentation both in FAO corporate systems (FPMIS) as well as keep a repository of important documents to be shared with the donors at the end of the projects. This includes keeping a record on trainings and events, and filing important documentation of the project (BTORs, mission reports, PPT presentations, technical reports, strategies) ensuring only the cleared final versions are kept in the records.
• Carry out other activities as requested in his/her area of work and expertise

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree (Bachelor’s degree) in business administration or other related areas
• 5 years of relevant working experience in operations and financial management of projects
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English and Georgian
• National of Georgia

FAO Core Competencies

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION