Programme Assistant (Digital Agriculture)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• 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 Members 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 FAO’s values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, 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
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.

The REU Digital Agriculture Team

With a mission to act as a catalyzer for the digital transformation of agriculture across Europe and Central Asia, the Digital Agriculture Team leads the implementation of a large digital agriculture programme and key corporate initiatives, such as the FAO Digital Villages (DVI) and the Hand-in-Hand (HiH) initiative. In 2023, the team was awarded as FAO Team of the Year..

This position offers a Personal Service Agreement for an initial 6-month trial period, with the possibility of extension to 11 months contingent upon the incumbent’s satisfactory performance. A break from duty of at least 30 consecutive days is mandatory within any twelve-month period after which the contract is renewable upon satisfactory performance and funds availability.

The incumbent will be based in Budapest at the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. Only persons holding citizenship and/or a valid residence permit in Hungary are eligible to apply.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Programme Leader and direct supervision of the Head of Digital Agriculture, the Subscriber will be responsible for overall programme support as follows:

Technical Focus

Perform a variety of functions to support the team with operational and administrative tasks, assisting in project management, development of communication materials and delivery of offline and online events.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Assist with the hiring process of consultants according to FAO rules and regulations, using the corporate recruitment system TALEO for monitoring and screening applications, including requesting the advertisement of vacancy announcements, taking minutes during interviews and drafting selection reports;
• Assist with procurement of products and services by submitting of procurement plans and purchase requisitions, supporting in sourcing potential service providers and vendors, supporting in drafting Letters of Agreements and Procurement Contracts and other pertaining documents;
• Assist in travel arrangement for field missions and technical events by preparing travel plans, submitting travel requests, submitting travel expense claims;
• Prepare claims in prescribed format on behalf of the officer for further processing;
• Assist in tracking progress on several projects and initiatives and in tracking budgetary expenses; perform information management tasks and maintain documentation;
• Assist in the organization and delivery of events, technical workshops, webinars;
• Assist in elaborating and publishing content for the regional DVI hub (https://www.fao.org/digital-villages-initiative/europe),such as country profiles, village profiles, stories about farmers and digital technologies, etc., working closely with Country Offices and the Office of Communication (OCC) and ensuring that all content on the platform is accurate, engaging and consistent with the messaging and branding guidelines;
• Assist in the process of publishing of written materials using Publication Workflow System, ensuring compliance with relevant guidelines, and liaising with external providers as required;
• Assist with development of communication material (e.g. content for social media, articles, leaflets, coordinate production of videos, etc.), including presentations on PowerPoint and Prezi;
• Take care of team’s administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, taking meeting minutes, providing translation support;
• Perform other related duties as required.

Liaison with the OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes.

All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:

FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en    
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff). 

Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in economics, agricultural economics, international relations, business administration, computer science, international development, or a related field.
• At least 1 year of relevant experience in supporting operations, administrative work, and programme implementation, and research and analysis preferably in the field of food and agriculture and digitalization.
• Working knowledge (Proficient, Level C) of English.
• National of Hungary or resident in the country with a valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in programme and operational support;
• Proficiency in Russian is highly desirable.

Selection criteria

• Working knowledge (Proficient, Level C) of English.
• Working knowledge of Russian is an asset.
• Proficiency in using MS Office suite, namely Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong problem-solving skills. Strong time-management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members and external stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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