Job Details

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations.  With presently 194 member states, and working in more than 130 countries worldwide, including Zambia where the Organization has operated since 1978. The main aim of the FAO country office, which is 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.

The support is based on the guidelines as provided by the Country Programming Framework (CPF). The current Zambia CPF has four priority areas: (1) Improve production and productivity of crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry; (2) Sustainable management of the natural resource base and Increasing Resilience and Uptake of Climate Smart Agriculture; (3) Enhance food security and nutrition status; and (4) Improved market access and sanitary measures. The incumbent’s tasks will mainly contribute to the first priority area.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Emergence Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) is implementing two new projects entitled GHSP “Enhancing Animal Health and One Health capacities to mitigate zoonotic diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) risks and threats in Zambia”, “Zambia Multisectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project (ZaMPPR)”. These two projects are being supported respectively by the USAID under the Global Health Security (GHS) programme and World Bank under the Pandemic Fund. The projects focus on effectively supporting Zambia to build a sustainable animal health system and One Health capacities to mitigate risks and threats caused by emerging and re-emerging zoonosis, endemic zoonosis and AMR.

The Operations and Administrative Specialist is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the field projects assigned and will provide assistance in ensuring effective and efficient project planning, implementation progress monitoring and outcome evaluation.

Reporting Lines

The Operations and Administrative Specialist will work within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD), under the direct supervision of the ECTAD country Team Leader at FAO Zambia. He/she will give support to the ECTAD Zambia team, and work in collaboration with the ECTAD Regional Team for Eastern and Southern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya as well as in collaboration with the FAO-SFS Livestock Development Officer, who is the Lead Technical Officer for the Pandemic Fund project. The incumbent will be under the administrative guidance of the FAO Representative in Zambia and work in close collaboration with the National Coordinator and other FAO Zambia team members. The incumbent will undertake the following duties and responsibilities.

Technical Focus

The technical focus will be programme development, coordination and operational assistance based on the knowledge of the local conditions, culture, language and institutions of the country of assignment. He/she will ensure the smooth functioning of projects operations, consistent service delivery, and continuous evaluation and readjustment /improvement of the operational environment

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Act as a focal point for all matters related to the daily operation of the field project(s) assigned
•    Prepare project task force meetings and ensure the availability of secretarial support
•    Ensure timely provision of inputs for personnel, technical support services, sub-contracts, training, equipment/supplies and other needs related to project operations
•    Participate in the preparation of project work plans, monitor progress and, where, necessary, identify corrective measures to overcome operational constraints
•    Assist with the management of the project budget and prepare revisions as required
•    Coordinate the timely preparation and submission of project progress and terminal reports required (as specified in the project agreements), as well as contributing to the preparation of analytical reports
•    Coordinate actions related to timely field project completion/closure, including identification of project follow-up requirements
•    Contribute to the preparation and/or assessment of new projects
•    Ensure the quality of data/documentation in the Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS) for all pipeline and operational field projects in the country

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING Minimum Requirements •    Advanced university degree in a field related to business or public administration, finance, accounting, economics, social sciences or other fields related to the FAO mandate. •    At least five years of relevant experience in office management, administration, accounting and/or audit, budget or finance •    Working knowledge of the English language •    National of Zambia FAO Core Competencies •    Results Focus •    Teamwork •    Communication •    Building Effective Relationships •    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Selection Criteria •    Prior working with FAO or any UN Agency ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing) Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ For additional employment opportunities 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. FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions. 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 FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT