Business Support Assistant

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency fighting hunger. WFP reaches more than 100 million people every day – delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with smallholder farmers, communities, and governments to improve nutrition and build resilience.

The WFP Innovation Accelerator was named by Fast Company as Most Innovative Non-Profit Organization 2021 for its work in identifying, nurturing, and scaling disruptive start-ups and innovations to end global hunger. Based in Munich, Germany, the Innovation Accelerator provides WFP employees and start-ups with funding, hands-on support, and access to WFP’s global operations. Through the Accelerator, WFP is leveraging unprecedented advances in digital innovation – such as mobile technology, artificial intelligence, and blockchain – and new business models to transform the way it serves vulnerable communities across the world. In 2021, Accelerator supported innovations that positively impacted the lives of 9 million people globally. Most recently, the Accelerator runs programs for external partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others.

JOB PURPOSE

The Business Support Assistant will report to the Head of Innovation Accelerator and will be expected to deliver a range of business support activities to ensure effective delivery of timely and quality services. The selected incumbent will also act as Executive Assistant to the Head of the Innovation Accelerator and will perform duties such as, but not limited to, calendar and travel management and supporting the overall office management of the Innovation Accelerator (INKA), including performing duties in the absence of other Business Support Assistants.

The Business Support Assistant will be required to produce accurate and organized work and demonstrate good teamwork, proactiveness and communication skills while working in a multicultural environment with individuals of different races, cultures, and backgrounds.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive):

• Gather information with clear direction to support the drafting of documents and preparing reports by other staff.
• Respond to queries and escalate where appropriate, in order to provide a timely and accurate service to clients.
• Support processing and managing routine administrative and financial tasks in various functional areas, to contribute to the effective and timely management of resources.
• Provide revision and proof-reading services for standard documents, to contribute to the development of accurate documentation.
• Take responsibility for the maintenance of set standard systems and files, to ensure information is accurate and readily available for the function
• Identify simple discrepancies in statistics and data, such as missing information, and report to senior staff in order to support clients to deliver their work.
• Take responsibility for data integrity to facilitate availability of accurate information in corporate systems.
• Provide guidance on routine business support methods and practices to junior colleagues to ensure services are delivered consistently and to the required standards.
• Work with a variety of individuals, taking on feedback where appropriate to assist in business support delivery for staff.

SPECIFIC POST REQUIREMENTS (As required by the Hiring Manager)

Essential:

• Some experience in general administrative work.
• Some experience in calendar/schedule management, travel arrangements, including flights/hotel bookings and protocol support.
• Some experience in supporting executive management or a CEO office.
• Some experience supporting the preparation of correspondence, information/communication materials.

Desirable:

• Some experience supporting the organization of events (on-site and virtual events).
• Some knowledge of procurement processes.
• Some experience creating and maintaining filing structures and electronic records.
• Some experience liaising with internal and external stakeholders/entities for sharing and collating information.
• Experience working in a United Nations common system, international organization or non- governmental organization or some Knowledge of UN system administrative policies, rules and regulations and procedures.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Education: Completion of secondary school education.
• Experience: Four or more years of experience in general administrative work.
• Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English (Level C) and German (Level B).

Source: https://career5.successfactors.eu//career?career_ns=job_listing&company=C0000168410P&navBarLevel=JOB_SEARCH&rcm_site_locale=en_GB&career_job_req_id=833315