Organizational Setting

The main aim of FAO Country Offices, headed by an 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. FAO Lao PDR assists the Government in the development and implementation of field projects in the sectors of food security, agriculture, and rural development. This requires the integration within the broader framework of sustainable food and agriculture that aims at increasing production and productivity, addressing climate change, and managing natural resources; and enhance rural livelihoods.
The Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) unit in FAO Lao PDR is dedicated to working with the Government in preventing and controlling emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases, by working closely with national stakeholders in the animal production and health sector.

Reporting Lines

The National Operations Specialist – Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Programme – shall work under the overall supervision of the FAO Country Representative and working in close coordination with FAO ECTAD Lao PDR Programme Team Leader and technical officers and with the FAO Lao PDR Operations/Admin teams and RAP-ECTAD team, relevant government counterparts and implementing partners.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will be responsible for managing and providing the full range of operational tasks in support of the ECTAD programme activities.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Act as a single point of contact between ECTAD programme staff and the FAO Operations Team on operations matters.
•    Provide day to day operational support to all projects under the ECTAD Lao PDR Programme.
•    Liaise continuously with the ECTAD Team Leader, Lead Technical Advisor (LTA), technical advisers and other ECTAD programme staff including RAP-ECTAD team as well as with FAO-Operations staff on Operations matters acquiring all the needed information to take action on operations issues.
•    Assist the Senior Operations Officer to monitor ECTAD project budgets providing all the needed information through the FAO web-system.
•    Prepare draft Financial Summary information for inclusion in ECTAD Project Reports.
•    In liaison and coordination with ECTAD Programme Assistants and other relevant ECTAD staff, the National Operations Officer will:
•    Provide Operational pre-clearance for ECTAD Internal Travel Authorization (ITA) requests.
•    Review/revise draft Service Contracts and Letters of Agreement (LOA) for further submission to the Senior Operations Officer.
•    Review Estimated Budget (EB) requests before submission to the Senior Operations Officer for operational clearance.
•    Assist ECTAD team members in budget/workplan formulation.
•    Continuously review/monitor ECTAD project work plans ensuring:
•    All the proposed activities are accommodated within the available budget.
•    Track and generate reports on the work plan expenses status.
•    Check budget availability when activities are to be initiated.
•    Identify the correct work-plan code assigned to each proposed activity.
•    In coordination with relevant ECTAD programme staff prepare procurement plans according to the activities included in the work-plan.
•    Initiate procurement action, according to the work plan time frame raising Procurement Requests (PR) in the FAO Global Resource Management System (GRMS) and follow up the procurement process/status with the procurement team.
•    The National Operations Officer will act as direct supervisor of the ECTAD Administrative Assistant(s) who will report directly to him/her.
•    Perform other related tasks as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    Advanced university degree in public or business administration, finance, accounting, economics, social sciences or another field related to the FAO mandate.
•    Five years of relevant experience in project management/operations and support.
•    Working knowledge of English
•    Nationals of Lao

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Computer literacy: proficient in Microsoft Office word and excel applications.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in project implementation and administration support in UN agencies would be an asset.
•    Experience in operations-related matters, project planning and monitoring for the implementation of large emergency and/or development programmes.
•    Experience in budgeting, accounting, and reporting procedures of the International Organization (preferably UN) would be an advantage.
•    Knowledge of FAO’s administrative, budget and operations IT systems would be an advantage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION