Project Assistant

Organizational Context

FAO Sierra Leone, in partnership with UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, is executing a Joint United Nations Nutrition Programme. This initiative aims to enhance climate resilience, food security, and nutrition across four districts. The programme employs a multi-sectoral strategy targeting vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and children, and aligns with national priorities like the Feed Salone Strategy. FAO's role focuses on agriculture, value chain development, and resilience-building interventions.

Job Purpose

The Project Assistant will provide comprehensive operational, administrative, and coordination support to ensure the successful and timely implementation of project activities. This role is crucial for the effective delivery of project outputs across all targeted districts, ensuring adherence to FAO procedures and donor requirements. A key aspect of this position is to foster and maintain strong coordination among all involved stakeholders, facilitating smooth project execution and achieving its objectives within the framework of the Joint UN Nutrition Programme.

Responsibilities

Support the day-to-day implementation of project activities across targeted districts, ensuring alignment with approved workplans and timelines. Track project progress against key outputs and indicators. Assist in the preparation and monitoring of workplans at various levels (annual, quarterly, monthly). Liaise effectively with government institutions, implementing partners, NGOs, and UN agencies to ensure coordinated project execution. Organize and support coordination meetings, technical workshops, and field missions. Facilitate communication flow between field teams and central project management. Initiate and manage procurement and administrative actions within FAO systems, including tracking processes for timely delivery of goods and services. Support budget monitoring and assist in budget revisions. Collect, compile, and validate data on project activities and outputs. Prepare high-quality reports, including technical, operational, and donor reports. Maintain project documentation, filing systems, and beneficiary records. Draft meeting minutes, briefs, and correspondence. Support the planning and organization of trainings, workshops, and field activities, including logistical arrangements. Assist in the preparation of training materials and documentation. Conduct field monitoring of activities and implementing partners. Support beneficiary identification, verification, and data collection. Ensure proper documentation of field activities and compliance with project procedures. Initiate and follow up on administrative actions related to travel, payments, contracts, and personnel support. Provide general administrative assistance to the project team.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in project or programme support is required, with a preference for experience in agriculture, food security, or development projects. This experience should complement a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Agricultural Economics, Project Management, Business Administration, or Development Studies.

Skills

Essential skills include a strong focus on results, teamwork, effective communication, and building relationships. The ability to share knowledge and engage in continuous improvement is important. Experience in project implementation and coordination within multi-stakeholder environments is crucial. Familiarity with results-based management (RBM) and reporting, along with experience in procurement and administrative processes, is required. Proficiency in standard IT tools and data management systems is necessary. The candidate should possess strong organizational skills and the ability to support field operations and community-based activities. Experience with UN or donor-funded projects, familiarity with nutrition-sensitive agriculture and climate resilience programmes, and experience working with government institutions are highly desirable. The ability to manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines is also important.

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