Project Operations Assistant

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency dedicated to achieving food security for all and leading international efforts to defeat hunger. Working in over 130 countries, FAO supports the transformation to efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. In the Philippines, FAO has partnered with the government and other sectors for over four decades to address challenges in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. This specific role is part of the EU4Mindanao Action, a European Union initiative focused on building lasting peace and inclusive development in Mindanao.

Job Purpose

The Project Operations Assistant is responsible for providing comprehensive administrative, logistical, and operational support to ensure the smooth day-to-day execution of the EU4Mindanao project. This role is crucial for facilitating the timely and efficient implementation of project activities, aligning with work plans and objectives. The assistant will act as a key liaison between the project team, administrative units, and programme units, ensuring seamless coordination of various operational aspects. By supporting the project's operational framework, the assistant contributes directly to the achievement of project goals and the overall mission of fostering sustainable peace and development in Mindanao.

Responsibilities

The Project Operations Assistant will participate in developing project work plans and implementing activities in consultation with FAO personnel, partners, and government counterparts. They will assist the team in timely operations delivery, suggesting solutions for potential bottlenecks. Key duties include liaising with the Project Team, Administrative Unit, and Programme Unit on budget preparation, financial control, logistics, missions, procurement, and field support. The role involves coordinating and supporting missions from various stakeholders, assisting in programme monitoring, evaluation, and learning, and maintaining project status registers. Responsibilities also include preparing meeting minutes, presentations, and reports, developing HR plans, monitoring resource allocations, and assisting with FAO systems for project management. The assistant will conduct quality reviews of purchase requisitions, coordinate with the Procurement Unit, and ensure compliance with donor visibility requirements and communication activities, ensuring all partners adhere to these guidelines.

Work Experience

A minimum of four years of relevant and progressively responsible experience in project operations is required. Candidates should possess demonstrated familiarity with the operational context of Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Skills

Proficiency in project implementation support, including coordinating work plans and activities, facilitating administrative, financial, procurement, and logistics processes, and monitoring and reporting. Ability to ensure compliance with FAO systems and donor requirements for efficient project delivery. Experience using monitoring and tracking tools for oversight. Strong results focus, teamwork, communication, and relationship-building skills. Capacity for knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. Ability to work effectively under pressure in a complex humanitarian context and collaborate within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

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