Programme and Operations Support Specialist
Organizational Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is dedicated to achieving food security, reducing hunger and malnutrition, and promoting sustainable agrifood systems globally. FAO offers technical and policy support to enhance national capabilities and advance the 2030 Agenda. Specifically, the One Health Programme assists countries in managing animal health threats, zoonoses, and antimicrobial resistance through improved preparedness and collaboration. In Bangladesh, FAO's One Health Programme collaborates with government and partners to ensure effective programme delivery, operational adherence, and informed planning.
Job Purpose
The Programme and Operations Support Specialist will provide comprehensive operational and programme support to the One Health portfolio in Bangladesh. This role is crucial for ensuring effective project delivery by coordinating planning, monitoring, and reporting throughout the project lifecycle. The specialist will be responsible for preparing and implementing costed workplans, logical frameworks, budgets, and procurement/travel plans, ensuring strict adherence to FAO procedures and reporting standards. Additionally, the incumbent will manage programme data systems to track progress, measure performance, and support data-driven decision-making for optimal project operations and achievement of results.
Responsibilities
Support the International Operations Specialist in preparing and revising project budgets, and managing project operational and financial closure. Review project activity requests to ensure alignment with project documents and approved work plans. Collaborate with the One Health management team to ensure smooth project execution across all phases, optimizing operational and programme management. Conduct quarterly reviews and updates of travel, HR, and procurement plans to ensure compliance with FAO regulations. Coordinate with technical teams to prepare, review, and update costed workplans and implementation timelines. Facilitate collaboration between procurement and technical teams for bid evaluations. Support the programme team in developing and monitoring Letters of Agreement and contracts, and participate in procurement coordination meetings. Ensure effective information sharing and coordination with government counterparts, partners, and UN agencies for seamless programme implementation. Provide strategic input for briefing materials, strategy documents, and reports in consultation with the Technical Advisor. Manage the preparation and implementation of annual results-based workplans, budgets, and results frameworks. Review reporting requirements and ensure compliance with logical frameworks, M&E frameworks, and the FAO Country Programming Framework. Assist in preparing project-specific progress, monitoring, evaluation, and terminal reports, including input for annual reporting. Support knowledge management by developing lessons learned, best practices, and case studies. Ensure timely submission of correctly formatted inputs for progress and M&E reporting.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven years of relevant professional experience in field programme operations and management is required. This experience should demonstrate a strong understanding of project lifecycles, budgeting, procurement, and compliance with organizational procedures. Experience in supporting complex development programmes and working with international organizations is highly desirable.
Skills
Key competencies include Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, and Knowledge Sharing. Essential skills involve supporting field project management, operations, and results-based reporting. Experience in implementing complex development and emergency programmes is crucial. The ability to manage multiple workflows independently while coordinating effectively with diverse teams is required. Strong proficiency in workplan development, monitoring frameworks, budgeting, and ensuring compliance with reporting requirements is necessary. Demonstrated ability to perform effectively under minimal supervision is expected.