Programme Assistant - International Fund for Agricultural Development

Programme Assistant (Internal Vacancy Announcement*) (1 position)

Vacancy announcement number: 1324

Date of issue: 10/22/2014

Deadline for applications: 11/06/2014

Policy and Techn. Advis. Div.

Organizational unit: Level: G-5

Duty Station: ROME DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

3 years fixed-term (renewable)

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an International Financial Institution and a Specialized United Nations Agency whose mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. IFAD's headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and is present in more than 90 countries to develop and finance programmes and projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes.

Programme Management Department (PMD) is responsible for the overall lending programme of the Fund, and is composed of five regional divisions, a Policy and Technical Advisory (PTA) Division and an Environment and Climate (ECD) Division. This position is located in PTA.

The Policy and Technical Advisory Division (PTA) aims to strengthen the quality of IFAD's portfolio of country programmes (comprising loans, grants and associated activities) from human, technological, institutional and policy aspects. The Division supports IFAD investment in developing and applying a knowledge base on pro-poor, community-led rural development. This knowledge provides the basis for PTA's quality enhancement of the Fund's programmes and partnership development for rural poverty reduction.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Purpose of the Position

The incumbents will provide technical and specialized administrative support to the Lead/Senior Technical Specialists in the Rural Institutions, Social Assets, and Empowerment (RISE) Unit. He/she will carry out specific tasks related to programme information management and knowledge sharing contributing to the overall PTA support to project design and implementation support and other related corporate and UN-wide initiatives.

Assistance in Quality Enhancement (QE) process for project design

• Assist in the preparation for QE support and participation in Country Programme Management Teams (CPMTs) and other processes related to project formulation.
• Organize for the timely deployment of external reviewers/resources as appropriate.
• Assist in the preparation of the documentation required and attend meetings required in the QE and Quality Assurance (QA) process when Lead/Senior Technical Specialists are Lead Advisors.
• Retrieve background information and documentation for QE processes and liaise with QE Secretariats.

Grant and supplementary fund (SF) administration and development

• Assist in development of new grants and requests for supplementary funds (SF), ensure follow up on all the grant and SF processes.
• Monitor all stages of grant programmes and supplementary fund activities initiated by the Lead/Senior Technical Specialists. Identify problems/delays and suggest appropriate follow-up action to ensure timely compliance with agreed deadlines.
• Provide technical support in the management of grants and SF by:

1. reviewing audited financial statements and attend to all matters related to grants and SF on control and other issues arising to be communicated to the Recipients and within IFAD
2. monitoring incoming documents to ensure compliance with relevant agreement prior to on forwarding to appropriate unit
3. coordinating requests for grant and SF amendments and extensions
4. tracking statements of expenditures, progress reports, withdrawal applications, budgets, expenditures and initiating payments
5. Monitor incoming SF and grant reports to ensure they are compliant with the related Agreement and agreed action plans.

Administrative support

• Act as focal point for all enquiries on the assigned thematic desk issues, identifying and resolving first-level non-technical issues prior to Lead/Senior Technical Specialist involvement.
• Maintain the roster of consultants for RISE Unit, and advise the Lead/Senior Technical Specialists on suitable experts.
• Monitor and regularly update budget of tasks associated with this team and contribute to the preparation and monitoring of the budget for RISE Unit .
• Maintain the filing systems for the team, including updating into SharePoint databases and websites, CoP etc in liaison with PTA's KM and Grants Officer.
• Coordinate the administration and logistical arrangements for staff travel/missions.
• Initiate recruitment process for consultants and other contracting; gather background information, prepare Request for Personnel Actions/Request for Consultancy Services organize travel arrangements (including visa, security clearance and hotel accommodation when needed), process invoices and follow-up on payments.
• Organize internal and external meetings, missions and workshops for the desk, and support other meetings organized by the Unit as needed.
• Supervise and coordinate temporary support staff, as required.
• Coordinate and monitor documentation for meetings to ensure timely preparation (including translation, layout and publication), distribution and follow-up. Prepare minutes for thematic meetings and for the PTA Staff meetings upon request.
• Deal with incoming correspondence and handle routine matters and requests for information. Follow-up on correspondence and administrative matters.
• Provide administrative support and advice to consultants and interns.
• Proofread documents and prepare/refine PowerPoint slides as required.
• Perform other related duties as required.

MINIMUM RECRUITMENT QUALIFICATIONS

Education and experience

• Secondary/high school diploma or higher

Experience

• At least 4 years of progressively responsible administrative and/or programme experience of at least one year of direct experience with UN administrative rules, regulations and procedures
• Proven experience in organizing meetings and workshops

Languages

• Proficiency in English essential. Working knowledge of Spanish or French is an asset. Working knowledge in an additional IFAD official language will be an asset.

Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite. Knowledge of PeopleSoft decentralised modules.
• Typing speed in English minimum 35 words per minute.
• A pass in the skills check test (minimum 50 marks) will be required.

Technical/functional competencies

• Teamwork: good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with courtesy and respect for diversity.
• Planning and Organizing: ability to prioritize and manage conflicting priorities; accuracy in the work output; results and solution-oriented; good time management and ability to meet deadlines.
• Good communication skillswith capacity to establish and maintain networks. Good interpersonalskills
• Self-developer with motivation to learn

OTHER INFORMATION

• This is an internal vacancy open to the following: (a) Staff members of IFAD, FAO and WFP holding a fixed-term or continuing/indefinite appointment who have been subject to a competitive selection process in that Rome-based agency and who have successfully completed their probationary period;

(b) Staff members holding a temporary/short-term appointment, in accordance with the eligibility criteria established by each Rome-based agency for this category of staff (in this case, staff members of IFAD, FAO and WFP holding a temporary/short-term appointment who, on applying to the vacancy, have commenced employment under an appointment for six months or longer or have completed six months of service (cumulative) without an interruption of more than thirty days.

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

Interested candidates are requested to apply by completing IFAD's Personal History Form (PHF) in English. A separate CV may be attached if you so desire, only as a supplement and not a substitute to the PHF. THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH THE ONLINE SYSTEM ONLY.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

Candidates will be required to take a written test as well as participate in interviews.

APPLY