Office Assistant, Rome, Italy

Job Description - Office Assistant (2601885)

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Job Description

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2601885

Office Assistant

Job Posting

06/Sep/2026

Closure Date

21/Sep/2026, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : CSH - Human Resources

Job Type

Staff position

Type of Requisition : General Service

Primary Location

Italy-Rome

Duration : Fixed-term: two years with possibility of extension

Post Number : 0037117

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

Staff in the General Service category are recruited locally from the Primary Location area, which is where the office is located.

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
  
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
  
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
  
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
  
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
  
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
  
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.
  

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life leaving no one behind.

FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Human Resources Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) serves as an enabler of FAO's strategic objectives by fostering a dynamic, inclusive, and high-performing organizational culture. Our mission is to empower managers, leaders, staff and the affiliate workforce through strategic talent management practices, ensuring alignment with FAO's goals and values. In this context, the Division provides effective administrative function and serves as a strategic partner that delivers innovative, integrated, and forward-looking HR solutions.

The position is located in the Human Resources Division at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant coordinates and performs the full range of office support, management support and administrative tasks, providing for the smooth and efficient running of the Office. He/ she ensures quality and consistency of the flow of office work and information in the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to the Director, Human Resources Division. The incumbent operates independently and takes decisions on work priorities and exercises initiative for dealing with cases without precedents. Supervision received is focused on the quality of work outputs. He/ she provides guidance and advice to other office support staff.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant works closely with a wide range of colleagues in the division /region, with central units and external clients, performing and coordinating office- and management support services, and providing procedural guidance and information.

Key Functions/Results

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• Screen requests for appointments with supervisor; maintain supervisor's calendar; confirm mutually convenient schedules and arrange appointments; receive visitors; place and screen telephone calls; respond to queries and correspondence, often of a sensitive, confidential or technical nature.
  
• Coordinate office support services for meetings, trainings, seminars, committees, and special projects and events; attend meetings, prepare minutes, monitor follow-up activities; make arrangements for formal editing, translation, etc., of documents and publications.
  
• Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions; prepare draft responses to a wide range of correspondence and other communications, often requiring knowledge of technical terminologies and/or detailed office procedures; carry out quality control functions for outgoing documents; proofread texts for adherence to format, grammar, punctuation and style.
  
• Perform a variety of administrative duties, e.g. contract extensions and requests for temporary staff, leave and attendance recording, budget preparation and follow-up; coordinate with other units to ensure smooth running and expedition of work within the unit.
  
• Research, compile, and organize background information and reference materials from various sources for reports, briefs and speeches; generate a variety of statistical and other reports from various databases.
  
• Coordinate the work of other office support staff, establish priorities and ensure equitable distribution of work; train new staff to relevant administrative procedures and practices and provide general assistance as required.
  
• Create and maintain the work unit's filing and reference systems; review the efficiency of office procedures and make recommendations for improvements; update office websites.
  
• Perform other duties as required.
  

Impact Of Work

The incumbent's work impacts directly on the smooth and efficient running of the Office. He/ she plays a lead role in the provision of office support services for successful achievement of the organizational unit's mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Education: Secondary School Education.

Experience: Four years of relevant experience in office/ management support work.

Languages: Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of one of the other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

IT Skills: Very good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment.

Residency: General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing valid visa to work or a valid work permit and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application. "Commuting distance" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

Technical Skills

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• Very good knowledge of communication and documentation standards.
  
• Very good knowledge of corporate computerized financial, travel, human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies.
  
• Very good knowledge of the organizational structure.
  

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

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• Demonstrated ability and experience in dealing with sensitive and confidential information
  
• Extent and relevance of experience in a front-office setting
  
• Familiarity with Governing Bodies Sessions and related documentation.
  
• Demonstrated experience in drafting clearly and concisely routine and non-routine correspondence in English
  

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FAO staff are expectedto adhereto FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
  
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at The length of the appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to extension of appointments
  
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
  
• General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing valid visa to work or valid work permit, and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application. xysqume "Commuting distance" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.
  
• No international benefits will be payable as selected candidates are recruited locally and paid in the local currency of the office location
  
• For additional information visit the FAO employment website: J-18808-Ljbffr