Office Assistant

FAO; Roma; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

FAO's Forestry Division, based at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, seeks an Office Assistant to support the Forests and Climate Team with routine administrative tasks and logistics. The role includes managing appointments, handling mail, drafting routine communications and supporting travel, procurement and meeting preparations.

The incumbent will interact with colleagues and clients across the organization, ensuring accurate document handling, adherence to standards and timely execution of

Qualifications

• Education: Secondary School Education.
• Experience: Three years of relevant office support work.
• Languages: Working knowledge of English (level C).
• IT Skills: Proficient in MS Office applications and office technology.

Responsibilities

• Arrange appointments for the supervisor, receive visitors, screen and send emails and respond to routine information requests.
• Provide office, protocol, administrative and logistics support to meetings and conferences.
• Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail; follow up on pending actions.
• Respond or draft responses to routine correspondence; produce large, complex documents and reports.
• Proofread documents for grammar, punctuation and style; ensure adherence to standards.
• Initiate general administrative tasks in computerized administration, procurement, finance, travel and HR systems.
• Prepare purchase orders and purchase requisitions; support Letters of Agreement processes.
• Make travel and hotel arrangements and prepare travel authorizations/claims.
• Assist in administrative processing of vacancy announcements and consultants' contracts.
• Research, compile and organize information; maintain databases and electronic/paper files.

Skills

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Education

Secondary School Education

Tools

MS Office

Internet

Office equipment

Job description

Organizational Setting

The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO's work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition. It liaises with Members, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues and strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyses and disseminates information on the world's forest resources and on the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.

The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO's work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition. It liaises with Members, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues and strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyses and disseminates information on the world's forest resources and on the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.

The project 'Knowledge for Action in implementing the Great Green Wall' has the objective to enable sustainable and inclusive large-scale land restoration and management and improved rural livelihoods in support of the implementation of the Great Green Wall (GGW) objectives, focusing primarily on the eleven countries that are members of the Panafrican Agency of the GGW.

The position is located in the Forests and Climate Team, in the Forestry Division (NFO), at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Main Purpose

The Office Assistant performs a large variety of routine administrative transactions and office support functions contributing to the smooth and efficient running of the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Office Assistant reports to the Senior Forestry Officer (Project Coordinator), NFO. He/she acts independently in routine matters. Supervision received is focused on the quality of the work performed and provides for on-the-job learning.

Working Relationships

The Office Assistant usually interacts with a wide variety of colleagues within the work unit and with immediate clients within the Organization, providing routine administrative and office support services.

Key Functions/Results

• Arrange appointments for the supervisor, receive visitors, screen and send e-mails and respond to routine requests for information.
• Provide office, protocol, administrative and logistics support to meetings, committees, conferences, etc.
• Review, record, distribute and process incoming mail and correspondence; follow-up on pending actions.
• Respond or draft responses to standard/routine correspondence and other communications; use word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports.
• Proofread documents and format texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style, as well as for adherence to established standards.
• Initiate general administrative tasks in the computerized general administration, procurement, finance, travel, human resources system.
• Prepare purchase orders, purchase requisitions and support the preparation of Letters of Agreement (LoA), obtain clarification and follow up, when necessary.
• Make travel and hotel arrangements and prepare travel authorizations/claims for staff and affiliate workforce as required.
• Provide assistance in the administrative processing of vacancy announcements and consultants' contracts.
• Research, compile and organize information and reference materials from various sources for reports; create spreadsheets and presentations; manage and update databases for mailing lists and other information; and maintain electronic and paper files.
• Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The incumbent's work impacts the timely and efficient delivery of office support services and on the overall output of the work unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education.

Experience: Three years of relevant experience in office support work.

Languages: Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English.

IT Skills: Good knowledge of 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.

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Skills

• Good knowledge of communication and documentation standards.
• Good knowledge of corporate computerized administration, procurement, finance, travel, human resources systems and administrative procedures and policies.
• Good knowledge of the organizational structure.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of French.
• Knowledge of FAO's programme, priorities and operational modalities in support of the Great Green Wall implementation.
• Experience in applying FAO rules and procedures related to the hiring of the affiliate workforce (NSHR).
• Experience in supporting the organization of meetings and workshops and high-level events.
• Experience in providing administrative and operational support to country and field offices, including coordination with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to plan, organize and establish priorities for own work.

Call For Expressions Of Interest - Vacancy Announcement

Job Posting

20/Oct/2026

Closure Date

03/Nov/2026, 11:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit

NFO - Forestry

Job Type

Staff position

Grade Level

G-4

Primary Location

Italy-Rome

Duration

Fixed-term: one year with possibility of extension

Post Number

2011170

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.

• 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.