Job Description

National Administrative Specialist

• Job Posting : 06/Jun/2025

• Closure Date : 24/Jun/2025, 12:59:00 AM

Organizational Unit: FAPNG – FAO Office with Programme Officer in Papua New Guinea

• Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

• Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)

• Grade Level: N/A

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

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

Organizational Setting

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 is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.
The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.
Specifically, FAO Country Offices:
(i)    advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate;
(ii)    provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
(iii)     assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
(iv)    position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and
ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

In collaboration with key government agencies such as the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA), the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), and the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), FAO actively supports sustainable forest management, ecosystem protection, and the advancement of Papua New Guinea’s climate change mitigation strategies. These efforts align with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (2018-2022) and the European Union’s Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) (2021-2027).

A notable initiative is the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded project, which focuses on conserving threatened species and habitats, improving the management of protected areas and high conservation value zones, and fostering sustainable, biodiversity-friendly, climate-resilient livelihoods in the Eastern and Western Highlands Provinces. Meanwhile, the Forestry Climate Change Biodiversity (FCCB) Nexus project enhances the capacity to collect and disseminate critical forest information, creating an accessible platform for stakeholders to engage in sustainable forest management and ensure transparency in climate finance.

The position is located in the FAO Country Office in Papua New Guinea.

Reporting Lines

The National Administrative Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor. The incumbent will work in close consultation and coordination with International Operations Specialist, in carrying out his/her tasks and duties.

Technical Focus

The National Administrative Specialist is responsible for leveraging GRMS to oversee all procurement, finance, travel, and asset transactions, maintain and update SOPs, and ensure each process remains accurate, compliant, and efficient.

Duties and Responsibilities

•  Manage day-to-day office operations spanning procurement, finance, travel, conferences and assets.

•  Coordinate complete travel logistics—TAs, tickets, visas, hotels and vehicles—ensuring duty-of-care and cost compliance.

•   Consolidate monthly travel and meeting plans, aligning missions with budgets and implementation timelines.

•  Review and verify PRs, POs and invoices in GRMS for accuracy, correct coding, budget availability and policy compliance.

•  Process GRMS transactions and track vendor deliveries through to receipt and payment.

•  Draft, update and circulate SOPs, policies and templates to standardise administrative processes.

•    Match invoices, manage cash and DSA advances, and reconcile monthly expenditures to keep overdue items within limits.

•  Maintain the asset register in GRMS, lead physical counts and arrange transfers or disposals per policy.

•  Manage office facilities, security measures, fleet operations and inventory of supplies.

•    Support HR administration by facilitating recruitment, onboarding, contract extensions and leave tracking for affiliate workforce.

Job Requirement

Minimum Requirements  

• University degree (bachelor’s level) in business administration, public administration, finance, or another field relevant to FAO’s mandate 

• Three years of relevant experience in Administrative, finance, procurement, HR related areas

•  Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English

•  National of Papua New Guinea

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

•    Master’s degree is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)

• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted

• 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 http://www.whed.net/ 

• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

•  Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions. 

How to Apply

• To apply click THIS LINK

We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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