Operations Assistant

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning (MLHCP) and with financing from the World Bank, is implementing the project “Innovative Solutions for Land Dispute Resolution in Sierra Leone” (UTF/SIL/059/SIL).
The project focuses on:
•    Strengthening women’s land rights through gender-transformative approaches; 
•    Improving land dispute resolution systems; and 
•    Promoting inclusive and participatory land governance. 
The project requires strong operational support to ensure effective implementation, compliance with FAO and World Bank procedures, and efficient coordination of field and administrative activities.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall oversight of the FAO Representative (FAOR) and the direct supervision of the International Operations Specialist. The incumbent will collaborate closely with the Technical Assistance Coordinator; the Operations and Finance Units, the project team and implementing partners, and government counterparts and field-level stakeholders.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will support operational planning, logistics, procurement, and financial processes, ensuring:
•    Efficient delivery of project activities; 
•    Compliance with FAO rules and donor requirements; 
•    Proper documentation and audit readiness; and 
•    Effective coordination of field operations.

Tasks and responsibilities

Operational and Logistical Support

•    Coordinate logistical arrangements for project activities (trainings, workshops, MSP meetings, field missions); 
•    Support travel arrangements (tickets, accommodation, DSA processing, transport coordination); 
•    Ensure availability of vehicles, fuel, and drivers for project operations; and 
•    Assist in preparation and monitoring of activity workplans and schedules. 

Procurement and Asset Management

•    Support procurement processes in line with FAO procedures; 
•    Prepare purchase requests and track procurement actions; 
•    Maintain procurement documentation and contract records; and
•    Support asset management, including inventory tracking and asset register updates. 

Financial and Administrative Support

•    Support budget monitoring and tracking of operational expenditures; 
•    Assist in processing payments, advances, and liquidations; 
•    Ensure completeness and accuracy of supporting documents for financial transactions; 
•    Maintain structured and audit-ready filing systems. 

Coordination and Communication

•    Facilitate communication between FAO, implementing partners, and stakeholders; 
•    Support organization of meetings, including agendas, minutes, and follow-up actions; 
•    Liaise with district-level actors to support field implementation; and 
•    Provide administrative and logistical support during missions and official visits. 

Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation

•    Support preparation of operational inputs for project reports; 
•    Maintain updated records of activities, logistics, and expenditures; 
•    Track implementation of activities against the approved workplan; and 
•    Support documentation of lessons learned and best practices. 

Field Operations Support

•    Provide logistical and administrative support to field missions; 
•    Support coordination of field teams and local stakeholders; and 
•    Ensure proper documentation of field activities and results. 

Compliance and Risk Management

•    Ensure all operational activities comply with FAO rules and donor requirements; 
•    Identify operational bottlenecks and propose solutions; 
•    Support audit processes by ensuring proper documentation and record-keeping; and 
•    Contribute to maintaining audit-ready records.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum requirements

•    Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Logistics, Finance, or related field. 
•    Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in operations, administration, or logistics of 
•    Working knowledge (proficiency - level C)'of English 
•    National of Sierra Leone

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills  

•    Strong organizational and coordination skills.
•    Knowledge of procurement, logistics, and administrative procedures.
•    Experience in operational planning and support.
•    Ability to support field operations and multi-stakeholder coordination.
•    Strong reporting and documentation skills.
•    Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Selection criteria

•    Experience in donor-funded or international development projects is an asset.
•    Experience with FAO or UN operational systems is an advantage.
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO [link removed] and complete your online profile. 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

• 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/ [link removed].These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings [link removed].
• 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 [link removed]

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT