Transaction Specialist

Transaction Specialist 

Job Posting: 13/May/2021

Closure Date: 28/May/2021, 12:59:00 AM

Organizational Unit: FNLEB

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Lebanon-Beirut

Duration: 8 months

Post Number: 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 seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• 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 member nations 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 our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

In response to the devastating impact of the economic and financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic on the agriculture sector and food security, the Government of Lebanon (GOL) has designed a program to provide direct support to farmers engaged in crop and livestock production and help them restore their productive capacities. The Programme will be financed through a US$10 million reallocation under the World Bank-financed Roads and Employment Project and implemented through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representation in Lebanon under the overall technical leadership and guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). The Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) will be in charge of the overall contract management responsibility in respect of the Outputs Agreement signed with the FAO.

The programme will be implemented by FAO in close collaboration and co-ordination with concerned government line departments at national, regional, governorate and district levels. It will contribute to reduced poverty and increased resilience for vulnerable rural people of Lebanon. This contribution will be achieved through:

• support to the sustained restoration of the productive capacities of 26,700 vulnerable smallholder men and women farmers (i.e. crop, livestock, freshwater fish and honey producers),and
• a vaccination campaign of cattle and small ruminants.

Preserving and strengthening domestic production and value chains is not only critical to mitigate the short-term risk related to agricultural livelihoods but also to boost the local economy in the medium and long term.

The current assignment is part of point 1) above. This support programme aims to foster the development of more sustainable small-scale farming systems with stronger linkages to agricultural inputs’ supply chains for men and women. Therefore, the project will distribute agricultural input in sufficient quantity and good quality to smallholder farmers through a voucher scheme, which will help in increasing or at least maintaining current farming activities and improving household food security and nutrition to targeted beneficiaries.

Reporting Lines

The Transaction Specialist will perform his/her tasks under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Lebanon and the direct supervision of the FAO Programme Manager.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Participate to the Transaction Specialist training sessions;
• Receive and maintain in good condition the needed materials and equipment from the supervisor;
• Receive and maintain a list of eligible farmers for support from the supervisor;
• Print vouchers for eligible farmers with the needed data (i.e. farmer’s name, ID number, serial number, type of voucher, etc.) and prepare it for dispatching and distribution;
• Transfer the printed vouchers for signature/stamping by the supervisor;
• Coordinate with the Project Field Engineer to dispatch the vouchers to the specific MoA Agricultural Centres for its distribution to the related farmers;
• Receive invoices and reconciliation reports from inputs suppliers on a regular basis with all needed documentation and related vouchers;
• Verify vouchers validity;
• Check the eligibility of the farmers in question, the inclusion of the inputs suppliers and inputs redeemed (i.e. types, brands and prices) in the programme’s voucher scheme, and validate the supporting documentation (i.e. copy of beneficiaries ID card, Power of Attorney to another person, etc.);
• Record the needed data (i.e. received vouchers numbers, products, prices and sales amounts, etc.) in a specific database developed for this purpose, and maintain this database;
• Submit the reconciliation reports with related comments to the supervisor;
• Follow confidentiality and security procedures to ensure farmers’, input suppliers and transactions’ data privacy is protected;
• Ensure that all invoices and related data are accounted for;
• Identify and report any challenges faced that could affect the quality of the work to the supervisor;
• Liaise and collaborate, if requested, with the project partners for the good implementation of the project activities;
• Turn over, at the end of assignment, all materials and equipment used on duty to the supervisor;
• Assist, if requested, in briefing meetings for the benefit of partners;
• Undertake other project related tasks as requested by the supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements   

• Degree in accounting, information management/science – documentation/archiving or other related fields;
• More than one year of relevant experience in accounting and/or documentation/archiving;
• Computer literacy of the Microsoft package including, Excel, Word and email use;
• Good written and spoken knowledge of English and Arabic;
• Previous experience with a UN agency or international NGOs is an advantage.
• National of Lebanon.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Highly organized individual, punctual, capable of handling multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and managing time effectively;
• Ability to work and deliver under pressure;
• Ability to commit to deadlines;
• Attention to details;
• Ability to work independently as well as an effective team player;
• Good communication skills;
• Motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

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 and complete your online profile.
• Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile.
• If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org   
• FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT