Conference Officer (Meeting Planning)

The Conference Officer (Meeting Planning) leads the preparation, support and coordination of in-presence, hybrid and virtual meetings for FAO. The role involves managing the team responsible for scheduling and programming meetings, liaising with organizers, supervising operational support, and promoting innovative working methods and tools to ensure effective delivery of conference services.

Responsibilities

• Lead the coordination of high-level conferences, meetings and other events, ensuring effective and efficient delivery of services in accordance with FAO policies and regulatory framework.
• Provide advice and guidance on conference protocols, planning requirements and overall execution of events.
• Collaborate with external partners, such as broadcasting and/or production companies, involved in the preparation of major events.
• Oversee the on-site management of conference activities, ensuring smooth operation and coordination of all event components.
• Supervise the technical upgrade of meeting rooms.
• Collect and analyse information for inclusion in statutory and/or management reports.
• Research and analyse policy and service delivery issues, maintain operational statistics and prepare related reports.
• Participate in the development of training and related training materials and promote best practices and capacity development at headquarters and Decentralized Offices.
• Participate in CSG teams, lead working groups and/or collaborate with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on short-term assignments.
• Coordinate the planning and delivery of FAO Sessions, ensuring compliance with established procedures and timely inclusion in the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) as well as reporting through the Programme Implementation Report (PIR).
• Review and approve Session Programming Forms (SPFs) for FAO Sessions, ensuring timely submission and proper clearance by all services concerned.
• Identify and resolve scheduling overlaps and operational constraints; liaise with meeting secretariats to amend/modify SPFs and ensure availability of all requested services.
• Organize pre-session and in session support arrangements, including venue setup, audiovisual systems, logistical coordination for Governing Bodies and other meetings at headquarters.
• Prepare cost estimates and budget proposals for non-FAO events.
• Manage Conference facilities staff and coordinate related administrative operations, including planning and maintenance of the messenger roster.
• Liaise with relevant units to ensure provision and functionality of meeting rooms, IT systems, office equipment and audio-visual support as required.
• Prepare planning submissions for budgetary resources for meeting-related activities.
• Identify, pilot and promote innovative working tools to enhance efficiency and quality of conference support services.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced University degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in social sciences, political sciences, international law, international relations or another field relevant to the work of the Organization.
• Seven years of relevant experience in administration and/or organization and management of major events, meetings, conferences at a national and/or international level.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• Experience and relevance of experience in conference management activities in an inter-governmental environment of managing Governing Body sessions of a major international organization.
• Ability to meet the multiple demands of complex meetings often held outside normal working hours.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and communicate effectively to the multiple actors involved in intergovernmental meetings.
• Demonstrated ability, accuracy and tact in handling governance issues such as ballots and elections.
• Capacity to oversee staff and budgets.
• Knowledge of the governance structure of FAO is considered a strong asset.

Skills

• Conference management
• Meeting Planning
• Event Organization
• Intergovernmental Meetings
• Governance Processes
• Ballots and Elections
• Team Supervision
• Budget Oversight
• Hybrid Meeting Coordination
• Virtual Meeting Management
• Scheduling and Programming
• Stakeholder Liaison
• Operational Support
• Governance Knowledge
• Bilingual Communication
• International Relations
• Political Science
• Social Sciences
• International Law

Languages

English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish