Programme Officer (Agrifood Systems Investment)

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The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

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• 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.

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.

Organizational Setting
The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, the Centre provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre’s four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level. For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure please visit the following link.

As part of its strategic investment planning and policy solutions, CFI collaborates with the European Union’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) to support sustainable agrifood systems’ policies and investments. As part of this collaboration, CFI partners with INTPA through the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Intelligence (SASI) initiative which delivers a diverse range of analytical products and services at global, regional, and country levels in support of the transition to sustainable, resilient and inclusive agrifood systems.

The post is located in the Office of the Director, (CFID) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Programme Officer (Agrifood Systems Investment) reports to the Deputy Director, Business Development, and works in close collaboration with the Service Chiefs.

Technical Focus
Provision of administrative assistance and support to the work planning, monitoring and reporting of investment and finance support solutions (projects and programmes) in the areas of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, developed in collaboration with cooperating partners, and in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Results
Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate assigned programmes/projects.

Key Functions
• Carries out basic research on selected aspects of programmes, operations and other activities; collects, analyses and presents statistical data and other information gathered from diverse sources.
• Provides substantive support for policy coordination and evaluation functions, including the review and analysis of emerging development issues and trends, participation in impact evaluation or equivalent studies.
• Participates in survey initiatives; supports data collection, reviews, analyses and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares preliminary conclusions.
• Contributes to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications.
• Undertakes outreach activities; participates in the development of training workshops, seminars; participates in and makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Participates in field missions, including provision of substantive and administrative support, data collection, etc.
• Monitors activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements) and preparation of related documents/reports (work programme plans, programme budget), as necessary.

Specific Functions
• Supports the preparation of work plans, budgets, monitoring, and reports related to the SASI programme of work.
• Assists with the development and implementation of CFI initiatives related to strategic investment planning and policy solutions, and in particular, those focused on agrifood systems policies and investment.
• Supports, monitors and contributes to quality control and timely delivery of technical activities and outputs of SASI and agrifood systems policies and investment-related work.
• Liaises and coordinates with CFI geographic services, FAO technical divisions, EU and other cooperating partners in joint processes used in the planning, design and implementation of the SASI and other work programmes.
• Initiates and follows up on regular communication with EU INTPA, and EU partner agencies, as well as other development partners.
• Supports the organization and management of large communication events and meetings, mobilizing and monitoring inputs of diverse team members and external partners.
• Contributes to the technical content of memos, analytical work, studies and strategies and project documents through research, data collection and analysis on topics related to agrifood systems transformation.
• Contributes to a multidisciplinary team in the formulation and implementation of agrifood systems’ programmes and investment operations at country level.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in business administration or public administration, social science, political science, international relations, or a related field.
• Three years of relevant experience in project or programme management, administration at national and international level or related area.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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

Technical/Functional Skills
• Extent and relevance of experience in results-based management of large trust fund programmes/projects in developing countries including planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting.
• Extent of knowledge of procedures of FAO’s main development partners, in particular the European Union, World Bank and other partner international financial institutions (IFIs).
• Extent and relevance of experience in the oversight and management of human resource processes in large trust fund projects.
• Extent and relevance of experience in supporting the planning, design, implementation and coordination of large technical programmes of work.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the organization and management of large communication events and meetings with diverse stakeholders.
• Extent and relevance of experience in providing diverse types of technical and analytical contributions to advance the design and implementation of actions related to agrifood systems transformation and investment operations.