Agricultural Officer

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 FAO Investment 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 .

The post is located in the Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Agricultural Officer reports to the Chief, Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC).

Technical Focus

Provide analytical and technical support on agricultural development including functioning of primary crop production, productivity enhancement, agricultural support services, rural market and finance solutions aspects for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of investment policies, strategies, programmes and projects in food and agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agro-processing.

Key Results

Delivering investment and finance support solutions through the provisions of technical expertise/assistance and support to capacity development, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to achieve impact at scale in the transformation of agrifood systems within the scope of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Participates in, and eventually leads multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives in the fields of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agribusiness, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
• Participates in, and eventually leads multidisciplinary teams for the implementation support and the preparation of final evaluation of investment and finance support solutions.
• Provides technical expertise for the preparation of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agro-processing studies and strategies, in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes.
• Supports the development of inclusive and sustainable food systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, and civil society organizations and governments.
• Formulates and delivers capacity development initiatives in the areas of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, non-state actors and private sector organizations.
• Prepares documents in accordance with the requirements of FAO, governments and financing partners.
• Provides support in task organization, selection of consultants, preparation of terms of reference and in ensuring the quality of outputs.
• Promotes international cooperation and collaboration leading to new investment opportunities and cooperative agreements, advocates best practices and effective policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings.
• Establishes, promotes and maintains relationships with the relevant Programme Priority Areas, FAO Technical Units and Decentralized Offices in order to ensure best synergies between investment, policy and innovation work in support to Members.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.
• Provides guidance and advice to junior staff.

Specific Functions

• Provides contributions to food security and food systems transformation in agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agribusiness to develop national or regional strategies, plans and operations considering their investment implications, technical and environmental feasibility and compliance with national policies and priorities.
• Assesses the constraints and opportunities of enhancing the productivity of agricultural production systems with emphasis on cropping systems, climate smart technologies and practices, agroecology, sustainability of farming practices and environmental impact, seed systems, postharvest and food losses, access to, and functioning of markets, relevance and quality of agricultural and extension services, institutions and organizations, cross-sectoral interactions, risk management systems, as well as role and engagement of commercial private sector.
• Participates in, and eventually leads the design of agricultural activities and components of investment operations, including systems of implementation support and monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of agricultural and rural development projects.
• Provides technical expertise for practical productivity and sustainability improvements to existing farming and cropping systems, formulates crop budgets and defines the technical parameters for the establishment of farm models for financial and economic analysis.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agriculture or a closely related field, with focus on crops and cropping systems.
• Seven years of relevant experience in planning and implementing agricultural development programmes, including experience in the formulation and/or implementation of food systems, food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resources management, cropping and farming systems, seed systems, agricultural extension systems and agribusiness investment operations in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
• 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

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in major technical fields related to rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, cropping and seed systems and agricultural extension in developing countries and countries in transition, including in the development of sustainable production and food systems, and agricultural services.
• Extent and relevance of experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resources management, agribusiness and agro-processing investment and finance support solutions, with focus on agronomy and horticulture development including functioning of related agricultural support services, rural market and finance institutions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO’s main partner International Financial Institutions (IFIs), in particular the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other development partners.
• Knowledge of the context as well as partners and institutions of the specific subregion would be an asset.
• Relevance of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resources management, and agribusiness investments.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of Arabic, French or Russian would be an asset.

Job Posting

29/Nov/2023

Closure Date

28/Dec/2023, 12:59:00 AM

Organizational Unit

FAO Investment Centre (CFI)

Job Type

Staff position

Type of Requisition

Professional

Grade Level

P-4

Primary Location

Italy-Rome

Duration

Fixed-term: Two years with possibility of extension

Post Number

0017558

CCOG Code

1H01

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

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 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.