Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Organizational Setting
The Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER) is responsible for ensuring FAO’s efforts to support countries and partners in preparing for and effectively responding to food and agricultural threats and crises. It is responsible for coordinating the development and maintenance of corporate tools and standards to enable Decentralized Offices to assist Members to prepare for and respond to emergencies. OER ensures humanitarian policy coordination and knowledge, liaison with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee as well as with humanitarian resource partners, co-leadership with World Food Programme of the global Food Security Cluster, organizational preparedness, surge capacity and response to large-scale emergencies. OER supports food and nutrition security assessment and early warning activities related to emergency and humanitarian analysis and responses. OER plays a major role in the development and leadership of the Organization’s programme to increase the resilience of livelihoods to food and agriculture threats and crises.
Acting early before the impact of forecast hazards is critical: it can save lives and protect livelihoods while increasing the resilience of communities over time. FAO’s Anticipatory Action (AA) work is focused on supporting high-risk countries with developing capacities to implement AA based on a forecast and upon an early warning to anticipate and mitigate the impact of shocks on agriculture and food security. To this end, FAO provides technical and operational support to strengthen: risk monitoring and early warning systems; setting of triggers for the activation of AA; AA programming; and the mainstreaming of an anticipatory approach into national climate and disaster risk management frameworks. FAO works in coordination with a large number of organizations engaged in implementing anticipatory actions worldwide and is a member of global, regional and national technical working groups and partnerships on AA. In FAO, this area of work is supported by a number of resource partners including the EU, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Canada, Norway and the United States, among others.
Reporting Lines
The Anticipatory Action Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Programme and Results Team Leader and the direct supervision of the Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer (Anticipatory Action), OER.
Technical Focus
The Anticipatory Action Specialist will support the further development of FAO’s Anticipatory Action programmes, including technical support to decentralized offices on AA programming, institutionalization, advocacy, evidence and learning.
Tasks and responsibilities
The Anticipatory Action Specialist will:
• Support the implementation of a corporate approach for the scale up of anticipatory action, working with relevant FAO teams to link capacities for risk analysis, flexible financing and implementation;
• Support the identification of triggers for anticipatory action based on a thorough understanding of risk dynamics (e.g., identification of most impacted areas, vulnerability analysis and prioritization, interrelation with food security analysis etc.);
• Support governments and FAO Country Offices with the development and implementation of AA systems, formulation of anticipatory action proposals, activation of funds and timely implementation, liaising with all relevant internal and external actors;
• Contribute to the broader agenda on anticipating humanitarian crises including by facilitating discussions and consultations with key partners;
• Support impact analyses (including Return on Investment) studies on anticipatory action in collaboration with relevant FAO teams, and use the results to advocate for a scale up of an anticipatory approach to food crises;
• Support the collection, categorisation and dissemination of innovative anticipatory action good practices in agriculture, in partnership with FAO’s technical teams and external expert entities, supporting cross-learning between different country contexts;
• Support capacity building efforts on anticipatory action, including through the design and implementation of training materials and activities at country, regional and global level;
• Support the reinforcement of links with other FAO data and analysis systems and technical expertise contributing to the effective mitigation and prevention of food crises;
• Support the development of partnerships in anticipatory action with key actors at local, regional and global level including through joint risk analysis, programming and advocacy.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree in Agriculture, Food Security, Economics, Natural Resources Management, Rural Development, International Relations, Social/political Sciences, or related fields;
• At least 1 year (Category C) or 5 years (Category B) of relevant experience in emergency and resilience programming for the humanitarian/agricultural/food security sectors, including work experience with national and international NGO’s, UN agencies, governments, donors;
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge of one of the other languages of the Organization (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian). For PSA, working knowledge (level C) of English.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Specific experience in anticipatory action will be valued positively;
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in conflict-affected and emergency contexts;
• Extent and relevance of experience in emergency and resilience programming for the humanitarian/agricultural/food security sectors;
• Excellent research, report writing, analytical and communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to analyse problems, make appropriate recommendations, effective decisions, including in emergency settings;
• Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results, and meet deadlines, within a multi-disciplinary team.
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
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/
For more information, visit the FAO employment website
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
How to apply
HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO 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
• 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 contact: [email protected]
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