Event Specialist (Digital Agriculture)

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• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
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Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities.

In response to the growing demand for seizing the opportunities brought by digital technologies, FAO REU established its specialized team for Digital Agriculture in 2020. With a mission to act as a catalyzer for the digital transformation of agriculture across Europe and Central Asia, the team provides critical capabilities to country offices, technical units, and Members, while leading the implementation of key initiatives, such as the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI), the Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiH) and the AgriTech Observatory. In 2023, the team was recognized with the “One FAO Team Award”.

In this context, FAO REU is organizing a regional forum on “AgriFood Innovation in the AI and Digital Age” — a flagship 3-day event dedicated to the digitalization of agrifood systems across Europe and Central Asia. To be hosted in November (tbc) in Tirana, Albania, in partnership with the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the event brings together government officials, technology innovators, development partners, investors and farmers over three thematic days: a high-level political segment, a deep-dive on AgriGovTech (digital transformation of Government systems public agricultural services), and a day dedicated to field innovation and the agri-tech ecosystem. Artificial intelligence is the cross-cutting theme connecting all three days.

This position offers a Personal Service Agreement/Consultancy contract for 6 months, extendable upon funds availability and satisfactory performance.

The preferred duty station for this assignment is Tirana (Albania). However, candidates located in Budapest (Hungary) or Rome (Italy) may also be considered.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the supervision of the regional Head of Digital Agriculture and the overall supervision of the Regional Programme Leader.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will contribute to the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework linked mainly to Digital Agriculture (BP5). The Event Specialist will drive the end-to-end planning, coordination and delivery of the 3-day event, from inception through to post-event reporting, ensuring the highest standards of quality, inclusion and FAO brand compliance throughout. The incumbent will act as the key event coordinator, integrating the contributions of technical experts, operations, procurement, administrative and communications specialists across a multidisciplinary team.

Tasks and responsibilities

Event Design and Resource Mobilization

• Develop and manage a comprehensive event workplan, timeline and oversee budget, ensuring alignment with technical priorities;
• Support the design of the three-day programme in close coordination with technical specialists, including the High-Level Segment, the AgriGovTech day and the Field Innovation day, ensuring thematic coherence and AI as a cross-cutting thread;
• Develop sponsorship prospectus, partnership packages and other strategic documents to mobilize additional funding and institutional support; Identify, approach and secure sponsorship and partnership commitments from various actors.

Event Delivery and Operations

• Coordinate all logistical aspects of the event, including venue selection and contracting, audio-visual and technical infrastructure, catering, accommodation, transportation and security arrangements;
• Coordinate the issuance of formal invitations and manage travel and accommodation arrangements for government representatives from FAO's 18 beneficiary countries and other invited delegates, in accordance with FAO rules and procedures;
• Coordinate the procurement of event-related services in line with FAO's procurement rules, including drafting Terms of Reference, evaluating offers and managing contracts with service providers;
• Coordinate the exhibition space, liaising with technology partners and exhibitors on stand design, setup and logistics;
• Develop and manage contingency plans and risk registers to ensure operational resilience.

Programme and Speaker Management

• Support the identification, issuance of invitations and coordination of keynote speakers, panelists, ministerial participants, startups, moderators and facilitators, ensuring a balanced representation of gender, geography and sector;
• Prepare speaker briefing packages, session guides, moderator notes and participant materials;
• Manage the integration of audience engagement tools (e.g. Slido or equivalent) into all sessions;
• Liaise with FAO HQ and with the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other national counterparts on protocol.

Communications and Visibility

• Develop and implement the event communications and outreach strategy, in coordination with the FAO HQ and REU communications team and in compliance with FAO branding and communications standards;
• Oversee the production of all event materials, including the event website, programme booklet, banners, signage, social media content, press releases and multimedia content;
• Manage the event's social media presence and live coverage, ensuring consistent application of the event brand identity across all touchpoints, in line with FAO Corporate Visual Identity standards;
• Support media accreditation and manage relations with regional and international press throughout the event.

Knowledge Management and Follow-up

• Coordinate the production and dissemination of post-event knowledge products, including the event report, session summaries, and video recordings;
• Manage the publication of all presentations, case studies and session recordings as open-access resources;
• Prepare a comprehensive after-action report with lessons learned and recommendations for future editions of the forum.

Other Duties

• Provide support to other digital agriculture initiatives and events managed by the FAO REU Digital Agriculture team;
• Liaise with OCC to ensure compliance with FAO communications standards, aligned messaging and appropriate review and clearance processes;
• Perform any other relevant duties as required by the supervisor.

FAO Standards and guidelines:

Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.

All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE (https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).

Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Event Management, Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, International Relations, Agricultural Science, or a related field. Consultants with a bachelor's degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in event management, conference organization, project management, travel/admin/finance support or related fields, preferably in an international or intergovernmental organization context.
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Demonstrated experience in planning and delivering large-scale international conferences, summits or multi-stakeholder events, including end-to-end project management from concept to post-event reporting.
• Experience in managing event budgets, procurement processes and contracts with service providers in compliance with institutional rules and procedures.
• Proven ability to manage speaker and VIP relations, including government ministers, senior UN officials and private sector representatives, with strong protocol awareness.
• Experience in developing sponsorship and partnership packages and mobilizing resources from the private sector and development partners for events.
• Familiarity with digital agriculture, agri-tech innovation, or related fields is a strong asset, as is understanding of the Europe and Central Asia regional context.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience in drafting speaker briefs and communications materials.
• Experience managing social media and digital communications for high-profile events.

Selection Criteria

• Proficiency in Albanian is a strong asset.
• Demonstrated experience organizing events for UN agencies, especially FAO, international organizations or government bodies is considered a strong asset.
• Experience working in or with countries in Europe and Central Asia is a strong asset.
• Proficiency in both English and Albanian is an asset.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong problem-solving skills. Strong time-management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members and external stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently.

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

• 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

• 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/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.

• 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
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• 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.

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