Programme Officer

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.

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

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.

Organizational Setting

The post is located in the Office of the Deputy Director-General (DDG) Bechdol at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Programme Officer reports to the Senior Adviser, DDCB, and works under the general guidance of the Deputy Director-General.

Technical Focus

Provide overall management support and advice under the Programme Priority Areas and other key priorities of the Strategic Framework.

Key Results

Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate assigned programme/projects.

Key Functions

• Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects, etc.; monitors and analyses programme/project development and implementation;
• Reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and tracks follow-up actions;
• Assists in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies, etc.;
• Prepares various written outputs, e.g. drafts background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.;
• Undertakes outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities;
• Coordinates activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).

Specific Functions

• Identifies priority problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions to the DDG, liaises with Divisions/Offices/Centres and other units or offices and tracks follow-up actions;
• Provides updates on programme/project performance through liaison with relevant coordinators and alerts on any potential fallouts;
• Researches, analyses and presents information and briefing notes to the DDG/Senior Adviser, DDCB gathered from diverse sources;
• Assists in preparing meetings and duty travels, including liaisons with Divisions/Offices/Centres, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries;
• Attends meetings both with and on behalf of the DDG and/or the Senior Advisor and prepares summary records, flagging issues of interest and/or requiring direct attention;
• Prepares and/or revises reports, briefing notes and talking points, of a technical content, for the DDG and other senior staff;
• Prepares and/or revises responses to comments, statements, and queries of parties, including from external stakeholders and Members;
• Assists in the review of outputs from the Office of the DDG to ensure quality control and high-quality standards in terms of substance, impact, coherence and compliance with relevant mandates, strategic vision and guidance of the Senior Leadership of the Organization;
• Performs other duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration or public administration, social science, political science, international development, international relations or a related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in project or programme management, administration or related area.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Team Work
• 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 is desirable
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of programme and project management.
• Extent and relevance of experience in strategic policy analysis, programme/project formulation, planning and implementation.
• Experience working on partnership and outreach topics would be an asset.
• Excellent command of English, written and oral, and experience in drafting/editing would be an asset.
• Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset.

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FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

• Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds
• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: https://commonsystem.org/cp/default.asp
Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:
• Dependency allowances
• Rental subsidy
• Education grant for children
• Home leave travel
• 30 working days of annual leave per year
• Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
• International health insurance; optional life insurance
• Disability protection

FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes:
• elements of family-friendly policies
• flexible working arrangements
• standards of conduct.
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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
• 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 create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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