SDG Programming Technical Officer

FAO BLR organization mission TBD

FAO operates in the Republic of Belarus (Belarus) since 2005, mainly through the operational presence of the National Correspondent. FAO is an integral member of all governance structures and strategic planning processes led by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country under the umbrella of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). UN Country Team and FAO in Belarus are currently entering into the second-generation strategic planning UNSDCF cycle for the 2026-2030 time horizon. In the upcoming years FAO plans to extend technical assistance to the Government of the Republic of Belarus and other beneficiaries in the areas of digital rural transformation, agricultural heritage systems and protection of geographical indications.

In close collaboration with FAO’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) focal points, under the overall supervision of the National Correspondent (in-person) and REU Field Programme Officer (remote), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks to support the implementation of the programming and project implementation work in the FAO Project Office in Belarus:

SDG PROGRAMMING
• Support strengthening internal capacities on SDG implementation, including on the integration of Leaving No One Behind at project level;
• Participate in and contribute to UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO)-led initiatives for the development of the 2026-2030 UNSDCF to ensure exchange of up-to-date information related to FAO’s support to Belarus on SDG implementation, as needed;
• Take part in working groups and governance mechanisms, workshops and meetings organized as a part of the wider UN system in the country, advocating FAO’s mandate and priorities;

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION
• Support the update and preparation of resource mobilization related documentation at country level, e.g. donor intelligence;
• Contribute to drafting of concept notes and project proposals for mobilization of donor resources;
• Provide logistical and administration support to the preparation of visits and meeting to relevant partners and donors;

MONITORING AND REPORTING
• Contribute to ensure that monitoring systems and tools, data collection, are kept up-to-date, ensuring accuracy of entered data;
• Contribute to the collection and analysis of project-level monitoring data;
• Support the entry of monitoring data into the corporate reporting and internal databases and systems;
• Contribute to drafting of project interim and final reports;

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Provide management and administrative support for the development, implementation and evaluation of the technical assistance and capacity building activities in the areas of agri-food systems, agriculture and rural development;
• Monitor and analyze programme delivery and implementation;
• Support the development of strategic, programme and policy documents and briefs on FAO activities in Belarus;
• Support the preparation, organization and running of the online, offline and hybrid meetings, workshops and events, including drafting the agenda, meeting minutes, presentations, briefs;
• Contribute to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, project proposals, support the elaboration of action plans for stakeholders and reports for donors;
• Identify problems and issues to be addressed during the project implementation and recommend corrective and adaptive actions;
• Provide visibility of the programmes and projects by producing information and communications products (press releases, feature articles, social media products, brochures, and promotional materials); including proposing topics, undertaking research, determining appropriate medium and target audience, preparing production plans, and coordinating on the design, printing procedures and distribution, to promote FAO’s work in the country;
• Support organization of outreach activities, capacity-building training workshops and high-level meetings between FAO and external stakeholders;
• Liaise with the FAO technical officers and other regional and national counterparts to collect and consolidate various inputs into the programming documents;
• Provide support with the English-Russian translation of documents, including programme activities and correspondence;
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.