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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 person 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
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Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to defeating hunger and improving food security, nutrition and sustainable agricultural development. FAO supports governments worldwide in developing resilient agrifood systems and addressing emerging challenges affecting food security and livelihoods.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing the Pandemic Fund project ,"From Early Warning to Early Action: Building Zimbabwe's One Health Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (ZIPOH)", to strengthen integrated national systems for prevention, preparedness and response to health threats. The National One Health and AMR Coordinator will serve as the principal national focal point for coordination of One Health and antimicrobial resistance activities under the project.
This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to Zimbabwe's national health security agenda by strengthening One Health coordination, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) governance, integrated disease surveillance, laboratory systems and multisectoral collaboration. The incumbent will play a key role in advancing national pandemic preparedness and response capacities while supporting implementation of Zimbabwe's One Health and AMR priorities.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Zimbabwe and the functional supervision of the Assistant FAOR (Programme), with technical guidance from the SFS Livestock Development Officer/Lead Technical Officer and relevant regional and headquarters technical officers, the incumbent will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Environmental Management Agency, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, academic institutions, research organizations, AMR Technical Working Groups and development partners.
Technical Focus
• One Health coordination and governance
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Antimicrobial Use (AMU)
• Integrated disease surveillance systems
• Veterinary and public health laboratory strengthening
• Zoonotic disease prevention and control
• Pandemic preparedness and health security
• Workforce development and capacity strengthening
• Multisectoral stakeholder engagement and partnerships
Tasks and responsibilities
• Coordinate implementation of Pandemic Fund activities in Zimbabwe.
• Support preparation and execution of annual work plans and implementation schedules.
• Facilitate collaboration between animal, human, wildlife and environmental health sectors.
• Support implementation of Zimbabwe's National Action Plan on AMR.
• Support development and strengthening of integrated AMR surveillance systems.
• Strengthen laboratory quality systems, biosafety and biosecurity.
• Support strengthening of surveillance systems for zoonotic diseases and emerging threats.
• Organize and facilitate capacity-building activities on One Health, AMR, laboratory systems and pandemic preparedness.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and information-sharing among partners.
• Prepare technical reports, donor updates, progress reports and knowledge products.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Veterinary Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Microbiology, One Health, Animal Health, Biomedical Science, or related discipline
• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in One Health, antimicrobial resistance, public health, veterinary public health, laboratory systems, zoonotic disease programmes or related fields.
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English
• National of Zimbabwe
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Strong understanding of One Health concepts, principles and governance mechanisms.
• Knowledge of AMR surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship and National Action Plans on AMR.
• Experience with laboratory quality management systems, biosafety and biosecurity.
• Knowledge of zoonotic disease prevention, preparedness and response frameworks.
• Strong stakeholder coordination, facilitation and partnership-building skills.
• Experience in project implementation, monitoring and donor reporting.
• Excellent analytical, communication and technical report-writing skills.
• Familiarity with international standards and guidance from FAO, WHO and WOAH
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multisectoral teams.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multisectoral programmes and stakeholder platforms
• Experience working with government institutions and development partners.
• Experience supporting implementation of donor-funded projects and programmes
• Experience in surveillance systems, laboratory strengthening, AMR initiatives or health security programmes is highly desirable
Selection Criteria
• Experience supporting implementation of National Action Plans on Antimicrobial Resistance.
• Experience in One Health coordination mechanisms and multisectoral governance platforms.
• Experience in laboratory systems strengthening and AMR surveillance.
• Familiarity with Joint External Evaluation (JEE), SPAR, PVS Pathway, ATLASS, LMT or related assessment frameworks.
• Previous experience working with FAO, WHO, WOAH, UNEP, Africa CDC or similar international organizations.
• Experience supporting Pandemic Fund, health security or emergency preparedness programmes.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
- 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 additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
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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