Senior Animal Health Officer (Coordinator/Zoonotic Diseases And One Health)

• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply for this position
• FAO does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization.

The Senior Animal Health Officer reports to and is supervised by the Chief, Joint FAO/WHO Centre (Codex Food Standards and Zoonotic Diseases), CJW.

Technical Focus

Provides technical support to FAO activities in support of Zoonotic diseases, One Health, Veterinary Public Health, disease drivers, socio-economic determinants.

Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of the Programmes of work, projects, products, services in accordance with FAO Strategic Objectives.

• Plans, manages, or leads highly specialized or multi-disciplinary teams, leads, coordinates, and/or participates on Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams, and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Analyzes global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Objectives, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.
• Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence based strategies, and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks.
• Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Member countries and technical support to decentralized offices in the development and implementation of their programmes.
• Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality / effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning, on-line tools.
• Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders.
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy.

• Leads the technical and managerial coordination of the CJWZ for zoonotic diseases and finalizes documents to be presented to FAO Governing Bodies related with these areas of work;
• Collaborates with relevant FAO staff to develop policies, strategies, knowledge products and advocacy material to improve production hygiene and prevention practices and national regulatory systems, and ensures coherence with other FAO units working on animal health, livestock production, nutrition, antimicrobial resistance, food safety or regulatory frameworks through FAO website updates, publications, delivery of distance learning material (e.g., e-learning, webinars) and bulletins;
• Develops strategies for the management of endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases for in-country or regional advice, and in consideration of social and environmental impacts, gender sensitivity, potential to support inclusive economic growth and reduce inequality, or humanitarian response efforts;
• Coordinates the FAO-wide Working Group on One Health and oversees CJWZ technical contributions and multi-disciplinary approaches in addressing the threat of zoonotic diseases;
• Provides conceptual and strategic orientation to FAO's One Health multi-disciplinary approaches in addressing zoonotic diseases and public health threats of animal origin, including representing CJWZ at inter-agency meetings, advisory boards, regional economic community meetings, or consultations on sustainable livestock production to protect livestock assets and preserve/enhance related livelihoods, public health, and other venues on biological threats of animal origin following the interdisciplinary outlook of a 'One Health' approach;
• Provides inputs and technical advice to support animal health international standard setting with the World Organisation for Animal Health [OIE], European Commission, and Codex Alimentarius, when relevant;
• Collaborates with external partners OIE and WHO under the umbrella of the FAO/WHO/OIE Tripartite, as well as with other international organizations, centres of excellence, FAO Reference Centres, academia, and regional stakeholders working on zoonotic diseases and One Health ;
• Represents FAO in relevant planning/implementing/ partner coordination meetings;
• Reviews and clears prepared briefs, and communication material for the zoonotic Programme and select reports;
• Develops Concept Notes and reviews Projects for resource mobilization and advocacy;
• Represents and provides advice to the CJWZ Director/ CVO, upon request, including AMR and other animal health issue.

• Advanced university degree in veterinary medicine or related fields of study such as microbiology, virology, epidemiology, public health
• Ten years of relevant experience in animal health, infectious disease management, including regulatory aspects, standard setting, and animal health strategy development
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)

• Results Focus
• Leading, Engaging and Empowering
• Communication
• Partnering and Advocating
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Thinking

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is essential
• Extent and relevance of knowledge or experience in application of the One Health approach to disease management at national and international level, in multisectoral and multidisciplinary approaches (theoretical and practical) to disease prevention and management, and animal health policy development
• Extent and relevance of experience in project development and management related to One Health/animal health
• Extent and relevance of experience in different countries and regions, especially in developing countries and countries in transition
• High level advocacy and communication skills and ability to develop and sustain partnerships and mobilize resource

• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing international meetings, seminars and capacity development
• A postgraduate degree, preferably PhD (in microbiology, virology, epidemiology, public health), is desirable