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Food Security Specialist (FSS)

Johannesburg

  • Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  • Location: Johannesburg
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Security and Safety
    • Nutrition
    • Food Security, Livestock and Livelihoods
    • SFS
  • Closing Date: Closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

  • 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 member nations, 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 our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination
  • All selected candidates, therefore, will 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


Organizational Setting

FAO supports governments and regional bodies to address their needs and priorities in achieving food security, reducing hunger and malnutrition, developing agricultural, fishery and forestry sectors, and ensuring the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources. The FAO Sub-regional Resilience Team for southern Africa (SFS-REOSA), based in Johannesburg, South Africa, leads FAO’s work to reduce vulnerability and risks of food and nutrition insecurity by strengthening the productive capacity and livelihoods of vulnerable groups in southern Africa. SFS-REOSA provides support to regional bodies, governments and FAO country offices in the design and implementation of emergency and resilience-building initiatives for the agriculture, food and nutrition security sector in southern Africa.


Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for Southern Africa and the direct supervision of the Resilience Team Leader, SFS-REOSA, the Food Security Specialist (FSS) will contribute to effective FAO programming and support to FAO Country Offices and sub-regional partners in the area of food and nutrition in the sub-region.

Technical Focus


Specifically, the FSS will provide technical and coordination support to help strengthen food security information systems in the subregion, working closely with regional and national partners. The FSS will work closely with the SFS-REOSA, the SFS Technical Officers and relevant units in RAF and Headquarters in strengthening agricultural emergency preparedness, risk reduction, emergency response, and early recovery programming within the subregion.


Tasks and responsibilities

• Undertake sub-regional and support country food and nutrition security analyses
• Providing lead support to the Food and Nutrition Security Working Group (FNSWG), including co-chairing the FNSWG when requested, convening meetings, supporting secretariat functions, coordinating joint programming and technically supporting activities;
• Facilitating and contributing to the preparation and dissemination of the FSNWG technical briefs;
• Providing coordination and technical support to the SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment Committee (RVAC) to strengthen technical assessments and dissemination of information for action;,
• Participating in SADC Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Annual Planning and Dissemination Meetings and National VACs as required
• Providing technical support to the multi-agency Regional Inter-Agency Standing Committee Office for southern Africa (RIASCO), as needed, to strengthen resilience, emergency preparedness and response, especially as it relates to agriculture and food security;
• Developing and maintaining strong linkages with other UN Agencies, development partners, Civil Society and subregional organizations to facilitate information sharing, technical exchanges and promote consensus-building on food and nutrition security;
• Contributing to other FAO food security information products required at regional and global level;
• Contributing to the development and testing of food and nutrition security assessment tools and methodologies and build technical capacity at regional and country level through skills and knowledge transfer;
• Providing technical, programmatic and managerial support to the FAO sub-regional and country resilience agenda and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRR/M) Programmes, in the framework of the FAO Strategic Framework;
• Supporting the maintenance of strategic partnership and collaboration with SFS-REOSA partners to ensure synergies are built;
• Providing support to the SFS-REOSA project portfolio management, identify opportunities for programme expansion and contribute to the formulation of related documents –e.g. concept notes and project proposals;
• Contributing to the formulation, organization and delivery of training sessions at the sub-regional, national and sub-national level (including the community level) on matters of relevance to the SFS-REOSA portfolio, with emphasis on (but not limited to) food security, DRR/M and resilience building;
• Technically supporting other subregional and national early warning information and analysis systems, as required;
• During emergencies, provide technical support to help develop and review emergency funding projects and proposals, including flash appeals, Emergency Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCPs), and Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) applications, providing follow-up implementation support where needed;
• Contributing to the production of FAO food security knowledge and information products required at subregional and global levels;
• Providing support to SFS-REOSA communications and reporting functions to develop and disseminate evidence-based communication and visibility products.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING


Minimum Requirements


• University degree in a field related to Agriculture
• At least 10 years of relevant working experience in programme cycle management
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO Official languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian) for Consultants. For PSA.SBS working knowledge of English will be sufficient.


FAO Core Competencies


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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Technical knowledge in Food Security information and analysis, Agricultural/Rural Livelihoods, DRR/M, Climate Change adaptation, Value Chain Analysis, and Nutrition, Gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming
• Skills and experience in leading multi-stakeholder coordination forums
• Proven ability to work within short timeframes and minimum guidance
• Extensive experience in collaborating with government, UN, civil society organizations, tertiary and research institutions.
• Experience in training and capacity development
• Good knowledge of FAO strategic, operational and technical work
• Experience in training and capacity development.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

This vacancy is now closed.
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