Senior Policy Officer

1L091L09

• 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 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
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the transformation to More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, for Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment and a Better life, leaving no one behind.
The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) is responsible for leading FAO's response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning, and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the region. It oversees the network of Country Offices and the Subregional Office for Central Asia. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with offices and divisions at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. REU advises the Country Offices in the region on Corporate priorities such as the Strategic Framework and on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization's Programme of Work and Budget. REU formulates, implements approved programmes and monitors the level of programme implementation in the region and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. REU develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs).

The Regional Priorities are translated by the regional Initiatives (RIs) into a programmatic umbrella for the region supporting the formulation of the Country Programmes (CPFs) and the contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) at country level. The RIs support the regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

The position is located in the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, Budapest, Hungary.

Reporting Lines
The Senior Policy Officer reports to the Assistant Director-General, Regional Representative and maintains regular contact with FAO headquarters in Rome for functional guidance on matters relating to policy and governance support in the food and agricultural sectors.

Technical Focus
Provides technical leadership, guidance and operational support for the analysis and result based policy assistance in the area of food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development policies from an economic perspective. The incumbent is guided by the Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and will take account of the UN Reform as well as the challenges supporting the countries in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. The incumbent is expected to provide support to the Regional Collaboration Platform (RCP) of the UN Agencies in the Europe and Central Asia region interlinked with the Regional Sustainable Development Forums and the regional Issues Based Coalitions.

Key Results
Development and implementation of coherent, integrated and effective policy assistance and governance work supporting member countries at regional and country level: i) in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, in alignment with the Organization's Gender Policy, and its delivery mechanisms, and ii) in response to new policy assistance requests.

Key Functions
• Manages or leads highly specialized or multi-disciplinary teams, and provides technical leadership in high-level policy analysis missions or projects, policy networks and/or international policy setting bodies;
• Leads the work carried out by technical or policy officers from HQ or out-posted staff in the Country Offices in relation to policy and governance work under FAO's Strategic Framework 2022-2031;
• Advocates strategic partnerships, best practices, and policy dialogue in support of enhanced policies and governance for food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture and food systems;
• Interacts with UN Regional and Country teams to improve cross-sectoral policies and strategies concerning agriculture, food, and nutrition security and sustainable development;
• Analyzes regional and country-level issues to provide input into the identification of country and regional priorities and requirements;
• Designs, implements and monitors regional and subregional policy, work programmes and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies;
• Plans, organizes and participates in capacity development activities involving the provision of technical advice and assistance, and oversees the development of related materials, on-line tools and information kits;
• Represents the Organization at international/intergovernmental meetings and conferences.

Specific Functions
• Leads the provision of policy support to the UN knowledge management hubs in the region as part of the RCP and the pooling of policy expertise among the agencies;
• Leads the provision of FAO's policy support to the respective Issues-Based Coalitions in the region increasing coherence and impact of FAO's work;
• Provides and leads where appropriate technical support to FAO strategic partnerships and cooperation initiatives with the relevant REIOs and their Members, UN agencies, and the organized private sector and farmers/traders organizations;
• Leads/provides technical support and quality assurance to the formulation of national, Subregional food and nutrition security policies and agricultural and rural development policies, including poverty reduction and investment direction;
• Leads the economic and social analytical work in the region in collaboration with other partners and stakeholders where appropriate in support of evidence based policy support with emphasis on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and Leaving No One Behind ensuring the definition of synergies and trade-offs;
• Leads the preparation of policy papers and documents relating to European Union/Eurasian Economic Union, the UN Regional Partners and other regional organizations which are of interest to the Organization;
• Leads or participates in or contributes to missions for (a) identification, formulation, appraisal and backstopping of national, subregional and regional programmes and projects in areas of FAO's mandate; (b) review and development of technical cooperation programmes in line with priorities and frameworks for sustainable agricultural, food and nutrition security and rural development frameworks of the region; and (c) policy related technical support to FAO Representatives in the formulation/revision of their Common Country Analysis (CCA), UNSDCFs and Country Programming Framework (CPF);
• Leads work planning related to regional policy results considering inter alia digitalization and innovation, contributing to the regional programmatic framework in close collaboration with the multi-disciplinary teams in both REU and SEC and strengthen their policy focus to ensure their contribution to the achievement of corporate results;
• Leads the organization of strategic meetings, workshops and dialogue for accelerating implementation of programmes;
• Provides periodic implementation progress updates of the FAO strategic partnerships and cooperation initiatives with the REIOs, and the organized private sector and farmers/traders organizations;
• Promotes partnerships and participation in resource mobilization and communication in coordination with the concerned Divisions, RI delivery managers and Subregional RI focal points.
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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in development economics, political sciences, agricultural economics, economics or related field;
• Ten years of experience in policy advice and economic analysis relating to food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural development, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes;
• Working knowledge of English and Russian.

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is essential;
• Understanding of complex policy processes and challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals;
• Understanding of the UN Reform Process and experience in UN Collaboration;
• Relevance and extent of experience in economic and policy analysis and advice relating to food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture, investments and rural development;
• Relevance of country level work in implementing country level programmes related to policy;
• Understanding of the Policy Environment and challenges in the European and Central Asia region;
• Relevance and extent of knowledge and experience in working with intergovernmental bodies and multi-disciplinary teams.