In pursuit of these aspirations, the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) coordinates Programme Priority Areas on gender equality and rural women's empowerment and on inclusive rural transformation. The Division works with Members and other partners to reduce rural poverty by promoting gender equality and women's empowerment, diversifying rural employment opportunities, strengthening rural institutions and producer organizations, improving social protection systems, facilitating the rural poor's access to land, productive resources and rural services, and pursuing the overall goal of realizing the human right to adequate food for all. The Division also leads efforts to integrate the cross-cutting themes of gender and youth throughout the work programmes of the Organization.
The position is located in the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
Reporting Lines:
The Senior Project Officer (Right to Food) reports to the Director of ESP.
Key Functions:
Leads the development, implementation and evaluation on technical issues of assigned programmes/projects; directs review of relevant documents and reports; identifies priorities, liaises with relevant parties; identifies and initiates follow-up actions.
Coordinates programmes and reviews the assessments of issues and trends for the implementation of programmes and projects and the preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies.
Supervises preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications.
Directs substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
Manages outreach activities; designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
Leads field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties.
Provides advice to develop policies and strategies as well as national protocols and guide lines for projects with specific domains related to FAO's work.
Specific Functions:
Leads and manages the Right to Food Team, including managing staff performance, professional development of the Team and overseeing work planning, budgeting and reporting; and creating an enabling environment for staff engaged with human rights and gender equality.
Provides strategic direction and intellectual leadership to FAO's policy analysis and technical work on right to adequate food, which aims to support governments and other stakeholders to integrate the right to adequate food' and a Human rights-based approach (HRBA) in agricultural, food security and nutrition, and rural development policies, programmes and strategies.
Provides guidance, technical support and capacity development support to governments to incorporate the right to adequate food and HRBA into the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes for agriculture, rural development, food security and nutrition, and poverty reduction.
Represents FAO externally and leads the development of strategic partnerships to position FAO vis-à-vis the international development community and demonstrates its leadership and technical expertise integrating the right to adequate food in agrifood systems.
Leads knowledge generation and development of high quality peer-reviewed research and technical publications on right to adequate food in agriculture, rural development, food security and nutrition, and poverty reduction.
Leads coordination and cooperation with other UN entities and international organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), research organizations and universities.
Liaises with the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Secretariat and stakeholders presented in the CFS to support policy processes relevant to the right to food and to the incorporation of HRBA in food systems and policies to eradicate hunger, malnutrition and rural poverty.
Supports and promotes, in coordination with the relevant units, the engagement with parliamentarians to advance the legislative, budgetary and oversight parliamentary work to protect and fulfil the right to adequate food.
Performs other related duties as required.
Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following:
Minimum Requirements:
Advanced university degree in political sciences, economics, agricultural economics, social sciences, or other relevant food and agricultural sciences.
Ten years of relevant experience in socio-economic analysis, policy analysis and support, and capacity development to integrate right to adequate food and/or Human Rights dimensions into policy and programme formulation and implementation, in the context of agriculture, rural development, food security and nutrition, and poverty reduction.
Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and Spanish.
