Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the Specialized Agency of the United Nations leading international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to high-quality food.

The Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) 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 regional priority activities and business development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with Divisions/Offices/Centres at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities. RLC also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and guides the implementation of approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RLC develops and maintains relations with a wide range of partners, including resource partners and the private sector.

The post is located in the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile.

Reporting Lines

The Assistant Director General/Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) reports to the Chief Economist.

Summary of Duties and Functions

In the framework of FAO’s mandate, agreed Organizational results and technical, operational and administrative corporate procedures and policies, the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative (ADG/RR) is the senior representative of the Director-General in the region and represents FAO vis-à-vis region-wide institutions and media. He/she is responsible for developing, promoting and overseeing FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture, rural development and agricultural innovation; the implementation of approved programmes/projects related to regional priorities; addressing region-wide food security, agriculture and rural development issues; leading the Regional Office in the performance of its functions. He/she leads and supervises members of the Regional Management Team composed of the Deputy Regional Representatives and Subregional Coordinators, as well as provides guidance on regional priorities to all FAO offices and units in the region and exerts direct supervision over Regional Office staff.

The ADG/RR receives advice from, and provides advice to, Heads of FAO headquarters’ Divisions, Offices/Centres, as well as the Subregional Coordinators and FAO Country Representatives in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In particular, the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean:

• Advocates the Organization’s policy positions and communicates FAO’s messages at regional level.
• Assures, in collaboration with Divisions, Offices and Centres at headquarters, the due application of FAO’s corporate procedures, standards and policies in the region.
• Supports, in consultation with regional Members and relevant region-wide organizations, the regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development, and facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships.
• Supports monitoring of regional events and medium- and long-term perspectives, knowledge and information exchange, development of regional norms, standards, policy and regulatory frameworks, capacity development, resource mobilization and aid coordination, including joint United Nations (UN) approaches.
• Leads the prioritization of FAO’s work in the region in close consultation with FAO Decentralized Offices and headquarters units as well as regional Members and relevant region-wide organizations.
• Oversees and monitors FAO’s collaboration with its Members and institutional partners in the region, in accordance with agreed priorities, approved programme/budgets, strategic objectives and corporate policies.
• Oversees and facilitates prioritization and monitoring of FAO’s work by the Subregional Coordinators, in consultation, as necessary, with his/her respective counterpart organizations and governments.
• Leads the region’s contribution to FAO’s programming and budgeting processes and helps ensure coherence between global, regional, subregional and country priorities and related budgetary allocations.
• Manages the regional Technical Cooperation Programme allocation.
• Provides operational support to FAO Country Representatives on emergency and rehabilitation operations and helps manage operations in countries where operational capacity is not adequate; he/she is accountable for assuring an effective and enabling environment in which the Organization can respond effectively, and in a timely manner, to food and agricultural threats and emergencies at country, subregional and regional levels.
• Leads the organization of FAO’s Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) and oversees the follow-up to its recommendations.
• Supports intergovernmental meetings and other events convened by FAO at regional level.
• Oversees the work of FAO Country Offices within the region and provides administrative support services to them.
• Leads and manages the Regional Office by (i) managing its allotments; (ii) supervising its staff; (iii) making efficient and effective internal organizational arrangements; (iv) ensuring the effective application of corporate technical policies and administrative procedures on, inter alia, procurement, human resources management, accounting and field operations; (v) developing and implementing the integrated (emergency and development) field programme at regional level; and (vi) ensuring the security, safety and welfare of staff and eligible dependants, as well as the protection of the Organization’s assets, property and information.
• Oversees the management of risk in all units within the area of command, ensuring that any significant control weaknesses be escalated and that managers throughout the area of command, including FAO Representatives, observe internal control policies and procedures.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in a field related to the work of the Organization.
• Extensive leadership and managerial/administrative experience, demonstrating professional competence and strategic leadership at a high level.
• Familiarity with results-based management approaches and ability to manage programmes and budgets to achieve progress towards high impact results that respond to client needs.
• Fifteen years of relevant experience in the field of food security, agriculture, rural development and agricultural innovation.
• Ability to lead and work effectively with a diverse team of people of different national and cultural backgrounds in an international setting.
• Experience with multilateral negotiations and advice to governments.
• Good resource mobilization and partnership development skills.
• Working knowledge (full proficiency – level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
• Working knowledge (full proficiency – level C) of Spanish is considered as highly desirable.