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. The Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU) is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the identification, strengthening and stewardship of strategic partnerships with UN agencies and non-state actors (NSA) including parliamentarians, civil society, academia and research institutions, family farmers’ and indigenous peoples’ organizations. The Division leads FAO’s engagement in the UN Development System repositioning, develops capacities, fosters dialogues, scales up programmes and advocates for FAO’s corporate positions in support of FAO’s new Strategic Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It ensures that multi-stakeholder processes and strategic interventions globally and locally are an integral part of FAO’s work and provides targeted support for successful collaboration with UN agencies and non-state actors. PSU also supports capacity development, a core function in FAO’s Strategic Framework, focusing on sustainable results and lasting change at country level; and the integration of strengthening Human Capital in FAO programmes and Priority Programme Areas (PPAs).

Reporting Lines

The consultants/PSAs will work under the general guidance of the Head of the Responsible Agricultural Investments, Learning, and Scientific Information Unit (PSUR) within PSU, and under the direct supervision of the Team Leader – Capacity Development. When activities are carried out in countries, the consultants will be required to work in close collaboration with the FAO Representation in the relevant country of assignment, as well as the relevant FAO regional office

Technical Focus 

The Consultants/PSAs will support:

a)    the implementation of FAO’s comprehensive capacity development approach, which goes beyond training, calls for the involvement of multiple stakeholders, requires leadership by country partners, and anchors FAO interventions in the specific context of a country or region. This approach also ensures that capacity development interventions and initiatives address issues across the three dimensions of capacity development (individuals, organizations, and the enabling environment); and

b)    the integration of the “Accelerator – Complements (governance, institutions, and human capital)” identified in the FAO Strategic Framework into Priority Programme Areas, as well as Regional and Country Programmes, focusing on Human Capital.

Tasks and responsibilities

The tasks and responsibilities will be specified in the Terms of Reference for each appointee. Assigned tasks and responsibilities will typically include more than one of the following areas:

•    Work closely with FAO staff and selected regional and national partners to ensure capacity needs are addressed in project/programme formulation.
•    Appraise project/programme documents using the capacity development criteria by FAO Programme and Project Review Committee (PPRC).
•    Support technical and organizational capacity assessments at global, regional and national levels considering the enabling environment, institutional needs and individual capacities.
•    Contribute to development of capacity development action plans (capacity design) that focus on building on existing capacities while also addressing identified gaps.
•    Contribute to development and deployment of capacity development tracking/monitoring systems and tools, including the collection of good capacity development practices.
•    Contribute to development of materials and processes for specific areas/topics identified as needed for capacity development of FAO staff and country partners, including training, mentoring and coaching of partners, peer learning and other methodologies.
•    Support delivery of capacity development courses and good capacity development practice awareness raising events and products (i.e., webinars, writing and publishing CD web stories, etc.).
•    Support documentation of effective capacity development approaches, methodologies and activities in FAO projects and programmes for sharing as good practices.
•    Support and facilitate multi-stakeholder processes in the context of capacity development.
•    Support FAO units to integrate Human Capital in programmes and contributions to the Priority Programme Areas (PPAs).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in Agricultural Sciences, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Organizational Development or any field related to FAO’s mandate.
•    At least 5 years (for Level B) and 1 year (for Level C) years of relevant experience in the agriculture and rural development sector or international development sector; and
•    Working knowledge of at least one FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish). Knowledge of a second FAO language will be considered an asset.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Extent and relevance of experience in supporting capacity development initiatives/activities.
•    Experience with project management is desirable.
•    Knowledge of facilitation of capacity development multi-stakeholder processes is desirable.
•    Excellent analytical and conceptual skills, as well as gender sensitive and cross-cultural competency.
•    Ability to work both with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
•    Ability to deliver outputs by agreed deadlines, sometimes at very short notice