Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) 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 Africa (SFC), Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE), Subregional Office for West Africa (SFW) and Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SFS). 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 and the implementation of the Organization’s strategies through programmes and projects in the region.

The Regional Office (RAF) supports the formulation and implementation of the Country Programmes and Projects including Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) and their contribution to the FAO Strategic Framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) at country level, advising Decentralized Offices on corporate priorities as per the Strategic Framework and on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget. 

The Regional Office (RAF) leads, formulates, implements, monitors and reports on the Organization´s programmes and budget in the region and draws management attention to problems, deficiencies and risks.

The Regional Office (RAF) leads the preparation of the Regional Conferences and meetings of Statutory Bodies/Regional Commissions in the region.

The Regional Office (RAF) develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs) and participates in the United Nations Regional Architecture, such as UN Regional Forums on Sustainable Development and UN Regional Collaborative Platforms and related mechanisms.

The Regional Office (RAF) delivers an improved, integrated and collaborative business model to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, consistency, innovation, agility and responsiveness in logistical, operational financial and other support services at all levels to accelerate the achievement of the Organization´s programme in the region and compliance with the Internal Control Framework (ICF). 

The position is located in the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) in Accra, Ghana. 

Reporting Lines

The Deputy Regional Representative (DRR) reports to the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative (ADG/RR) and is a core member of the Regional Leadership Team.

Summary of Duties and Functions

The Deputy Regional Representative (DRR) supports and advises the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative (ADG/RR) in the overall leadership, management, administration and supervision of the Regional Office, Subregional Office, and Decentralized Office network, helping to ensure prioritized and strategic direction, cross-team collaboration and learning, and a culture of constant improvement and innovation.

In particular:

• Strategic Planning and Foresight: Based on corporate guidance, assists the ADG/RR with the formulation of a clear vision and regional strategic direction and analysis by looking forward to programmatic planning based on needs and priorities of the region; contributes to the preparation of corporate planning and budgetary processes and, in this connection, the formulation of the quarterly budgetary performance reports for the Regional Office and the Decentralized Offices network, including determination of possible funding allocation and budgetary planning scenarios and presentation of a cohesive and feasible plan of action to implement the regional strategy;
• Governing Body Relations: Coordinates and oversees the preparation of regular progress reports to FAO Governing Bodies on the implementation of the Organization’s programmes and activities in the region. Builds effective collaboration with representatives of Members and senior level authorities in the region, with a view to enabling the Regional Office to fulfil its functions effectively and efficiently as well as achieve the strategic goals defined for the region. Serves as Secretary of the biennial Regional Conference and coordinates the secretariats of other Regional Statutory Governing Bodies (Art IV, XIV etc.);
• Oversight and Management of the Decentralized Offices network in the region: As delegated by the ADG/RR, manages, provides oversight and coordinates the Decentralized Offices network in the region, and the activities of Subregional and Country Offices in the region, and oversees the establishment of an effective business operations support framework that enables an apt ‘alignment’ of resources and capabilities to the regional strategy in order to advance FAO’s mission and mandate, securing the appropriate operating modalities, organizational design and capacities for the delivery of the Organization’s mandate, as well as timely preparation of regional management meetings;
• Strategic Partnership and Advocacy: Assists the ADG/RR in providing strategic guidance to promote effective and sustainable regional partnerships as well as an effective regional communications strategy to advocate the strategic goals of the Organization in the region. Develops and nurtures collaborative, meaningful and transformative partnerships, and engages with senior government officials, peers and stakeholders from United Nations entities, as well as from intergovernmental, public, non-governmental, civil society, academia, research institutions, and the private sector. Builds networks of collaboration with major multisectoral interlocutors in the broader development community to advance FAO’s mission and goals in the region. Represents FAO and the Regional Office in international and regional forums and presents a compelling vision to the development community of the direction and impact of FAO’s work in the region. Supports the ADG/RR with the review of partnerships due diligence and risk assessment;
• United Nations Inter-agency Coordination and Collaboration: Supports the ADG/RR in implementing the UN Development System (UNDS) repositioning, ensuring alignment of FAO’s activities within the region and in Decentralized Offices with the ongoing UNDS reform. Contributes to guiding the positioning of FAO’s activities within the region in light of the evolving development narrative, the ongoing UN reform initiatives and business operations strategies. Supports the ADG/RR in pushing forward FAO’s active engagement and strategic positioning in the UN Regional Collaborative Platforms and in maintaining relations with UN Sustainable Development entities. Provides support and guidance to Country Offices’ engagement in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s (UNSDCFs) planning and programming processes. Builds and facilitates successful working relationships with other partner organizations of the United Nations and promotes joint advocacy strategies with UN partners in support to regional and country level joint fundraising, as well as UN joint programming;
• Operational Diligence, Risk Management and Accountability: Supports the ADG/RR in maintaining a sound system of internal controls. Within the context of FAO’s risk management and accountability framework, oversees the execution of the region’s activities and ensures that the funds and resources be used in a manner that achieves optimum results and value for money, ensuring that risks be appropriately identified, addressed and mitigated, and that funding decisions be implemented on the basis of a credible and transparent prioritization policy. Leads the annual internal control review process for the region as well as oversees and monitors the effective implementation of findings and recommendations emanating from internal and audit exercises and evaluations conducted in the region. Helps to oversee security in the region and proactively suggests strategic adaptations and risk management and guides the formulation of the required business continuity and contingency plans in case of significant disruptive events/periods;
• Leadership and People Management: Supports the ADG/RR, in managing human resources, ensuring the right people with the right skill mix be in place, through effective workforce planning, recruitment, succession, talent development and performance management. Builds on results-based management that assures credibility and value to all stakeholders while optimizing expertise and performance to expand FAO’s impact across the region. Promotes an organizational culture of respect, transparency and trust, encourages teamwork and cross-team collaboration, and ensures active engagement to creating an enabling and inclusive working environment, with care for employee well-being, where employees from all backgrounds can thrive, and diversity targets be met. Sets the tone and ensures awareness of policies related to the prevention of Fraud, Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Discrimination, Abuse of Authority, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA);
• Resource Mobilization and Programme/Project Performance: Supports the ADG/RR and collaborates with senior officers in defining and implementing a regional strategy for resource mobilization in support of programmes across the region and collaborates in interactions with donor, funding and partnering institutions, engaging in mobilizing the required resources to ensure programme delivery. Ensures effective technical support to monitoring and management oversight of FAO projects and programme performance in the region, including new operational modalities;
• Specific Regional Functions: Specific additional functions may be assigned to the Deputy Regional Representative (DRR) by the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative (ADG/RR) on the basis of the region’s needs and context.

Country Representation: Where applicable and approved by Senior Management and government authorities, the Deputy Regional Representative (DRR) may also serve as the FAO Representative (FAOR) to the host country or other countries in the region, performing relevant duties as necessary.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements 

• Advanced university degree in an area relevant to the work of the Organization (e.g. social sciences, public policy or administration, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, etc.). 
•  Minimum twelve (12) years of relevant managerial and professional experience in fields related to the mandate of FAO including experience at international level.
• 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 a second official language relevant to the region of assignment is an asset.