Senior Programme Officer (Rural Transformation)

The Senior Programme Officer (Rural Transformation) leads the planning, development and implementation of programmes and projects supporting rural and agrifood system transformation in the Near East and North Africa region. The role involves providing technical policy expertise, coordinating resource mobilization, and fostering partnerships to achieve sustainable development goals in rural development and agrifood systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and technical policy expertise for planning, development and implementation of divisional programmes, projects, products and services aligned with FAO Strategic Framework and Gender Policy.
• Plan, manage or lead highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams of assigned programmes/projects.
• Lead preparation and/or review of Country Programming Framework (CPF), operationalization, workplans, budgets and resourcing strategies.
• Coordinate programme/project formulation activities.
• Lead resource mobilization activities, establish partnerships, negotiate funding agreements and project relationships, support implementation, facilitate monitoring and compliance, and ensure submission of reports.
• Lead and/or participate in large, complex field missions, provide guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties, and draft mission summaries.
• Lead and/or collaborate in capacity development and knowledge sharing activities including policy support, organizational development and individual learning events.
• Monitor programme/project activities in the country.
• Lead and facilitate overall development and implementation of RNE's rural transformation agenda.
• Coordinate identification of policy trends and implications, monitor and advocate on relevant policy issues for strategic planning and implementation of rural and agrifood system transformation agenda.
• Coordinate development of studies, methodologies, tools and approaches covering multidisciplinary aspects of rural and agrifood system transformation to generate evidence, inform policies, develop capacities and facilitate uptake.
• Lead development of regional knowledge exchange platforms, communities of practice, thematic networks to promote inclusive rural transformation and foster collaboration and partnerships.
• Contribute to development of RNE's vision, strategy and programme development with focus on rural transformation and economic inclusion, coordinate with other Regional Priorities and Technical Officers to ensure complementarities and leverage collective impact.
• Lead and coordinate RNE policy advice and technical support to promote policy dialogues, partnerships and resource mobilization on agriculture and rural development matters in the region.
• Act as primary focal point for interactions with coordinators of FAO Programme Priority Areas and technical units relevant to rural transformation agenda in headquarters and other regions, ensuring regional priorities are reflected in corporate initiatives.
• Contribute to organization of Near East Regional Conference and other statutory and technical meetings from rural transformation perspective.
• Provide advice and technical backstopping to project formulators, personnel and budget holders of FAO-funded projects during formulation and implementation.
• Manage and monitor budget, key deliverables, project results and main targets to ensure timely result-based delivery of RNE's Rural Transformation programme, and draw lessons for advancement and upscaling.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in agriculture, forestry, fishery, economics, social science, business administration, political science or closely related field.
• Ten years of relevant experience in project or programme management, including planning and both at national and international level.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.
• Work experience in the Near East and North Africa is desirable.
• Experience in rural development and agrifood system transformation; smallholder empowerment and access to resources; inclusive value chains; social and economic inclusion; rural communities access to social protection systems; youth employment; women's empowerment and gender equality; producer organizations and collective action; digital innovation, extension and advisory services; sustainable and climate-smart agriculture.
• Experience in developing and managing country field programmes from design to delivery (programme/project identification, formulation, analysis, planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation).
• Experience in management of technical cooperation projects and programmes, including emergency, recovery and rehabilitation related programmes.
• Proven track record in resource mobilization.
• Ability to negotiate with senior officials in national governments, inter-governmental organizations and other institutions and in designing collaborative networks and joint programmes.
• Familiarity with UN system-wide policies and processes applying to decentralized locations is desirable.

Skills

• Project Management
• Programme Management
• Rural Development Policy
• Agro-food Transformation
• Smallholder Empowerment
• Inclusive Value Chains
• Social and Economic Inclusion
• Social Protection Policies
• Youth Employment Promotion
• Women’s Empowerment
• Gender Equality
• Producer Organizations
• Collective Action
• Digital Innovation
• Extension and Advisory Services
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Country Programme Design
• Programme Monitoring and Evaluation
• Technical Cooperation
• Emergency and Recovery Programmes
• Resource Mobilization
• Negotiation with Senior Officials
• UN System Policies

Languages

English, Arabic