Programme Officer - Food and Agriculture Organization

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 ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with centres/divisions/offices at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.

RAF also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RAF develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs).

The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

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

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Reporting Lines

The Programme Officer (FAO Representative Network) reports to the Programme Officer (FAO Representative Network)/Team Leader.

Technical Focus

Supports all activities of FAO Representative Network (FAOR) and performs liaison functions related to the management of the FAO Representations within RAF.

Key Results

Research, technical analysis, and office management related services to support the delivery of programmes, products, and services at regional level and globally in coordination with other Regional Offices.

Key Functions

• Reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and contributes to the introduction of corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties in particular other regions; ensures follow-up actions;
• Contributes to policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, generates survey initiatives; reviews, analyses and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions;
• Prepares various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analyses, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications;
• Provides substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations;
• Assists with outreach and communication-related activities; reviews and contributes to the development of learning materials, conducts training workshops, seminars; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.

Specific Functions

• Supports country-level actions guided by FAO’s country Programming Frameworks (CPFs), subregional and regional priority frameworks and higher-level strategic frameworks of the Organization in order to transform FAO’s knowledge products into country-level results and impacts;
• Reviews request proposals related to country office budgets, operations, administration/management and recommend appropriate actions/decisions;
• Prepares consolidated Periodic Budgetary Reports (PBR) on Country Offices, including preparation of staff planning according to expected occupancy of posts across various organisational outputs as well as the staff recovery cost programme (SCR);
• Contributes to the preparation of the biennial Programme of Work and Budget for RAF and in particular the FAOR Network and also the development of result based management and concept and policies;
• Coordinates and consolidates the preparation of FAO Country Offices yearly financial plan, budget allotments and budget revisions as required including SCR;
• Liaises with relevant headuqarters’ units, in particular the Office of Strategy, Programme and Budget (OSP) and units related to the corporate logistics and operational support on policy and procedural matters to facilitate the solution of operational administrative and financial problems in FAO Representations to implement new systems, policies and procedures and make recommendations thereon;
• Contributes to the monitoring, review and reporting of FAOs field programme operated by FAORs at country level and provides related operational support;
• Monitors data base records of Government Cash and in-kind contributions to FAO Country Offices;
• Contributes to ensuring the implementation of improvement of offices premises and their compliance with the Minimum Operational Security Standards (MOSS);
• Interacts with internal and external auditors and prepare replies to audit observations and queries in coordination with the Team Leader/Programme Officer (FAOR Network) the focal point on country audit matters;
• Performs other related duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in business administration or public administration, finance, social science or a related field;
• Five years of relevant experience in project or programme management, administration, budget/finance, or related area;
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of one of the other official FAO languages (Arabi, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions;
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of administration, financial planning monitoring and budgeting, programme/project formulation, analysis, planning and implementation preferably at international level;
• Understanding of UN or FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset;
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) is an asset.