Senior Economist

**Organizational Setting**

The Markets and Trade Division (EST) monitors and analyses developments and trends in international, regional and national agricultural commodity markets and the factors affecting them, collecting and disseminating up-to-date and comprehensive market and policy information for the major traded commodities and those important to food security. It also undertakes forward-looking outlook studies. The Division analyses issues that affect global food and agricultural markets and trade, including analysis of trade policies and agreements, and provides technical support and capacity development to FAO Members in all these areas. Through its Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS), the Division is responsible for FAO's early warnings on food shortfalls and food security problems. The Division houses the secretariats of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) and its subsidiary Intergovernmental Groups (IGGs), the G20 Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) and the World Banana Forum (WBF).
The position is located in the Markets and Trade Division (EST) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

**Reporting Lines**
The Senior Economist reports to the Director, EST.

**Technical Focus**
The Senior Economist (Trade) will lead the work of the Markets and Trade Division (EST) in agricultural trade policy, trade agreements and related issues. The work focuses on supporting FAO Members on agricultural trade policy and trade agreements by providing information, analysis, and evidence-based policy recommendations; supporting capacity development; and facilitating policy dialogue.

**Key Results**
Leadership and conceptual thinking for the development and implementation of comprehensive technical, statistical and/or analytical frameworks to support the programme of work and related products, projects and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

**Key Functions**
• Plans, manages and/or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams; leads, coordinates and/or participates in Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Analyses global and country specific requirements as well as agricultural, economic, social and environmental factors to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work as well as Detailed Work Plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.
• Implements and monitors work programmes involving the conception and development of comprehensive statistical and/or analytical frameworks including early warning, medium and long term plans and strategies, leading edge tools, methods, systems and databases, critical indicators and/or policy models, etc.
• Oversees and reviews data collection, validation, analysis and reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, FAO flagship publications/yearbooks and/or on-going programme development as well as technical and/or policy advisory services.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Member Nations and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes of work.
• Plans, organizes and participates in capacity development activities involving the provision of advice, technical assistance projects, training workshops, seminars and meetings as well as oversees the development of related materials, on-line tools and information kits.
• Represents the Organization at international/inter-governmental meetings and conferences, advocates strategic partnerships, best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national partners.
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the Corporate Strategy.

**Specific Functions**
• Leads, plans and coordinates the work of the Division on agricultural trade policy and trade agreements, including multilateral trade negotiations and regional trade agreements.
• Manages the human and financial resources of the Division's Trade Policy Team, including the supervision of staff and implementation of the Team's programme of work.
• Leads the development of technical and evidence-based products in the area of agricultural trade policy and agreements, and develops appropriate policy recommendations.
• Leads the monitoring of multilateral trade negotiations, trade policy changes and trade agreements and supports FAO's engagement in providing technical and policy advice to Members.
• Leads and prepares studies and reports on food and agricultural trade and on the impacts of domestic support and trade policy on food security, and ensures timely and quality inputs to FAO's publications and reports on related matters.
• Leads and supervises the development of training material on agricultural trade policy and agreements, including multilateral agreements and regional trade agreements, and related issues.
• Leads and supervises the design and delivery of e-learning courses at the regional and country levels in the field of agricultural trade policy and trade agreements.
• Provides country-level support in the formulation of trade policies and strategies and backstopping missions to projects.
• Leads and prepares technical notes, policy briefs, speeches and presentations for senior management on specific topics related to food and agricultural trade, agricultural trade policy, trade agreements, food security and related matters.
• Advises and develops new initiatives and projects in global food and agricultural trade and policies, and contributes to raising voluntary financial contributions.
• Promotes collaboration with other Teams of the Division through participation in, and collaboration with, divisional special thematic studies and projects related to food and agricultural trade, agricultural trade policy and trade agreements.
• Advises on development of new methods and tools for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of the Team.
• Raises the visibility of the work of the Division, including through participation in meetings and conferences.
• Develops and implements strategic partnerships and promotes collaborative work, including joint reports and publications, both internally and externally.
• Performs other tasks and duties as required.

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**CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING**

**Minimum Requirements**
• Advanced university degree in economics, agricultural economics or a related field.
• Ten years of relevant experience in agricultural trade policy analysis, in trade negotiations and agreements, and in the provision of support to countries in the field of trade policy and trade agreements.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

**Competencies**
• Results Focus
• Leading, Engaging and Empowering
• Communication
• Partnering and Advocating
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Thinking

**Technical/Functional Skills**
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Proven experience and expertise in the analysis of agricultural trade policies and agreements, and in preparing analytical policy studies and reports, through an established publication record.
• Experience in supporting countries in the design of trade policies and the formulation and implementation of agricultural trade strategies and agreements.
• Extent and relevance of experience in capacity development activities and in organizing international meetings, seminars and workshops.
• Extent of knowledge of methods and tools in the area of food and agricultural trade and agricultural trade policy analysis.
• Established ability to develop project proposals and mobilize financial resources.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills, both verbal and writing.
• Proven ability to lead and work with a diverse team of people of different national and cultural backgrounds in an international setting.
• A PhD in economics, agricultural economics or a related field will be considered an asset.