Animal Health Officer

Organizational Setting

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) promotes and facilitates the sustainable development of the livestock sector, integrating scientific and technical expertise and policy advice. It hosts technical networks in areas of animal health, genetics, feed and animal husbandry and provides analysis, policy dialogue (including intergovernmental bodies) and technical assistance. It also supports emergency responses, mostly in animal health.

The One Health and Disease Control Branch (NSAH-CJW) under the Animal Production and Health Division leads and coordinates the prevention and control of endemic and emerging transboundary animal diseases and health threats that emerge at the animal-human-environment interface including zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The NSAH-CJW coordinates FAO's efforts in promoting the One Health (OH) approach through leading the implementation of the One Health priority programme (PPA) for agrifood systems transformation as well as the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA) for contribution to global health security by closely working with other Quadripartite organizations, namely the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

FAO's role is to strengthen and support better performing national and international integrated OH systems for human, animal and environmental health. FAO, together with the Quadripartite, provides technical and programming support through improved pest and disease prevention, early warning and management of national and global health risks, including Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and environmental health, for optimal outcomes for production and global health security. FAO's OH programme is coordinated by One Health and Disease Control Branch, under the Animal Production and Animal Health Division, through working across FAO programmes and Divisions, and decentralized offices.

The post is located in the One Health and Disease Control Branch (NSAH-CJW) of the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Animal Health Officer (One Health) reports to the Senior Animal Health Officer in charge of the One Health Implementation and Pandemic Prevention, with additional guidance from the Chief of the One Health and Disease Control Branch (NSAH/CJW), and in close collaboration with relevant officers at headquarters and in decentralized offices.

Technical Focus

Technical support to FAO activities in support of zoonotic diseases, One Health, pandemic prevention, veterinary public health, disease drivers, socio-economic determinants, good practices, and animal health systems strengthening. The Animal Health Officer will support coordination and implementation of the “Prevention the Next Pandemic due to Zoonoses” pillar of the One Health Programme Priority Area (OH PPA) of FAO with a focus on emerging zoonoses and FAO’s component of the Pandemic Fund Initiative.

Key Results

Research, technical analysis and project related services to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.

Key Functions

• Researches and analyses technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional and technology related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.
• Produces a variety of technical information, data, statistics and reports as well as input for technical documents and web pages.
• Provides technical support/analysis to various assessments, studies and initiatives and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Collaborates in the development of improved/updated tools, systems, processes and databases.
• Participates in multidisciplinary teams and/or leads working groups/teams collaborates with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development activities within Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials and on-line tools.
• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.
• Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions
• Supports the coordination and implementation of FAO's work on zoonotic diseases and One Health and contributes to finalizing documents to be presented to FAO Governing Bodies related with these areas of work.
• Supports the development of policies, strategies, knowledge products and advocacy material to improve production hygiene and prevention practices and national regulatory systems for prevention of pandemic threats through a One Health approach.
• Contributes to the planning, implementation and monitoring of the One Health approach for managing health threats emerging at the human-animal-environment interface and guided by FAO's One Health Priority Programme Area (OH PPA) and the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA).
• Contributes to the development and implementation of strategies and programmes for the management of endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases at animal source, and in consideration of social and environmental impacts, gender sensitivity, potential to support inclusive economic growth and reduce inequality, or humanitarian response efforts.
• Provides coordination support to the FAO-wide Working Group on Zoonotic Diseases and supports NSAH-CJW's technical contributions to multi-disciplinary approaches in addressing the threat of zoonotic diseases through a One Health approach.
• Contributes to FAO's One Health multi-disciplinary approaches in addressing zoonotic diseases and public health threats of animal origin, through participating in multi-divisional technical taskforces, technical working groups and inter-agency meetings or consultations on sustainable livestock production to protect livestock assets and public health on biological threats of animal origin based on a One Health approach.
• Provides technical inputs to support animal health international standard setting with the WOAH, European Commission and Codex Alimentarius, when relevant.
• Collaborates with the Quadripartite partners, namely UNEP, WHO and WOAH as well as with other international organizations, centers of excellence, FAO Reference Centers, academia and regional stakeholders working on zoonotic diseases and One Health.
• Participates in relevant planning/implementing partner coordination meetings.
• Prepares reports and briefs on zoonoses and One Health, upon request.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in veterinary medicine, veterinary epidemiology, or related field in animal health.
• Five years of relevant experience in animal health, infectious disease management, including regulatory aspects, standard setting and enforcement.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, 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 and knowledge in animal disease surveillance and/or risk management programmes at country and/or regional level.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the development and management of technical projects in relation to infectious diseases management and animal health systems capacity development.
• Depth of familiarity with relevant animal health capacity assessment and monitoring systems/tools, and experience in infectious disease management at country and/or regional level.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the analysis and formulation of technical/scientific documents for sustainability improvement in the livestock sector.
• Ability to analyse complex animal health - livestock issues from a sustainable transformation point of view.