Senior Agrifood Systems Officer

Organizational Setting
The Division of Agrifood Systems and Food Safety (ESF) at FAO provides strategic leadership to drive agrifood system transformation by supporting FAO headquarters, decentralized offices, Members and partners in taking a systems approach to policy, programmes and projects, including through normative products, methods and tools; documentation and collective learning of systems approaches; and support for implementation at national and subnational levels. It also works to deliver on the FAO Strategic Priorities for Food Safety within the FAO Strategic Framework , including through the Joint FAO/WHO Scientific Advice Programme and support to the strengthening of national food control systems.

The position is located in the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, ESF at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy
.
Reporting Lines
The Senior Agrifood Systems Officer reports to Director, ESF.

Technical Focus
Lead, innovate, facilitate the design, and implementation of systems approaches to agrifood systems transformation with a focus on country level engagement and the systematic implementation of systems-based practices to enable agrifood system transformation to deliver food security and nutrition.

Key Results
Provide leadership, technical expertise in policy and practice as well as capacity development for (i) the design of operations with an integrated systems approach to agrifood systems transformation, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, and (ii) facilitate the implementation and monitoring, evaluation and adaptive learning from systems approaches, in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Plans, manages, 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 or secretariat services in technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard-setting bodies.
• Analyses global and country-specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, programme of work, work plans, and supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.
• Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of approaches, evidence-based strategies, and related tools, methodologies, and supporting systems/databases, including monitoring and reporting frameworks.
• Conducts, designs, and oversees research and analysis activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications, and/or ongoing programme development, as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes.
• Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to, and ensures the quality and effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge-sharing activities with Members, such as policy support, organizational development, and individual learning events, including the preparation of related information and online tools.
• Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences; identifies and implements strategic partnerships; advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue; and develops and negotiates effective working relationships, consensus, and agreements with international and national stakeholders.
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions

• Leads the delivery of the Agrifood System Transformation Unit programme of work on the implementation of a systems approach to agrifood system transformation at country-level.
• Innovates initiatives, partnerships and learning labs for agrifood systems transformation to demonstrate how to turn systems approaches into practice on the ground and monitor and measure results.
• Oversees the application of normative products and implementation and development of sets of practices to apply systems approaches.
• Engages with entrepreneurial actors in finance and investment, academia, innovation, communications, UN agencies and NGOs to form strategic alliances and partnerships to deliver transformative changes.
• Works with FAO decentralised offices and member countries and subnational institutions to integrate systems thinking into policies, governance and projects.
• Supports the communication of results through a variety of information products and communications strategies.
• Engages in resource mobilization activities.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree level or equivalent) relevant to agrifood systems, including but not limited to food policy, agricultural sciences, food security, agribusiness, global development, public health, geography, systems dynamics, nutrition, sociology or economics.
• Ten years of relevant experience in the area of agrifood systems, including leading and innovating initiatives at the intersection between different issues and sectors in agrifood systems with a systems approach.
• 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).

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, is essential.
• Deep understanding of systems approaches in agrifood systems and integrative 'nexus' thinking across key agrifood systems issues and sectors (e.g. productivity, environment, livelihoods, nutrition, equity, resilience).
• Extent and relevance of experience innovating, designing and leading transformative initiatives in agrifood systems.
• Experience of data analysis and application of analytical skills to understanding quantitative and qualitative evidence of the functioning of agrifood systems.
• Extent and relevance of experience of fostering collaboration and convening and coordinating diverse actors across stakeholders and sectors in agrifood systems storage, including product.
• Demonstrated skills in innovation, strategic thinking and facilitation to translate vision into action A PhD in a relevant field is desirable.

Job Posting
05/Dec/2025

Closure Date
28/Dec/2025, 11:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit
ESF

Job Type
Staff position

Type of Requisition
Professional

Grade Level
P-5

Primary Location
Italy-Rome

Duration
Fixed-term: two years with possibility of extension

Post Number
2008029

CCOG Code
1H01

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.
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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for
better production
,
better nutrition
,
a better environment,
and
a better life
, leaving no one behind.