Agribusiness Officer at Food and Agriculture Organization

• The Agribusiness Officer reports to the Senior Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, who is the focal person for Strategic Programme 4 (Enable Inclusive and Efficient Agricultural and Food Systems); under the overall supervision of the Assistant Director General (ADG) and Regional Programme Leader. He/she will work in consultation with other Technical Officers Partnerships and South-South Cooperation in HQ and RAF.

Technical Focus

• Support to the design, implementation and evaluation of strategy and policy development and agricultural investment operations with a focus on agribusiness development and the creation of an enabling environment for efficient and inclusive agricultural and food systems, including functioning agricultural support services to rural market and finance institutions.

Key Results

• Provision of technical expertise and capacity development for (i) the design of investment operations to mobilize resources for investment along agricultural value chains, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, ; and (ii) support to implementation and evaluation of investment operations, in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

•  Plans and leads components of multi-disciplinary teams, leads and/or participates in internal committees, project teams, and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies;
•  Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services;
•  Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications, and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/ specialist/advice and expertise;
•  Responds to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects;
•  Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality / effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials, on-line tools;
•  Promotes international cooperation/advocates best practices, increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings;
•  Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy.

Specific Functions

•  Analyses selected agricultural sub sectors and value chains.
•  Assesses constraints and opportunities for investment at all levels of selected value chains, in relation to the functionality of private sector engagement, markets and market institutions, existence and performance of support services, trade policies, risk management systems, as well as food safety control systems when applicable.
•  Identifies and analyses agricultural investment-related policy issues, and develops public private platforms aiming at promoting an enabling environment for investment along the value chain.
•  Provides contributions to the development of knowledge products, including analytical work and practical tools, related to agribusiness, marketing and value chain development.

Minimum Requirements

•  Advanced university degree in agriculture, agro-industry, economics, agricultural economics or a closely related field.
•  Seven years of relevant experience in the areas of agro-industry systems development, agri-food industry economics and management or related field, application of value chain analysis and development, agribusiness and market development, processing, including experience in the formulation and/or implementation of agricultural investment operations.
•  Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese or Russian.

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 is desirable.
•  Extent and  relevance of experience in one or more of the following areas using a variety of research tools (e.g. surveys, case studies, and focus-groups): agricultural marketing; value chain development; analysis of agricultural investment; value chain analysis; policy analysis; diagnostic and feasibility studies for agro-industry and market facility investments; and end-markets studies.
•  Extent and relevance of experience in private agri-business and public sector actors.
•  Extent and relevance of experience in project formulation and technical backstopping and leading multidisciplinary teams for technical implementation.