Social Policy Officer at Food and Agriculture Organization

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.

Reporting Lines

• The Social Policy Officer (Social Protection) reports to the Senior Policy Officer, Social Protection Programme Lead and is under the general supervision of the Regional Programme Leader (RPL), of the FAO Regional Office for Africa and maintains regular contact with FAO headquarters in Rome for functional guidance on matters relating to social protection and rural development sectors.

Technical Focus

• Supports the social protection policy, programming and analytical work for strengthening the contribution of social protection in agricultural development, and emergency interventions to sustainable poverty reduction, food security and nutrition.

Key Results

• Research and analysis of information, data and statistics, and the maintenance and updating of related tools, methodologies and/or databases to support the delivery of programme products, projects, publications, and services and in alignment with the Organization’s Policy on Gender Equality.

Key Functions

• Researches and analyses agricultural, economic, trade, market, social, environmental, nutrition/food composition and/or gender related data, statistics and information to provide technical, statistical and/or policy related information and analysis to support the delivery of economic and social development programmes work, products, projects, publications and services.
• Produces a variety of technical reports and input for technical documents, publications and/or web pages.
• Provides technical, statistical and/or analytical services on various studies, projects and/or assessments and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Participates in the development of improved/updated technical, statistical and/or analytical tools, methodologies, systems, databases, key social/economic/environmental/nutritional and/or early warning indicators, etc.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary teams, collaborates with other divisions and agencies on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.
• Collaborates in capacity development activities involving the planning and organizing of training workshops, seminars and major meetings and the preparation of related information, materials, on-line tools and information kits.
• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities.

Specific Functions

• Contributes to research on the linkages between social protection, agriculture, humanitarian assistance, climate action, gender equality and food security and nutrition.
• Supports countries, through technical and capacity development, in forging links and promoting greater policy coherence and synergies between social protection, agriculture, humanitarian assistance, climate action, gender equality and food security and nutrition.
• Contributes to the review of Country Sustainable Development Frameworks and to the formulation of FAO Country Programming Frameworks and other engagements related to social protection in line with FAO’s corporate and regional policies and strategies on social protection and other relevant initiatives.
• Ensures that FAO’s corporate and regional policies and strategies on social protection and other relevant initiatives
• are responsive to country demands.
• Contributes to integration of corporate and regional strategies and policies pertinent to social protection into country-level programmes and practices.
• Establishes and maintains strategic and programmatic partnerships for complementary and collaborative approaches and initiatives that improve social protection and support related advocacy work within all relevant audiences.
• Prepares and disseminates timely analytical and critical reports, publications and a variety of knowledge products or proposals for internal or external use.
• Facilitates and contributes to regional and subregional policy dialogue and advocacy activities for strengthening coherence between social protection, agriculture, humanitarian assistance, climate action, gender equality and food security and nutrition.
• Provides technical backstopping support to country offices and field projects related to social protection and its interlinkages with agriculture, humanitarian assistance, climate change, gender equality and food security and nutrition.
• Contributes to the development of analytical and policy tools for informing the design and assessing the effectiveness of social protection systems for rural poverty reduction, decent rural employment and food and nutrition security.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in social protection, political science, economics, institutional development, social anthropology, gender or other relevant social sciences and related fields.
• Five years of relevant experience in socio-economic analysis, policy assistance, capacity building in relation to social protection, gender and rural development.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – 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.
• Demonstrated experience related to providing policy assistance on social protection and its contribution to inclusive agricultural development and climate action, shock responsiveness, gender equality and food security and nutrition.
• Analytic skills in qualitative and/or quantitative socio-economic analysis, particularly in social protection, and its contribution to inclusive agricultural development and climate action, shock responsiveness, gender equality and food security and nutrition.
• Demonstrated experience in policy analysis, programme formulation and implementation, monitoring and evaluation in the fields of social protection and social policies.
• Ability to mobilize resources.
• Experience in capacity development to support the design, implementation and analysis of social protection policies and programmes for to inclusive agricultural development and climate action, shock responsiveness, gender equality and food security and nutrition.