Gender Officer

Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the 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. The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) is responsible for leading FAO's response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the region, in line with the FAO Strategic Framework. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with offices and divisions at headquarters and other UN agencies and stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the private sector, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. REU supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

Based on the priority areas agreed by the Regional Conference for Europe, the Regional Office supports small holder development and family farming, food systems transformation and natural resource management. Mainstreaming gender and addressing gender issues in the programmes is an important cross-cutting theme for the region. Under the Strategic Framework there is also a specific Programme Priority Area related to better life on gender equality and rural women’s empowerment.

FAO adopts inclusive and gender-transformative approaches that not only take into consideration the different needs of women and men, but also actively seeks to redress unequal power dynamics by challeng¬ing the discriminatory social norms, behaviours and attitudes that are at the root of persisting gender inequalities. It also considers other social dimensions that intersect with gender (such as age, marital status, disability status, religion, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, etc.) and can create and reinforce inequalities.

The position is located in the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) in Budapest, Hungary.

Reporting Lines The Gender Officer reports to the Regional Programme Leader in REU and receives technical guidance from the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) at headquarters on matters related to policy and governance supporting the areas of gender and inclusive rural transformation to ensure an effective and efficient delivery of regional priorities in response to country demands.

Technical Focus The Gender Officer will contribute to the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework and the Gender Equality Policy, which aims to achieve equality between women and men in sustainable agricultural production and rural development for the elimination of hunger and poverty. Specifically, the incumbent will address aspects such as: gender equality in food security and nutrition; social protection; gender equality in the sustainable management of natural resources, such as forestry, fisheries, livestock, and water; gender-sensitive value chains and trade; collection, analysis and use of sex-disaggregated data; gender-responsive disaster risk reduction and resilience; gender and climate-smart agriculture; reduction in rural women's work burden; gender mainstreaming across the Organization, including monitoring and reporting; women's land rights; and gender and social protection.

Key Results Comprehensive technical, analytical and/or policy analysis support and the development of specialized tools, methodologies, systems and/or databases to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of the programme of work and related products, projects, publications and services.

Key Functions • Plans and leads components of multi-disciplinary teams and working groups; leads and/or participates in Regional Office teams; participates in Organization-wide committees, project teams and working groups; provides specialized expertise on gender equality and women’s empowerment to international technical networks and/or technical policy and standard setting bodies. • Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks and related tools, methodologies, systems, etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of the programmes of work, products, projects and services. • Designs and conducts gender and socio-economic research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative tools and methodologies, flagship publications/technical reports and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical inputs and/or policy advice and expertise. • Responds to requests and provides technical/policy advice, assistance and solutions to Regional, Subregional and Country Offices related to gender equality and women’s empowerment and provides technical backstopping to field projects both in development and humanitarian contexts. • Promotes international cooperation and collaboration, advocates good practices and increased gender-related policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings and conferences. • Coordinates capacity development activities involving knowledge sharing, organization of training workshops, awareness raising, seminars and meetings as well as the development of related materials and on-line tools and information kits. • Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the Corporate Strategy and Regional Office plans.

Specific Functions • Plans and leads regional gender equality and inclusive rural transformation work in the region, in collaboration with the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP). • Coordinates the FAO Regional Gender Focal Point (GFP) network, strengthening its capacities in gender transformative and inclusive approaches and providing it with technical support and guidance. • Initiates and leads policy analysis and research to generate region-specific evidence on gender and other social aspects of technical areas under the FAO mandate; identifies good practices in FAO work and widely disseminates them in the region and beyond. • Contributes to regional and country level policy dialogue and advocacy to promote socially inclusive and gender-responsive approaches in agriculture, food security and nutrition; as well as supporting FAO's vision and approach to inclusive rural transformation; provides technical support to governments and regional organizations to promote an enabling environment and train national stakeholders to formulate and implement gender-responsive and inclusive policies and programmes in agriculture, food security, rural development, natural resource management and climate change; contributes to the regional policy dialogue; organizes international meetings, workshops and learning events; and produces advocacy materials such as REU Gender Newsletter, etc. • Produces knowledge products and capacity development materials, and leads the process of systematic capacity development and learning for FAO staff and Members to (i) raise their awareness and recognition of the critical role of gender equality and women’s empowerment in accelerating progress around transformative food systems, and (ii) enhance their skills in gender analysis and mainstreaming gender in their interventions, national policies and programmes to build sustainable and resilient agrifood systems. • Supports gender mainstreaming in the region, participating in the Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) review as well as project appraisal committees. • Designs and implements gender-responsive projects and activities and acts as Lead Technical Officer, when necessary. • Represents the Organization at international/inter-governmental meetings and conferences; establishes, maintains and strengthens strategic partnerships, including through the participation in the Issue-Based Coalitions; contributes to the UN Country Team (UNCT) reporting to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). • Reports to the regional governing bodies and leads the process of formulating and implementing regional gender and social protection strategy; ensures implementation of FAO Gender Equality Policy 2020-2030 minimum standards and FAO Social Protection Framework. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree in social science, rural sociology, gender studies, rural development, social anthropology or other relevant social sciences. • Seven years of relevant experience in socio-economic analysis, policy formulation, capacity building in relation to gender equality and women's empowerment, in development and/or humanitarian contexts. • 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 • 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 region-specific experience and knowledge related to gender and inclusive rural transformation in the context of food security, agriculture, rural development, and rural poverty. • Extent and relevance of experience in quantitative and qualitative socio-economic analysis. • Extent and relevance of region-specific experience in policy analysis, programming, monitoring and evaluation in gender equality and social policies, in both development and humanitarian contexts. • Extent and relevance of region-specific experience in providing technical support to governments in the formulation and implementation of gender-responsive agriculture, rural development and food security, and nutrition policies and programmes. • Extent and relevance of experience in capacity development and in the organization of awareness raising and training activities. • Ability to mobilize resources.