Regional Coordinator - Expanding Coverage through Farmer Registries Project (ECFR)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. The Regional Office for Africa (FAORAF) oversees 47 sub-Saharan countries guided by Regional Programme Priority areas Initiatives that serve as a mechanism to ensure effective delivery and to demonstrate impact of FAO’s work on agri-food systems transformation in the key priorities of the Region. In its programme delivery, RAF contributes to the achievements of the FAO’s Strategic Framework, which seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. 2The four betters represent an organizing principle for how FAO intends to contribute directly to SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities) as well as to supporting achievement of the broader SDG agenda, which is crucial for attaining FAO’s overall vision. The four betters reflect the interconnected economic, social and environmental dimensions of agri-food systems. As such, they also encourage a strategic and systems-oriented approach within all FAO’s interventions. 030 Sustainable Development Agenda, guided by SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (No hunger), and SDG 10 (Reducing inequalities) as well as to supporting achievement of the broader SDG agenda, which is crucial for attaining FAO’s overall vision. The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) 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. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. RAF also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RAF develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the African Union and Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Regional Office 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.

FAO recognizes the critical role of social protection in reducing poverty and facilitating inclusive growth, particularly when integrated with broader rural development strategies. Despite the progress realized in sub Saharan Africa in scaling up social protection systems, coverage remains low while adequacy and comprehensiveness of benefits remains inadequate, particularly for rural populations. Thus, in advocating for the expansion of social protection to rural areas and promoting linkages between social protection and agrifood systems, FAO Regional Office for Africa will support FAO Country Offices in Senegal, Zambia and Uganda through the expanding coverage through farmer registries project (ECFR). FAO Regional Office seeks to bring on board a Regional Coordinator to spearhead and oversee the project implementation in the three countries.

Reporting Lines

The Regional Coordinator will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Office Lead for Social Protection and technical supervision of the FAO Regional Social Protection Team.

Technical Focus

The Regional Coordinator will spearhead and oversee the project implementation in the three countries, specifically (i) Country specific Action Plans for the implementation for the ECFR project, (ii) Country GAP Assessments of farmer registries and social protection MIS systems, (iii) Linkages of farmer registries to Social protection MIS systems in the three countries, (iv) Best practices and lessons learnt document based on project implementation in the three countries, (v) Reports on project progress

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Office Lead for Social Protection and technical supervision of the FAO Regional Social Protection Team as well as in close consultation with the designated Country Offices Project Managers and Social Protection focal points; the consultant shall undertake the following duties:

• Oversee the design and implementation of the project in the three countries, including development of a workplans, management of project deliverables and budgets. • Develop and coordinate the implementation of a gap assessment of existing registries in the three counties to identify technical support required to facilitate linkages with the social protection system • Formulate country specific action plan jointly with the Country Office Managers in line with the project objectives and intended outputs and manage their implementation in the three countries • Coordinate the engagement of Government and relevant line ministries in the three countries in line with the project outputs and objectives in close collaboration and coordination with Country Office Project Managers • Contribute to the TORs and selection of the project staff including country managers, knowledge manager and the MIS staff need to be hired • Oversee the development of MIS enhancements and facilitate the process of integrating farmer registries in sociual protection systems • Oversee and manage the development for the MIS systems to ensure a standardized application in the three countries • Technical engagement and backstopping at policy level on linking social protection to rural development and humanitarian response strategies in the three countries • In close collaboration with Country Offices, initiate dialogues and advocacy on social protection for resilience and livelihoods across multiple sectoral Ministries, UN agencies and relevant stakeholders • Organise national level consultations in close collaboration with the Country Managers to identify lessons learnt in expanding coverage of the social protection system to rural populations through farmer registries and oversee the drafting of a lessons learnt document. • Regular reporting of project progress and updating of progress in FAO reporting systems.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in political science, economics, institutional development, social anthropology, rural development or other relevant social sciences, and related fields • Five years of relevant experience in socio-economic analysis, policy formulation, capacity building in relation to social protection and rural development • Working knowledge (level C) of English and French

FAO Core 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 related to policy, operational and analytical work on the social protection and its linkage to agriculture, rural agrifood workers livelihoods and rural development • Extent and relevance of experience in linkages between social protection Management of Information System (MIS) and rural agrifood registries • Demonstrated experience of documenting successful practices