Senior Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer (Head of Field Programme Unit)

Organizational Setting FAO in Afghanistan is investing, across all 34 provinces, in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy. In 2022-2023, FAO will, under the life-saving assistance Outcome (1) of the UN Transitional Engagement Framework (TEF), focus on the following four priority actions: (i) Safeguarding Wheat Seed Security; (ii) Enhancing Local Production of Nutritious Food; (iii) Livestock Protection and Dairy Sector Support; and (iv) Restoring Irrigation Structures to Boost Cash Incomes. Additionally, FAO will contribute towards resilience building activities under Outcome 2 of the TEF.

The position is located in the FAO Representation in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Reporting Lines The Senior Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer (Head of Field Programme Unit) reports to the Deputy FAO Representative and will work in close coordination with the Assistant FAO Representatives Programme and Administration, the Senior Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer (Head of Operations Unit), the Procurement Unit and the Head of Strategy, Communications and Resource Mobilization Unit, and other units and teams in FAO Afghanistan.

Technical Focus Support the implementation of the FAO emergency and resilience programme in Afghanistan.

Key Results Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of FAO Afghanistan programmes of work, projects, products and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions • Plans, manages or leads highly specialized or multi-disciplinary teams; leads, coordinates, and/or participates in country level committees, and provides technical leadership on inter-agency committees, networks and international working groups; • Contributes to and/or coordinates the planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting of the FAO Afghanistan programme of work, team plans, the supporting policy, tools, standards and systems frameworks; • Oversees and/or provides expert technical assistance to FAO Afghanistan teams focusing on (i) humanitarian policy, interagency collaboration and mobilization of emergency resources; (ii) response, food chain crisis, special operations, Level 3 emergency preparedness, early warning and support to transition; and/or (iii) programming, integrating resilience into FAO planning at all levels, and the delivery of related products and services; • Promotes best practices and provides technical support/services and designates focal points to facilitate emergency programming, resource mobilization and integration of emergency and development work in FAO Afghanistan in collaboration with Regional Offices, and provides capacity during critical phases of emergencies; • Oversees ongoing operational emergency and recovery projects and programmes and related capacity development in countries and Regional and Subregional Offices; • Represents FAO on national committees and develops and maintains partnerships and inter-agency collaboration in support of FAO's leadership of the global Food Security Cluster (gFSC) and with a range of other partners such as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF, NGOs and other humanitarian groups involved in emergency and recovery activities; • Coordinates the monitoring and promoting of resource mobilization activities including country appeals, donor macro-grants and other funding opportunities through project and programme formulation; • Oversees knowledge management activities including the maintenance and updating of FAO emergency information systems, crisis communications, information and advocacy, as well as providing up-to-date information for reporting, audits and evaluations; • Performs other duties.

Specific Functions • Leads the Field Programme Development Unit and the overall development and implementation of the FAO country field programme, ensuring full alignment with the UN Country Team and the FAO Strategic Framework in close consultation with the Country Office Management Team, humanitarian/development partners and recipients; • Leads the country programme technical teams ensuring coherence and coordinating inputs to inform high-level emergency and resilience policy analysis and fora; and FAO programme and project formulation; • Oversees the Food Security and Risk Analysis Team; monitors food security and agriculture trends and the related national policy environment; identifies implications for FAO programming and advocacy work; • Leads national policy dialogue and aid coordination mechanisms on food security, agriculture and rural development matters through preparation of, and participation in, relevant technical working groups and other meetings; • Leads programme-related activities within the United Nations Country Team and other forms of joint strategy development, programming and prioritization and assesses the progress made in achieving the outputs and outcomes; • Leads the development and implementation of country-level emergency and resilience strategies, programmes and projects in close collaboration with country, regional and headquarters teams and partners; • Supports the Country Office’s resource mobilization through strong donor liaison, engagement during project implementation and quality review of timely reporting to resource partners; • Leads the Monitoring Evaluation Accountability Learning team and monitors key deliverables, project results and main targets to ensure timely result-based deliverables of FAO projects and programme in the country; • Facilitates resilience-related knowledge sharing activities within the Country Office; promotes exchanges and learning across technical teams; • Promotes lessons learning through the documentation and analysis of information and experience in programmes aimed at enhancing resilience, and facilitates the compilation of good practices for FAO and interested partners; • Represents the Organization at high-level and international meetings related to country programming; • Oversees the coordination with implementing partners; monitors activities related to letters of agreement ensuring timely delivery of quality services and submission of detailed activity reports within the set timelines; • Organizes and participates in large, complex field missions and consultation with project beneficiaries and stakeholders in close consultation with the Country Office Senior Management; • Performs any other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree in agriculture, food security, economics, natural resources, rural development, business administration and management, international relations or other field related to the work of the Organization. • Ten years of relevant experience in development work and/or designing and managing projects, planning and technical cooperation in food and agriculture, including experience in developing countries, especially in countries that are vulnerable to disaster or other emergency risk. • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

* If a candidate fails to meet the minimum requirement of (intermediate) limited knowledge of the second language, they may be still considered in the selection process on the condition that if they are subsequently appointed to the post they will undergo obligatory language training until the required level is reached.

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. • Depth of experience in identifying and preparing programme strategies and policy position on humanitarian and transition contexts, at both global and country levels-in particular in complex emergency contexts. • Extent and relevance of experience and skills in project identification, project formulation, analysis, planning and implementation in particular in Level 3 emergency contexts. • Level of knowledge of results-based management methods and experience in their application. • Knowledge of field programme issues in the Asia Pacific Region is considered a strong asset. • Knowledge of global issues, trends and constraints in development cooperation with particular reference to hunger and poverty reduction.