Urban Agrifood Systems Coordinator

Organizational Setting
The position is located at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF) of the Economic and Social Development Stream. The Division provides strategic leadership for FAO's support to Member Nations in the development of more sustainable Agrifood Systems. Working in close coordination with other technical units at headquarters and the Decentralized Offices, the Division is tasked with integrating FAO's scientific and economic analyses to provide improved policy guidance and targeted investment in Agrifood Systems. Bringing together FAO's longstanding experience and capacities in strengthening food safety systems and quality control with its technical support to Member Nations in the areas of value chain development, agroindustry and agribusiness enterprise development, urban food systems and food loss and waste, the Division integrates and extends food systems support across the Organization.
ESF leads “Achieving Sustainable Urban Food Systems”, one of the FAO’s 20 Programme Priority Areas (PPAs) of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, which involves multidisciplinary collaboration across headquarters units, FAO Regional and Country Offices. In collaboration with external partners, the programme aims to empower national and local governments and partners to deliver transformative change in Agrifood Systems along the rural-urban continuum, leading to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban and peri-Urban Agrifood Systems. This programme addresses urban poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition, while promoting healthy diets and fostering inclusive and sustainable rural transformation, promoted through the adoption of supportive policies and programmes, and the initiation and scaling-up of actions and investments by national and local stakeholders.

Reporting Lines
The Urban Agrifood Systems Coordinator reports to the Director, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF).

Technical Focus
The Urban Agrifood Systems Coordinator supports the delivery of the FAO Programme Priority Area “Achieving Sustainable Urban Food Systems”, under the overall leadership of the Director, ESF. He/she promotes coordinated, aligned and efficient efforts on Urban Agrifood Systems work across FAO aligned with the Director-General's priority for a “One FAO”, builds strong partnerships through stakeholder engagement and advocates for Urban Agrifood Systems transformation as a lever of transformative change.
The incumbent brings expertise in Urban Agrifood Systems  and experience of taking a systematic approach to address Urban Agrifood challenges with awareness of the broad range of technical issues relevant to urban and/or through the urban rural continuum, such as urban agriculture, urban forestry, waste management and ecosystem services, food supply resilience, agrocommodity packing and processing in urban catchment areas, public sector procurement, territorial markets and/or access to affordable, safe and nutritious foods.

Key Results
Comprehensive technical and policy expertise and advice to support the planning, development and implementation of programmes, projects, products and services.

Key Functions
• Provides policy expertise and advice to support the planning, development and implementation of Divisional programmes, projects, products and services.
• Provides technical and programmatic support on the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects; identifies priorities, liaises with relevant parties.
• Coordinates and reviews the assessments of issues and trends for the implementation of programmes and projects and the preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies.
• Leads the preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analyses, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications.
• Contributes to consultations, meetings and conferences, including proposals for agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
• Participates and/or leads training workshops and seminars; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Provides guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties.
• Provides advice on the development of policies and strategies, as well as national protocols and guidelines for projects with specific domains related to FAO’s work.

Specific Functions
• Leads the Core Team of the Programme Priority Area (PPA)  on Urban Agrifood Systems, in support of the overall leadership by the Director, ESF.
• Manages internal coordination, including supporting the development, alignment and delivery of FAO projects on Urban Agrifood Systems; provides uniform guidance to all projects on learning and evaluation of impact; brings together and aligns technical expertise and normative tools and methods from across FAO in support of field projects and normative work; coordinates support provided to FAO Regional and Country Offices; and internal advocacy to integrate urban issues into FAO's work.
• Manages external partnerships and stakeholder engagement, including with cities and national governments, and through building strong relationships with strategic partners in coordination with the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU) and convening events.
• Represents the Division at international/inter-governmental meetings and conferences.
• Supports the development of learning processes, including peer-to-peer learning across cities, bringing together evidence of good practice and learnings from all projects into internal guidance and normative recommendations, knowledge products and capacity development materials and implementing learning by doing processes to enhance the skills of FAO staff and Member Nations.
• Supports resource mobilization.
• Liaises with leadership of the Green Cities Initiative, contributes to the Green Cities Initiative task force and supports ESF.
• Performs other duties, as required.

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in relevant subject, including but not limited to urban planning, urban studies, geography, agricultural sciences, food security, agribusiness, global development, public health, systems dynamics, nutrition, sociology or economics. 
• Seven years of relevant experience leading, managing or coordinating initiatives, programmes, policies or projects in Urban Agrifood system, including experience of direct engagement with city governments and development of partnership.
• 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, is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in leading, managing or coordinating initiatives, programmes, policies or projects in Urban Agrifood Systems.
• Extent and relevance of experience in engaging with municipal governments.
• Extent and relevance of experience of building internal and external partnerships and engaging stakeholders.
• Experience in designing and leading advocacy-related activities in the field of Urban Agrifood Systems.
• Extent and relevance of experience in resource mobilization.
• Experience of working within or engaging with United Nations (UN) agencies.