Agribusiness Officer (Value Chains)

The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, CFI provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre's four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level. For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure, please visit the following  link.

The position is located in the Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Agribusiness Officer (Value Chains) reports to the Chief, Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC).

Technical Focus
Provide analytical and technical support on agribusiness and agrifood value chains development, including on their economic competitiveness, sustainability performance, evolving market requirements, enabling policy environment and financing opportunities. This will be done in close collaboration with the relevant public and private sector stakeholders, for purpose of formulating and implementation of investment-related policies and strategies, investment programmes and projects, and capacity development activities.

Key Results
Delivering investment and finance support solutions through the provision of technical assistance and support to capacity development, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to achieve impact at scale in the transformation of agrifood systems within the scope of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions
•     Participates in multidisciplinary teams for the identification and preparation of investment and finance support solutions in the fields of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
•     Supports the implementation of investment and finance support solutions and the preparation of final evaluations.
•     Participates in the preparation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing studies and strategies, in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes.
•     Supports the development of inclusive and sustainable food systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, civil society organizations and governments.
•     Contributes to capacity development activities in the areas of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, non-state actors and private sector organizations.
•     Prepares reports in accordance with governments and financing partners' requirements.
•     Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences, and interacts with international and national partners.
•     Supports the promotion and maintenance of relationships with relevant Programme Priority Areas, FAO technical units and Decentralized Offices in order to ensure best synergies between investment, policy and innovation work in support to Members.
•     Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions
•     Supports the analysis of selected agrifood value chains, with high interaction with relevant public, private and civil society stakeholders. 
•     Analyses key constraints and opportunities for investment across selected value chains, including factors related to improving productivity, expanding operations, market access, resilience of operations including input sourcing, private sector engagement, availability and performance of support services, policy and regulatory frameworks affecting trade and operations, risk management systems, and the adoption and enforcement of food safety and sustainability standards. 
•     Identifies and analyses policy and institutional factors affecting the enabling environment for investment, including those possibly crowding out private sector participation.
•     Identifies priority actions at country level to support the performance, sustainability and resilience of selected value chains in collaboration with international financial institutions, donors and local private and public sector stakeholders.
•     Supports the development of knowledge products, including analytical work and practical tools, related to agribusiness, marketing and value chain development.
•     Participates in public-private platforms and policy dialogue and contributes to the design of strategies to strengthen the enabling environment for scaling up investments along the value chain.

Minimum Requirements
•     Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in agriculture, agro-industry, business administration, agribusiness, economics, agricultural economics and finance, or a closely related field.
•     Five years of relevant experience in value chain analysis, and/or development, agribusiness operations, procession, market access or closely related topics including experience in the analysis, formulation and/or implementation of agrifood investment operations in developing countries.
•     Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - 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 is desirable.
•     Work experience in developing countries and/or private sector experience is desirable.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in agrifood value chains development, including analytics on market dynamics, competitiveness, food safety, resilience and sustainability standards and/or in participating in public-private policy dialogue to promote investment in agrifood value chains.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies, sector studies, and for the implementation of capacity development and technical assistance activities.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support, capacity development, advisory and technical assistance related to investment operations with FAO's main development partners, including International Financial Institutions.
•     Extent and relevance in working with private sector stakeholders and multi-stakeholder partnerships across agrifood value chains.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in dealing with public institutions, government officials, as well as development partners and other country stakeholders.
•     Demonstrated capacity writing quality technical reports in English.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.