Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa

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. 

FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) leads 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 sub-regional Offices as well as Centres and Divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities.

The Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE) and FAO Representation in Ethiopia is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies and projects for transforming agrifood systems. It also develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions.

The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF).

The position is located in the Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which covers the following countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

The Subregional Coordinator (SRC) also serves as FAO Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Reporting Lines
The Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa works under the guidance of, and reports to the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Africa (ADG/RR), FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) in Accra, Ghana. 
The Subregional Coordinator leads the multidisciplinary technical teams in the Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE). He/she leads FAO’s response to subregional priorities in line with FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, Regional Priorities from the FAO Africa Regional Conference, and is accountable for FAO activities in the subregion. He/she represents FAO to the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The SRC supports the FAO Regional Representative in his/her capacity as an accountable member of the regional United Nations Development Group (UNDG) team as defined in the “Management and Accountability System of the UN Development and the Resident Coordinator System”. The SRC is part of the RAF Core Leadership Team (CLT) and he/she contributes to addressing strategic issues e.g. work planning, programming, budgeting and other strategic issues at RAF.

Summary of Duties and Functions:

The Subregional Coordinator is FAO’s focal point for addressing subregional food security, nutrition, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, sustainable management of natural resources, climate change and rural development issues. He/she heads a Subregional Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), of which the Resilience Team for East Africa is an integral part, in the framework of FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, and supports the effective delivery of RAF Programme Areas of Work and Regional Priorities. He/she contributes to the preparation of the Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) agreed between FAO and the Member countries of the subregion, and ensures effective collaboration with the African Union, subregional economic integration organizations, UN-system entities at the subregional and national levels, and other subregional institutions and media. He/she provides functional guidance to FAO Representatives (FAORs) in the subregion, in their capacity as MDT members. In his/her function as FAO Representative to the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the Subregional Coordinator will liaise with the leadership and management of these institutions to promote and support development and roll out of FAO and agreed upon regional flagship initiatives and priorities in Africa, using regional and subregional platforms. In delivering his/her functions, the SRC consults with and coordinates with the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) and receives functional guidance from relevant Divisions/Centres/Offices at FAO Headquarters for planning, development, implementation, monitoring and reporting for subregional activities, initiatives, priorities as well as for the FAO Strategic Framework.

The Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa also serves as the FAO Representative to Ethiopia as well as to other countries in the subregion where FAO has no Representatives or Representations, to promote FAO’s support to the national priorities.

He/she contributes to the preparation of the Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) for the FAO Members in the Subregion and ensures effective collaboration with subregional economic integration organizations, UN-system entities at the subregional and national levels as well as other subregional institutions and media.

In particular, he/she will:

Oversight of FAO strategic planning and programme development in the subregion:

• Lead the analysis and dialogue on subregional priorities and the development of subregional strategies.
• Advise and collaborate with internal partners to raise awareness of subregional priorities and needs and ensure that they are reflected in corporate and regional policies.
• Ensure the provision of timely technical support to the FAO components of the United Nations common planning and programming frameworks (e.g. United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP), Flash Appeals, etc.), the Country Programming Framework (CPF) for all countries in the subregion and related FAO programmes, projects and/or other activities.
• Lead subregional mobilization of extrabudgetary resources, making optimum use of the expertise available in the Decentralized Offices.
  Programme implementation and monitoring:
• Support Member Nations in the subregion to address food insecurity, malnutrition, hunger and inequalities by working together with institutional partners in the subregion, in accordance with agreed priorities, approved programme/workplans/budgets, strategic objectives and corporate policies.
• Coordinate and ensure timely and appropriate implementation and technical backstopping to FAO programmes and projects in the subregion in close collaboration with FAO technical divisions and units and in line with corporate norms, standards and procedures.
• Undertake regular reporting and monitoring on subregional programmes.
  Leadership on knowledge management:
• Support and, where relevant, lead the subregional policy dialogues on areas of FAO's mandate.
• Facilitate timely access by subregional stakeholders to FAO's knowledge resources and global public goods, and knowledge sharing within and beyond the subregion.
  Management of human and financial resources:
• Lead and manage the Subregional Office and ensure effective and efficient use of human and financial resources in line with corporate policies and administrative procedures.
• Manage all matters related to the security and safety of FAO personnel and their eligible dependents and ensure full adherence to the UN Security Policy, rules and regulations, as well as to security-related instructions issued by FAO.
• Promotes and leads initiatives under the FAO Corporate Environmental Policy and its Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy 2020-2030 to reduce emissions, increase efficiency and integrate sustainability into the Organization's daily operations.
  Contacts/Partnerships:
• Support the effective establishment of partnerships and collaborations with governments, donors, civil society, academia, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN system organizations and other international organizations.
• Advocate FAO's policy positions in the relevant subregional fora, represent FAO in the media and implement a pro-active communications strategy to raise FAO awareness with the general public.
• Support the UN joint communication efforts at the subregional level and speaking with 'one voice'.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in the field of agriculture, fishery, forestry or international relations.
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of relevant professional experience in development issues and management, resource mobilization, especially familiarity with international financial institutions (IFIs), global funding envelopes for agriculture and environment e.g. Global Environment Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund, etc., and private sector or blended financial modalities, development or humanitarian related issues, preferably with some years of experience in Africa.
• Extensive managerial and professional experience in fields related to the mandate of FAO.
• Demonstrated professional competence, proven leadership capability, effective management skills, intellectual, and strategic leadership of a high order in relevant subject areas and in an international setting.
• Extensive experience and competence in partnership with inter-governmental and international organizations, national governments, technical and donor partners, private sector, civil society organizations, youth and women organizations, farmer associations, etc.
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate- level B) of another FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Leadership Competencies
Results focus: Takes accountability for the delivery of agreed results in service of FAO Strategic Framework
Leading, engaging and empowering others: Coordinates, directs, facilitates and recognizes team efforts; creates an enabling environment and assists others to realize and develop their potential
Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication
Partnering and Advocating: Promotes ideas and develops partnerships to advance the Organization’s work
Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement: Continually seeks to improve the knowledge, skills and work processes of oneself and others
Strategic thinking: Makes informed and coherent decisions aligned with broader goals and strategies