Organizational Setting

The Subregional Office for the Caribbean (SLC) is part of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC). This office currently serves 13 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The SLC coordinates the FAO’s responses to requests from member states to achieve Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Live, and a Better Environment. As part of its assistance, the office provides technical guidance to help develop and implement various national and sectoral policies and strategies that support government and country visions for food, agriculture, and rural development.

 Reporting Lines

The Specialist will report directly to the FAO Lead Responsible Officer or Manager and work under the overall supervision of the FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Caribbean or a specific FAO Country Representative in coordination with other FAO staff and national stakeholders.

Technical Focus 

Technical and methodological guidance for national and/or sectorial policies (including national plan, action plan, strategies and investment plans) relevant to the agricultural sector.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Provide general guidance and methodological tools for agenda setting and information gathering, including:

o    Participate in and/or coordinate inception meetings with key stakeholders to verify, define, and detail the scope of governments’ requests regarding designing agricultural-related policies and/or policy instruments.
o    Prepare planning tools (including inception reports and scheduled set-by-set methodological guides) to drive discussions with policymakers and processes relevant to completing all required deliverables.
o    Devise template tools required to collect information and data, conduct stakeholder analysis and take stock of relevant existing policies, programs and initiatives.
o    Prepare and conduct consultations and focus group sessions with key stakeholders along the agri-food systems, as needed.

•    Conduct situation analysis, which depending on the context, may include, among others:

o    Current and future environment and forecast the necessary enabling requirements (including agricultural infrastructure);
o    Assessment of the enabling environment, production systems, post-harvest systems, marketing systems, value addition, linkages, support services, youth in agriculture, disaster management, Climate change adaptation, infrastructure, land use, gender, and food security.
o    Review of current and planned initiatives, programs and policies of the government and others; review of existing governance system in agriculture and capacity (including legislative, policy and institutional frameworks)
o    Emerging opportunities and global best practices to be contextualised

•    Prepare Policy documents or sections of policy documents. These may include investment plans, agricultural development plans, roadmaps and strategies, which can vary from one country to another or context to another. Specific tasks may include:

o    Meetings and consultations (both virtual and in person) with critical stakeholders to scope policy statements and contents
o    Reviewing and finalising draft documents

•    Support the preparation of policy briefs, guidelines, and other documents relevant to policy positioning and cross-country learning.
•    Participate as panellists and/or presenters in cross-country learning and training and regional meetings and seminars relevant to agricultural policy development in the Caribbean

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in any related area (including Policy Development, Public Administration, Rural Development, Agriculture, Food Security, and Agricultural Economics)
•    At least 5 years of relevant experience in formulating agrifood systems policies
•    Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria

•    Experience coordinating with and providing training to high-level national stakeholders.
•    Previous experience working in Latin America and the Caribbean is a plus.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements