Senior Liaison Officer (Emergencies and Resilience)

Job content

Organizational Setting

The Liaison Office with the United Nations (Geneva), LOG is responsible for the liaison with the Government of Switzerland, the country’s civil society and the International Organizations based in Geneva, Switzerland. Considering the presence of a large number of international organizations, Members and Non-Governmental Organizations, which provide a significant platform for engagement and partnership with key stakeholders, the Liaison Office i) promotes FAO’s contribution to the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31; ii) monitors and informs Geneva-based deliberations to strategically position the Organization in line with its mandate; iii) champions key thematic issues of importance to FAO, its Members and partners, leveraging key field work of the Organization. One of the key areas of work for FAO is the focus on humanitarian and resilience work and objectives; LOG plays a critical role in this domain, in coordination with the Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER) and in support to Country Offices in food crises settings.

The position is located in LOG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Liaison Officer (Emergencies and Resilience) reports to the Director of the Liaison Office with the United Nations (Geneva) (LOG Director) and will work with functional supervision of the Director, Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER), FAO Rome.

Technical Focus

Coordination of activities with FAO strategic programmes and technical divisions.

Key Results

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

Key Functions

• Develops comprehensive programmes of engagement for FAO with external institutions on the issues of significance.
• Represents the Organization in major interagency forums, projecting FAO’s priorities and programme activities positioning FAO to influence programme work in other organizations.
• Assesses FAO participation in interagency forums, identifies areas to improve effectiveness of FAO communication strategies and approaches.
• Builds awareness within FAO of the perspective and priorities of collaborators, assists FAO programme unit with networking with external counterparts.
• Builds institutional networks promoting FAO position and establishing FAO as a centre of expertise on significant policy issues; identifies programme synergies with collaborating partners and establishes collaborative frameworks of engagement for FAO programme activities.
• Establishes infrastructure of engagement for FAO on issues of major programme importance.
• Builds collaborative networks that position FAO to take leading roles on programme development, delivery and funding.
• Leads mobilization of resources for partnerships in support of agriculture and food security to support countries of mutual interest.
• Builds capacities within FAO senior management and programme managers to engage partners and projects FAO’s priorities into development agendas.
• Performs other duties as required.
  

Specific Functions

• Represents the Organization at intergovernmental and interagency meetings of the United Nations and the specialized agencies held in Geneva, makes statements on behalf of FAO in the area of emergencies and resilience, as and when required, and reports on such meetings to headquarters, in particular on subjects which could have policy implications for the Organization.
• Provides technical inputs to inform intergovernmental humanitarian policy development in areas of relevance to FAO’s mandate, in liaison with FAO Decentralized Offices, OER and other relevant divisions.
• Coordinates and disseminates FAO messaging on priority areas related to emergencies and resilience in appropriate fora to inform intergovernmental and interagency policymaking and decisions.
• Supports as necessary the Country Offices, in collaboration with OER and other liaison offices, providing information and analysis, internal briefings on relevant decision-making processes and opportunities.
• Maintains contacts with the Permanent Representations accredited to the organizations of the United Nations system in Geneva, keeping them informed of FAO’s work, activities and impact in emergencies and resilience, providing them with background documentation, analyses, etc.
• Facilitates the exchange of technical information related to emergencies and resilience between FAO and the United Nations and the specialized agencies and arranges, as necessary, interagency meetings in this regard.
• Liaises with intergovernmental, non-governmental and private institutions associated with FAO’s activities in the area of emergency and resilience and deals with public requests for information.
• Engages with key partners - UN agencies, IFRC/ICRC, NGO consortia (e.g. ICVA, SCHR), donor countries and private sector - to promote and mobilize resources for FAO’s emergency and resilience programming as well as raise awareness on food crises and agriculture key role in emergency response.
• Actively engages in Geneva-based coordination mechanisms related to emergency and resilience such as Inter Agency Standing Committee Working Groups, UNDRR-WMO Centre of Excellence, Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI).
• Promotes and strengthens the collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation on food crises and agriculture key role in emergency response.
• Organizes and supports FAO senior management missions and participation in key interagency and intergovernmental meetings in Geneva; undertakes duty travels, if needed, also on short notice.
• Provides support, information and regular briefings to FAO Representatives, Regional Offices and Subregional Offices on relevant Geneva-level policy discussions and decisions as well as supporting them to access formal and informal fora to increase advocacy and visibility of FAO’s work at country and regional level.
  

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Agriculture, Social or Political Sciences, Economics, Public Administration, International Relations or related field relevant to the work of the Organization.
• Ten years of relevant experience in development work and/or designing and managing projects, interacting with social partners and with governments, international organizations, research institutions, civil society and the private sector.
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of one of the other official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
  

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.
• Extent and relevance of experience in a field relevant to the work of the Organization and development work and/or designing and managing projects, interacting with social partners and with governments, international organizations, research institutions, civil society and the private sector.
• Demonstrated experience in humanitarian liaison and coordinating among partners.
• Demonstrated experience in rehabilitation and humanitarian policies development, programme formulation and implementation.
• Depth of knowledge of FAO’s programmes and priorities.
• Extent of relevant experience at international level in formulating policy and informing intergovernmental and interagency discussions and programming.
• Depth of experience in identifying and preparing programme strategies and policy position on humanitarian and transition contexts, at both global and country levels.
• Extent of knowledge of international humanitarian architecture, including agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other partners.
• Experience in response management and surge support coordination.
  

Job Posting

27/Oct/2022

Closure Date

17/Nov/2022, 11:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit

Liaison Office with the United Nations (Geneva) (LOG)

Job Type

Staff position

Type of Requisition

Professional Project

Grade Level

P-5

Primary Location

Switzerland-Geneva

Duration

Fixed-term: one year with possibility of extension

Post Number

2008279

CCOG Code

1A10

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.
  

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.