The FACS practice was launched in June 2020 to help UNDP, through the leadership of the Nature, Climate and Energy team, take an integrated approach to tackling FACS issues. The FACS practice operates a small global team and is designed to work in an agile manner to harness networks, experience, and innovation both within and outside UNDP. The practice draws on the thematic expertise of the climate, forests, biodiversity, local/indigenous communities, water, chemicals, energy, inclusive growth, private sector, health, gender and governance teams. It operates the UNDP-internal FACS network, supports the implementation of the FACS strategy in the 5 regions, and is in charge of a portfolio of projects focusing on food and commodity systems transformation.
The Food Systems Senior Advisor will become part of the global FACS practice and support the consolidation of the FACS network by providing technical strategic advice to thematic teams, regional bureaus, or country offices on matters related to sustainable food and agricultural commodity systems.
Duties and Responsibilities
The advisor will provide advice in the following areas: Strategy and leadership:
- Provide thought leadership on food systems as part of UNDP’s mandate, integrating food systems with climate change, biodiversity, livelihoods, gender, crisis and recovery
- Advise on UNDPs food and agricultural commodity systems strategy at global, regional and national levels
- Participate in the senior management group overseeing the FACS team and oversee integration of the food systems with the agricultural commodity portfolio
- Brief UNDP senior leadership on global food systems related work
- Oversee the coordination of the FACS practice within UNDP to optimize leveraging all UNDP resources and expertise at global and country level to contribute towards food systems transformation
Integrated Programming:
- Raise awareness about food and agricultural commodity systems across UNDP thematic teams to develop integrated programming for new initiatives particularly on food security and food system resilience
- In coordination with Regional Bureaus and Country Offices, contribute to the development and implementation of food systems projects, including global and regional initiatives, and new project opportunities under the GEF-8 Integrated Programme on Food Systems
- Identify and pursue opportunities to incorporate and apply food systems governance, systems thinking and multi-stakeholder collaboration in joint programming with other UNDP teams and offices and with stakeholders at global, regional and national levels
- Cultivate partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors and with IFIs, in coordination with other UNDP teams, on food security and food systems, to mobilize resources for new initiatives and programming
Advise UNDPs food systems portfolio:
- Provide technical strategic assistance to country offices and teams on the design and implementation of food system projects
- Promote an integrated FACS offer to UNDP country teams
- Work with FACS team members focusing on agricultural commodity systems programs to link these systems to food security and food system issues in focus countries to widen their scope.
- Supervise the analysis of the global FACS portfolio, to identify potential countries of focus, identify strengths and challenges of projects, and develop lessons and guidance on good design and implementation practice on food and agricultural commodity systems for thematic teams, Regional Bureaus and Country Offices
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
- The incumbent will work from home base.
- The incumbent will be supervised by the Global Head, Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems. He/she will liaise with the UNDP FACS team members, other UNDP staff both at global and country office level, partners agencies focal points and donors.
- The incumbent will be responsible for providing his/her own working station (i.e., laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection.
- Given the global nature of the work, the CoFSA Interventions Advisor is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for regional and country events to be undertaken during this assignment taking into consideration different time zones.
Competencies
Core Competencies
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
- Business Direction & Strategy – Strategic Thinking
- Ability to develop effective strategies and prioriti]ed plans in line with UNDPs objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
- Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
- Business Direction & Strategy – Systems Thinking
- Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
- Business Management – Partnership Management
- Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
- Nature Climate and Energy – Ecosystems & Biodiversity
- Green Commodities
- Partnership Management – Multistakeholder engagement and funding
- Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms
- Business Management – Communication
- Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
- Business Management – Project Management
- Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization´s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
- Experience developing and leading inter-departmental and inter-agency projects for food systems
- Experience integrating relevant fields such as climate change, livelihoods and resilience into food systems
- Experience on integrated and joint programming
- Experience on partnerships and resource mobilization related to Agriculture and food
- Global Experience with UN and non-UN institutions in the field of agriculture and food systems
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master´s degree or equivalent) in agricultural development, food systems or international development and other closely related fields.
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the same field with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree.
Experience:
- At least 10 years (with master’s degree) or 12 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience in the field of agriculture, food systems, value chains and related fields.
Language:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of additional UN languages is an asset.
Required Skills:
- Experience contributing to food systems transformation at global and country level
- Experience in design and implementation of food systems projects