I. Overview

Through USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA), the United States (U.S.) sponsors qualified U.S. citizens for employment in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program.

These fully funded JPO positions strengthen the capacity of FAO and further encourage U.S. citizens to become active members of the international community. After completing their JPO assignments, a number of JPOs successfully compete for positions at FAO and in other international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

II. General Information

Title: Junior Professional Officer (Cash and Voucher Assistance – East Africa)

Organization/Office: Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, SFE

Duty Station: Nairobi, Kenya

Start Date Required: As soon as possible

Duration: Two years, with possibility of a one-year extension

The USAID/BHA sponsored JPO will be an employee of FAO, not of the U.S. Government.

III. Duties, Responsibilities, and Output Expectations

Key Functions:

• Collects and analyses relevant technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional and technology related information, data and/or statistics to support the delivery of programme projects as well as products and services;
• Undertakes analysis, provides technical input for plans and reports and edits/revises technical/scientific documents;
• Participates in the development of improved work methods, tools and systems;
• Updates databases and web pages;
• Participates in multidisciplinary project/work teams;
• Collaborates in the development of training tools and materials and the organization of workshops/seminars, etc.;
• Participates in the organization, conduct and follow-up of meetings, consultations and conferences, the development/production of required materials and the provision of information and assistance to partners;
• Provides support to Decentralized Offices (upon request) in East Africa related to the programming, design, implementation and monitoring-evaluation of field programmes and projects by means of CVA modalities, at any steps of the project cycle, ensuring high operational standards and compliance with FAO rules and regulations;
• Undertakes frequent missions to provide support for the design, implementation and monitoring-evaluation of interventions using CVA modalities, including market assessment, CVA feasibility assessment and preparedness missions;
• Contributes to the provision of required clearances and backstopping to decentralized offices at all steps of the project cycle for relevant field projects and programmes;
• Supports capacity development initiatives on CVA at subregional and country level to benefit FAO personnel and partners including the identification of CVA good practices, innovations and lessons learnt from FAO Decentralized Offices;
• Provides technical support and advice to social protection and cash preparedness experts to carry out feasibility studies and establish recommendations to move forward with linking these thematic areas to Anticipatory Action;
• Assists liaising with social protection experts to further explore the link between the humanitarian/resilience the CVA with the national social protection system/initiatives and support of building shock-responsive social protection system approaches in the countries under the Subregional Office;
• Assists in the liaison with anticipatory action experts to explore the use of CVA as one of the anticipatory action approaches in the countries under the Subregional Office.

Technical Focus:

Support to implementation of FAO’s resilience agenda at global, regional, subregional and/or country level, with a focus on technical and operational support, clearances and backstopping to projects and programmes implemented through cash and voucher assistance (CVA) modalities.

Key Results:

Collection and analysis of information, data and statistics and project/meeting services to support programme projects, products and services.

IV. Supervision

The Junior Professional Officer (Cash and Voucher Assistance – East Africa) reports to the Senior Agricultural Officer/Subregional Resilience Team Leader, RTEA/SFE/FAO-Kenya. S/he works under the technical guidance of the Office of Emergency and Resilience (OER) and the overall leadership of the Enabling Environment Team Leader in OER.

V. Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree in business administration or public administration, social science, political science or a related field.

Work Experience:

Three years of relevant experience in project or programme management, administration or related area.

Languages:

Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish or Russian).

Additional Desired Technical Skills:

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of administration, human resources, finance and management.
• Extent and relevance of experience in programme/project formulation, analysis, planning and implementation.
• Extent of knowledge of planning and budgetary processes and associated tools.
• Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset.

UN Competencies:

• Results Focus
• Team Work
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Workforce Diversity:

The United Nations believes that an inclusive culture attracts the best talent and encourages all qualified applicants, regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, cultural or religious backgrounds, to apply.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and underrepresented 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.

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

VII. Background Information

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 Subregional Office for Eastern Africa is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). It assists the FAO Representations (FAORs) in the subregion with addressing subregional food security, agriculture and rural development issues at country level. The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Africa. The post is located in the Resilience Team East Africa – (RTEA) FAO Office in Nairobi, Kenya).