AfCFTA Gap and Barrier assessment and Capacity Building Specialist

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

• 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 person 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’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

FAO’s Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa (SFS) covers 15 countries, which are also member states of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). These countries face numerous challenges in their agri-food systems. The SADC region is experiencing recurrent climate change-related disasters that negatively impact rain-fed agriculture, food security and nutrition, and overall socio-economic development. The number of food-insecure people in the region is also increasing. At the same time, there are several opportunities for investment and trade in the agri-food systems in the region, including expanded market opportunities provided through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. There is therefore genuine demand for transformative approaches for agribusiness investment and value chain development, including instruments on how to develop and implement interventions which deliver results. Such approaches should help address the needs of large numbers of actors across priority value chains.  

FAO SFS has identified the necessity for catalyzing inclusive investments and trade in food systems in Southern Africa as one of its major flagship programmes to increase the contribution of agriculture to inclusive economic growth and reduced rural poverty in the SADC region. The flagship programme for catalyzing inclusive investments and trade in food systems is one of three such programmes proposed in SFS, which together respond to the new FAO structure, cutting across the different coordination units, and addressing the priorities in FAO’s new Strategic Framework. A key component under the SFS Flagship programme on agribusiness and Investment for agrifood system transformation is support to implementation of the AfCFTA. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was conceptualized in 2012 to enhance trade integration on the continent. This agreement is of substantial economic interest to South Africa and the African continent and will provide a market of over 1 billion people with a GDP of over US$2.6 trillion. However, to fully harness the benefits of the AfCFTA, African countries capacities and systems need to be developed including building in digital technologies in farm to fork product development and movement across the continent.  This proposed Technical Cooperation Project Facility (TCPF) is aimed at providing preparatory support to implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The main envisaged outputs are i) A comprehensive Gap and barrier analysis in implementation of AfCFTA looking at all structural, systemic and institutional gaps and barriers to implementation of the AfCFTA; ii) Partnerships and opportunities mapping to establish all relevant actors with whom FAO can partners and all the opportunities for resource mobilization and pooling resources which FAO could leverage, and iii) A Catalytic Capacity development and awareness programme which includes regional training workshop for FAO SFS CUAI and strategic partners, educational webinars, concept note for a broader Capacity development Programme

Reporting Lines

The position will be under the overall supervision of the Sub-Regional Coordinator for Southern Africa, and technical supervision of SFS Agri-Food Systems and Investment Policy Specialist and Investment Support Officer from CFI, other assigned members of SFS Programme taskforce, in close collaboration with the SADC task team members.

Technical Focus

This assignment is aimed at providing preparatory support to implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The main envisaged outputs are i) A comprehensive Gap and barrier analysis in implementation of AfCFTA looking at all structural, systemic and institutional gaps and barriers to implementation of the AfCFTA; ii) Partnerships and opportunities mapping to establish all relevant actors with whom FAO can partner and all the opportunities for resource mobilization and pooling resources which FAO could leverage, and iii) A Catalytic Capacity development and awareness programme which includes regional training workshop for FAO SFS CUAI and strategic partners, educational webinars, concept note for a broader Capacity development Programme

Tasks And Responsibilities

•    Engage with relevant government agencies, IFIs, donors, CSOs, RECs, NGOs, private sector representatives, media, and local communities to identify barriers and gaps in the implementation of AfCFTA. Equal participation of women will be ensured in consultations to capture diverse perspectives and needs. 
•    Ensure clear data collection protocols and privacy measures; engage stakeholders early in the process to build trust and cooperation and provide training on data collection and analysis techniques. 
•    Develop/draft a document with a comprehensive gap and barrier analysis in the implementation of AfCFTA the SFS subregion.
•    Conduct a rapid mapping of partnerships and opportunities to identify all relevant actors with whom FAO can partner and all the opportunities for resource mobilisation and pooling resources, which FAO could leverage in the implementation of AfCFTA.
•    Develop specific awareness materials including i) brochures and ii) content for the generation of e-extension videos on implementing the AFCFTA. 
•    Support in the rolling out of a training programme consisting of the following: i) a regional capacity building workshop on AfCFTA for FAO and strategic partners, ii) three webinars on specific aspects of the AFCFTA in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and other relevant institutions
•    Develop a pitch document for a broader capacity development programme for implementation of the AfCFTA to be presented to various bilateral and multilateral financial institutions.
•    Conduct any other duty that is necessary to achieve the objectives of this assignment.

Fao Standards And Guidelines:

•    Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
•    All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en   
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia    
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en  
FAOSTYLE https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en  
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm  
FAO Names of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en      
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff). 
•    Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• •    Advanced University degree in Agricultural Economics, Trade, Agribusiness, Marketing, or closely related fields
• •    Ten (10) years of concrete experience in agricultural development in Southern African and global context
• •    Full proficiency/working knowledge of English (Level C)

Fao Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work 
•    Extent and relevance of experience in Southern Africa agriculture, trade, marketing context demonstrated through working with SADC, AUDA, COMESA, FAO, and other related institutions
•    Familiarity with NEPAD/AUDA, SADC and COMESA policies, programmes and projects in agribusiness, trade, and investment

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

Additional Information

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ 
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

How To Apply

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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