Deputy Director-General

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 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 has established the Core Leadership composed by three Deputy Directors-General (DDGs), Director of Cabinet, Chief Economist and Chief Scientist with an Organigramme and a modular management structure that avoid silos and promote working jointly at all managerial levels in a cross-sectoral and global manner for a more efficient and effective Organization.

The organizational structure is designed to create cooperation, both within FAO and by building up its comparative advantages to work with other organizations outside of FAO. Heads of Unit (Divisions, Offices and Centres) are accountable, and each Head reports directly to either a Deputy Director-General (DDG), the Director of Cabinet, the Chief Economist, or the Chief Scientist.

The Core Leadership members function as a unified leadership team working jointly in a cross-sectoral and global manner, supporting the Director-General in all areas of the Organization’s mandate. Each Deputy Director-General (DDG) and Chief is accountable for overseeing specific units (reporting line A). In addition, each has defined alternate oversight responsibility for a number of units for which they are not the lead but provide support and replace when needed the primary person of the leadership team responsible, including when the primary person is out-of-office (reporting line B). The Director-General establishes the specific reporting line of each Head of Unit to a Deputy Director-General (DDG), Chief Economist or Chief Scientist, taking into consideration the background, skills and knowledge of the individuals in the leadership team. In addition to these specific responsibilities within the proposed organizational structure, each member of the Core Leadership has responsibility for specific transversal areas that require overall corporate leadership.

Reporting Lines

The Deputy Director-General (DDG) leads designated administrative coordination, programmatic and/or technical units and reports to the Director-General.

Summary of Duties and Functions

Within the framework of FAO’s mandate and its Strategic Framework 2022-31, the Deputy Director-General, working in close collaboration and complementarity with other Core Leadership members, provides strategic direction and oversight over relevant administrative coordination,  programmatic and/or technical units of the Organization, with a view to ensuring the required environment for delivering the Organization's core functions and organizational results and effectively supporting the delivery of the “four betters”.

He/she leads FAO’s work on external partnerships and also provides strategic direction and oversight over designated programmatic and/or technical units for which he/she is given A and B supervisory role. In particular, the Deputy Director-General (DDG) will:

Promote and oversee FAO’s operational response to the different regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development; Promote close interactions with global entities in agricultural research for development; Advocate FAO’s policy position and communicate its messages with respect to the areas under his/her mandate; Advocate the dissemination and application of information and knowledge, technology transfer and capacity building; Lead FAO’s work on partnerships with United Nations (UN) entities, civil society organizations, private sector and other non-state actors; Act as chairperson of committees and boards placed under his/her direct responsibility; Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements