National Professional Officer (Head of Programme)

Organizational Setting

FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by a FAO Representative, is to assist governments in developing policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The FAO Hainan Programme Cooperation Office (PCO) is established under the auspices of the FAO Representation in China and operate as an integral part of the FAO Representation. It serves as a joint platform for technical cooperation, policy dialogue, and strategic partnership facilitation between FAO and the Hainan Provincial Government while acting as a key bridge for enhanced cooperation with other leading research institutions based in Hainan and abroad.

The PCO represents a forward-looking partnership linking tropical agriculture innovation, south–south cooperation, and agrifood systems transformation, translating high-level commitments into concrete partnerships, technical cooperation programmes/projects, and policy dialogue.

The position is located in the FAO Representation of China with duty station Sanya, People's Republic of China (PRC).

Reporting Lines

The National Professional Officer (Head of Programme) reports to the FAO Representative (FAOR).

Technical Focus

Programme development, coordination and operational assistance based on the knowledge of the local conditions, culture, language and institutions of the country of assignment.

Support to programme administration and financial management, including accounting and personnel administration.

Key Results

Effective and efficient coordination and provision of technical and operational support of the programme and project activities of the FAO Representation.

Key Functions

•     Liaises and assists government authorities and local, national and international institutions in the areas of FAO’s activities in the country and with other UN agencies. He/she may represent FAO at inter-agency meetings as required.
•     Promotes the image of FAO through advocacy of the Organization’s mandate, programmes, national priorities and activities, including development and maintenance of communication tools (such as website, press releases and publications) and support to implementation of FAO’s regulatory framework (Codex Alimentarius, Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Safe Use of Pesticides, etc.) in the country.
•     Coordinates the collection, consolidation and maintenance of country data on food, crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries, including information on external aid in FAO’s corporate systems, and monitors changes in national policies affecting the agricultural sector.
•     Participates in producing technical, economic and policy studies, as required, and developing country level development frameworks, such as the Country Programming Framework (CPF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
•     Participates in the identification, formulation and preparation of programme and project proposals and monitors and reviews the status of programme/project implementation to ensure that all operational activities are carried out in line with the work plan and the project document; identifies inconsistencies and delays and, when necessary, proposes corrective measures to overcome operational constraints.
•     Briefs, trains and supervises junior staff; ensures adherence to procedures and work requirements as well as accuracy and diligence of the work provided.
•     Performs other duties as required.

Specific Functions

•     Facilitates programme coordination and partnership activities between FAO, Hainan Province, central government offices (when requested) and national/international stakeholders, ensuring the outputs, outcomes, impact and overall objectives of the PCO, in alignment with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–2031, the Country Programming Framework (CPF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
•     Promotes and advocates the FAO Hainan PCO's mandate, and communicates FAO's knowledge, resources, and expertise to government counterparts, and other stakeholders in the fields of tropical agriculture, south–south cooperation, and agrifood systems transformation; ensures active government participation in FAO Hainan PCO-led programmes and  activities. 
•     Represents FAO in Hainan Province and maintains high-level engagement with provincial authorities, research institutions, development partners, and other UN agencies. He/she may represent FAO at interagency meetings as required.
•     Leads the development of work plans, budgets, and progress reports for the FAO Hainan PCO.
•     Promotes knowledge exchange and capacity development initiatives in collaboration with technical institutions.
•     Enhances visibility of FAO–Hainan cooperation through communication, documentation, and dissemination of good practices.  
•     Advises to better position the programme of the Hainan PCO alongside government entities, technical institutions, sister UN agencies, international financial institutions, academia, civil societies, the private sector, and other development partners to establish and strengthen PCO strategic partnerships, identify innovative cooperative modalities, and mobilize diverse resources for PCO.
•     Participates in the identification, formulation, and preparation of programme and project proposals for FAO Hainan PCO; monitors and reviews the status of programme/project implementation to ensure that all operational activities are carried out in line with the work plan and the project document; identifies inconsistencies and delays and, when necessary, proposes corrective measures to overcome operational constraints.
•     Ensures compliance with FAO administrative, procurement, and operational supportive procedures.
•     Maintains all financial records and monitoring systems and assists with monitoring of various accounts; supervises and/or maintains accounts; ensures that operational expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and that all committing documents are complete and consistent; and reports variations from budgets.
•     Assists with the preparation of recurring reports on programme, project, and office accounts; provides support in the preparation of reports for budget planning, audits, and other related requests.
•     Ensures proper Internal Control, responsible for Questionnaire Reporting, Risk Log, Duty Segregation and prepare relevant reports to mitigate managerial, programmatic, operational, and administrative risks.
•     Ensures compliance with the Organization's security guidelines (Security Risk Management and others). 
•     Supports Gender and Disability Inclusiveness and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) initiatives/actions.
•     Performs other related duties to ensure effective programme/project development, management, implementation, and office administration.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     National of China.
•     Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in agriculture, agricultural economics, forestry, fisheries, natural resources, rural development, business or public administration and management, international relations, or any other field related to the work of the Organization.
•     Three years of relevant experience in public and/or private sectors related to programming, planning, and technical cooperation in food and agriculture, and/or project implementation in an area of FAO's activities in the country including experience in office management, administration, accounting, and/or audit, budget, or finance
•     Working knowledge (proficiency-level C) of Chinese and English.

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, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
•     Supervisory experience as the team leader or equivalent.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in programme/project development and office administration/management.
•     Demonstrated understanding of the purpose and functions of the technical programme, operational guidelines, and project/programme management procedures, preferably those adopted by the United Nations (UN) or FAO.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in the field of policy analysis relating to agriculture, rural development, south-south cooperation, and office administration/management, including supervisory experience.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in the collection of country data on food, crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in the identification, formulation, and preparation of programme and project proposals as well as programme/project implementation, monitoring, and review.
•     Extent of knowledge of UN or standard operational rules and procedures, and project/programme administrative/operational management procedures.
•     Extent of knowledge of FAO's corporate systems and databases, or knowledge of other accounting or financial modules or applications relevant to accounting procedures or project budget management would be considered an asset.
•     Demonstrated analytical and judgment skills and ability to apply rules and regulations in the subject field.