Social Policy Officer (Social Protection)

Organizational Setting

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

The Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) coordinates Programme Priority Areas on gender equality and rural women's empowerment and on inclusive rural transformation. The Division works with Members and other partners to achieve resilient and inclusive rural livelihoods for people living in conditions of vulnerability, reduce gender inequalities and advance women's economic empowerment and promote people-centred climate action and equitable access to natural resources. The Division also leads efforts to integrate the cross-cutting themes of gender, youth and inclusion throughout the work programmes of the Organization.

ESP structures its work around three core Objectives: 1) Build sustainable and resilient livelihoods for vulnerable people in agrifood systems; 2) Achieve gender equality and women's empowerment in agrifood systems; and 3) Promote equitable, inclusive and sustainable climate action and natural resource management.

The post is located at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division’s (ESP) Social Protection Team, which largely contributes to the Divisional Objective 3 “Promote equitable, inclusive and sustainable climate action and natural resource management”.

Reporting Lines

The Social Policy Officer (Social Protection) reports to the Senior Social Policy Officer/Social Protection Team Leader and will work under the overall functional supervision of the Deputy Director (Policy and Practice), Office of Emergency and Resilience (OER).

Technical Focus

Bring specific technical expertise into FAO's work on linking humanitarian action and developmental interventions through social protection systems.

Key Results

Research and analysis of information, data and statistics, and the maintenance and updating of related tools, methodologies, and/or databases to support the delivery of programme products, projects, publications, and services and in alignment with the Organization's Policy on Gender Equality.

Key Functions

•         Researches and analyses [agricultural, economic, trade, market, social, environmental, nutrition/food composition and/or gender related] data, statistics and information to provide technical, statistical and/or policy related information and analysis to support the delivery of economic and social development programmes work, products, projects, publications and services.

•         Supports the integration of gender equality and women's empowerment in FAO's work, including the disaggregation of data by sex and age where appropriate, in accordance with FAO Policy on Gender Equality.

•         Produces a variety of technical reports and input for technical documents, Division publications and/or web pages.

•         Provides technical, statistical, and/or analytical services on various studies, projects, and/or assessments and provides technical backstopping to field projects.

•         Participates in the development of improved/updated technical, statistical and/or analytical tools, methodologies, systems, databases, and/or key social, economic, environmental, nutritional and/or early warning indicators, etc.

•         Participates in multidisciplinary teams, collaborates with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.

•         Collaborates in capacity development activities involving the planning and organizing of training workshops, seminars, and major meetings and the preparation of related information, materials, on-line tools and information kits.

•         Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.

•         Participates in resource mobilization activities.

Specific Functions

•         Supports the development and management of a programme of work at global and country levels that establishes social protection as an instrument for strengthening coordination between humanitarian assistance and developmental interventions in support of sustainable and resilient rural livelihoods, including in the context of food crises.

•         Undertakes quantitative and/or qualitative policy analysis and the development of technical reports, knowledge products and programming guidance to inform the global narrative on the role of social protection in bridging the humanitarian-development divide.

•         Contributes to the design and coordination of programmes that provide policy support to Members in i) strengthening the capacities of national social protection systems to deliver anticipatory actions and rapid responses to shocks; ii) directing humanitarian assistance through these systems; and iii) integrating social protection within national and international disaster response policies and frameworks.

•         Maintains partnerships with internal and external actors to enhance FAO's work in strengthening social protection through humanitarian assistance and the ability of these systems to deliver humanitarian assistance in support of rural livelihoods.

•         Participates in internal and external meetings and fora involving social protection and/or humanitarian actors to advocate for increased collaboration and integrated programming across these sectors.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•         Advanced university degree in economics, development studies, political science, or other relevant social sciences.

•         Five years of relevant experience in social protection, socio-economic analysis, policy assistance, and capacity building in relation to social protection.

•           Working knowledge (full proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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.

•           Extent and relevance of experience in developing programming guidance and in developing knowledge products and publications record.

•           Extent and relevance of experience in designing and implementing projects for strengthening national social protection systems and their coordination with humanitarian assistance.

•           Extent and relevance of experience in programme coordination.