Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer - FAO

The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with Divisions, Offices and Centres at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.

RAF also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RAF develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs).

The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

The Regional Office supports the formulation and implementation of country programmes and projects, including Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs), and their contribution to the FAO Strategic Framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) at the country level; and on the incorporation of regional and country priorities into the Organization’s overall Programme of Work and Budget.

RAF leads, formulates, implements, monitors and reports on the Organization’s programmes and budget in the region and draws management attention to problems, deficiencies and risks.RAF leads the preparation of the Regional Conferences and the Statutory Bodies in the region.

RAF participates in the United Nations Regional Architecture, such as UN Regional Forums on Sustainable Development and UN Regional Collaborative Platforms and related mechanisms.

RAF uses an improved, integrated and collaborative business model to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, consistency, innovation, agility and responsiveness in logistical, operational, financial and other support services at all levels to accelerate the achievement of the Organization’s programme in the region and ensure compliance with the Internal Control Framework.

The position is located in the Regional Office for Africa in Accra, Ghana.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer reports to the Regional Team Leader, RAF, under the general guidance of the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Africa and the Deputy Regional Representative for Africa and receives technical guidance from the Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division in headquarters.

Technical Focus

Responsible for all activities in relation to fisheries and aquaculture development and technical advice in support of FAO’s programme of work on Blue Transformation in the Africa Region in its three components: sustainable aquaculture development, sustainable fisheries management and upgrading of aquatic foods’ value chains.

The incumbent contributes to strengthening partnership and knowledge networks within and outside the Organization, particularly supports regional and country-level actions across the technical areas of fisheries and aquaculture policy and management, fisheries sector governance, trade, small-scale fisheries development, aquaculture development and the monitoring of sub-sector status and trends.

These include resource mobilization, policy development, engagement with national and regional partners and field activities. The incumbent will also act as Secretary of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) and of the Committee for Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa (CIFAA).

Key Results

Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of regional programmes of work, projects, products, services in accordance with regional objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework and in alignment with the Organization’s Gender Policy.

Key Functions

• Plans, manages, or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams; leads, coordinates, and/or participates in regional committees, project teams, and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services in technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Analyses global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical inputs into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.
• Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence-based strategies, and related tools, methodologies and supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks.
• Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis of activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes.
• Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning, online tools.
• Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue, develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders.
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions

• Contributes to the regional dimensions of the three pillars of FAO’s Programme of work on Blue Transformation.
• Monitors the fishery and aquaculture situation in countries and groups of countries in the region, and analyses their technical assistance needs, identifying major problems of fisheries and aquaculture in marine and inland waters, including issues of social and economic nature at national and regional levels.
• Plans and implements programmes for the development and management of fisheries and aquaculture value chains in the region, in close cooperation with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI), the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) and in liaison with the FAO Subregional Offices for Central (SFC), Eastern (SFE), Southern (SFS) and West (SFW) Africa.
• Leads field programme missions, including sector review missions, to identify and formulate field projects and programmes which are consistent with the Country Programming Framework (CPF).
• Identifies possible sources of extra-budgetary funding for fishery and aquaculture projects.
• Analyses, assesses and disseminates information and policy advice concerning the technical, social and economic aspects of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development in the region.
• Provides guidance, technical support and capacity building of FAO staff, Member Nations and regional economic bodies on issues related to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Member Nations and technical support to Country and Subregional Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes of work.
• Collaborates with and supports regional fishery bodies and regional networks, international partners, development finance and other institutions concerned with fisheries and aquaculture to deliver coordinated information, sound policy advice and comprehensive strategies to strengthen and harmonize fisheries management and aquaculture development in the region.
• Participates in the sessions of the FAO Committee on Fisheries.
• Acts as Secretary of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) and of the Committee for Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa (CIFAA).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in natural resource economics, fisheries or aquaculture economics or marine sciences or marine affairs, or related fields such as veterinary science or food science, with a specialization in fisheries and/or aquaculture management and/or governance or other field related to fields related to fisheries and aquaculture and/or aquaculture and/or aquatic sciences or related discipline.
• Ten years of relevant experience in fisheries management, aquaculture development, fisheries economics or trade, safety and quality of fisheries products, or management of data and information in fisheries and aquaculture.
• Working knowledge (proficiency – level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Leading, Engaging and Empowering
• Communication
• Partnering and Advocating
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.
• Extent and relevance of experience in providing technical assistance in fisheries and aquaculture including related areas which may include sustainable management, capacity building, fisheries policy, economics or trade, post-harvest processing.
• Demonstrated results-based management capabilities with an ability to manage programmes, budgets and human resources efficiently under shifting priorities and to deliver against deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources and plan and implement development programmes related to fisheries and aquaculture.
• Experience of international and inter-governmental processes for dialogue and setting of norms, including UN, Regional Commissions or intergovernmental bodies.
• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing international workshops, meetings and training courses.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely; to write and present technical material for science to policy communication.

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