Advocacy Officer

Organizational Setting

The Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU) is FAO’s hub to ensure rights-based and sustainable development for all,

leaving no one behind. PSU builds transformative partnerships and proactively engages with key stakeholders, including family

farmers, Indigenous Peoples, parliamentarians, academia, research institutions, UN organizations and civil society. PSU drives a

people-centred approach through technical support, capacity development, policy advice and inclusive dialogue.

Within PSU, the Indigenous Peoples Unit (PSUI) provides technical support on Indigenous Peoples within FAO and ensures the implementation of FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples at corporate level by liaising with regional and country focal points as well as with other technical divisions within FAO. The Indigenous Peoples Unit has three main objectives: 1. Implement FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples; 2. Provide technical advice to other FAO technical divisions in integrating Indigenous Peoples into their work;  3. Advocate, influence key policy processes and open spaces of dialogue between decision makers and Indigenous Peoples within FAO's mandate. Indigenous Peoples' food systems is one of the seven pillars of work of the Unit. One of the outputs of the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021 was the creation of a Coalition on Indigenous Peoples' food systems joined by FAO Members, Indigenous Peoples and Rome-based agencies.

The main objective of the Coalition is to ensure understanding, respect, recognition, inclusion and protection of Indigenous Peoples' food systems and to provide evidence on their 'game-changing and systemic' aspects. To support the work of the coalition, the Indigenous Peoples' Unit hosts the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples' food systems. The Global-Hub is a platform of knowledge that brings together Universities, research centres, Indigenous Peoples and UN organizations to co-create knowledge from scientific and traditional knowledge systems.

The position of Advocacy Officer is located in the Indigenous Peoples Unit (PSUI) of the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division, at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

  The Advocacy Officer reports to the Senior Advocacy Officer/Head of the PSU Indigenous Peoples Unit, PSUI.

Technical Focus

Contributes to the development and strengthening of advocacy activities to promote family farming and right to food policies and partnerships and initiatives with all the different actors to accomplish FAO's mandate.

Key Results

Comprehensive services on advocacy-related initiatives; increased and strengthened partnerships and knowledge networks within and outside the Organization to support country level actions guided by FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF).

Key Functions

• Processes, coordinates arrangements, and delivers services.
• Researches and analyses advocacy-related policy and service delivery issues, maintains operational statistics, and prepares related reports.
• Contributes to the development of information and training materials and coordinates and assists in the presentation of information/ training sessions to management and staff.
• Provides information and advice to management and staff.
• Participates in project teams and work groups.

   

  Specific Functions

  • Supports PSUI unit work including advocacy materials and publications development and dissemination, field activities and engagement with various stakeholders including UN agencies, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations.
  • Supports the overall activities of the Secretariat of the Coalition on Indigenous Peoples food systems, including publication/materials development, communications with stake holders, workplan monitoring and update, event organizations.
  • Supports the monitoring of implementation of the Indigenous Peoples' biocentric restoration programme.
  • Organizes knowledge exchanges and dialogues to enhance understanding of Indigenous Peoples' biocentric restoration and its contribution to the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration and climate action.
  • Contributes to drafting agreements with Indigenous Peoples' organizations (drafting Letters of Agreement (LOA),
  • organizing meetings with the service provider, etc.) and follows up on the implementation of the LOA.
  • Performs other related tasks as required.

     

    CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

     

    Minimum Requirements

    • Advanced university degree in agricultural sciences, social sciences, or any field related to FAO's mandate.
    • Three years of relevant experience in activities related to indigenous peoples, human rights-based development cooperation.
    • 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

      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.
      • Previous working experience in context where Indigenous Peoples live is considered a strong asset.
      • Knowledge of the UN Food Systems Summit and Indigenous Peoples work during the summit.
      • Extent and relevance of knowledge on Indigenous Peoples advocacy and political incidence processes.
      • Extent and relevance of experience with advocacy campaigns and content development on Indigenous Peoples is a strong asset.
      • Extent and knowledge in supporting content and materials to develop advocacy narratives on Indigenous Peoples.
      • Extend and relevance of experience on Indigenous Peoples' biocentric restoration.
      • Extent and relevance of experience in supporting networks on Indigenous Peoples and knowledge of FAO policies and programmes are considered a strong asset.