Salesforce Technical Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the transformation to More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, for Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment and a Better life, leaving no one behind. Digital FAO and Agro-informatics Division (CSI) is responsible for all information technology (IT) activities within the Organization. CSI performs, on behalf of the Organization, the following critical roles: defining FAO IT policies and providing strategic advice on IT architecture and standards, governance, policy and operational matters while monitoring organizational compliance; defining the mechanisms for managing FAO's information and data; protecting FAO's information assets and ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability; ensuring provision of IT services that are core for the Organization's global operations and supporting the information and business processes; coordinating organization-wide IT activities in order to reduce duplication and fragmentation and to increase integration of information data, systems and platforms, mobilizing IT resources from across the Organization. CSI manages the Organizational Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Environment, consisting of multiple systems including Global Resource Management System (GRMS/Oracle) and Integrated Management Information System (iMIS), and a number of satellite systems, covering all aspects of system management including operation, support and continuous improvement. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has implemented a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and selected Salesforce as the core technology to manage stakeholder engagements, resource mobilization, and various business processes across the organization. This CRM solution has been evolved to enable FAO to operate within a stable environment while leveraging cutting-edge features such as mobile accessibility, artificial intelligence, and business process automation. 

In addition to traditional out-of-the-box CRM functionalities, Salesforce has been extended to support non-typical CRM use cases across various FAO divisions. Custom components and Apex-coded solutions have been developed to address specific business requirements, showcasing the platform's flexibility and adaptability within FAO.

To further strengthen its Salesforce capabilities, FAO is seeking a skilled Salesforce Technical Specialist This role offers an exciting opportunity for a proactive, innovative professional to provide essential technical support, with a focus on the growth, integration, and ongoing development of our Salesforce ecosystem. The incumbent will bridge both technical and functional roles, working with stakeholders, and owning end-to-end delivery, including requirements gathering, customization, testing, deployment and incremental enhancements to the Salesforce solutions.

This role is based in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Salesforce Technical Specialist will report directly to the Senior Information Technology Officer and collaborate closely with Salesforce Solution Architect. 

Technical Focus 

The Salesforce Technical Specialist will play a key role in the ongoing support, development, enhancement, and optimization of FAO’s Salesforce environment. This includes both technical implementation and functional collaboration to ensure that solutions align with organizational needs. The Specialist will support various Salesforce applications—such as Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, Pardot, and AppExchange solutions—by working closely with business stakeholders, technical teams, and the Salesforce Solution Architect. The role involves gathering and analyzing business requirements, designing scalable solutions, supporting deployments, and providing user enablement and ongoing system support. The incumbent will contribute to the platform’s architecture and ensure that configurations and customizations follow best practices and meet business objectives.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The role includes both technical and functional activities such as:
•    Collaborate with business teams to gather and analyze requirements, translating them into functional and technical solutions.
•    Design and implement Salesforce solutions using both declarative tools (Flows, Validation Rules, Approval Processes) and programmatic tools (Apex, Lightning Web Components, Visualforce).
•    Maintain and enhance existing Salesforce functionality and customizations to meet evolving user needs.
•    Integrate Salesforce with external systems using APIs (REST/SOAP) and middleware platforms (e.g., Oracle Integration Cloud).
•    Perform data migration, transformation, and bulk data operations using tools such as Data Loader or Data Import Wizard.
•    Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to workflows, automation, integrations, and custom code.
•    Participate in solution design, system architecture discussions, and documentation of technical components and business processes.
•    Support deployments and environment management using tools like Salesforce DX, Change Sets, or CI/CD pipelines.
•    Conduct unit, integration, and user acceptance testing (UAT), ensuring the reliability and performance of solutions.
•    Provide end-user support, training, and guidance to ensure adoption and effective use of Salesforce features.
•    Stay current with Salesforce platform updates and recommend how new features can be leveraged for business benefit.
•    Develop proof-of-concept (PoC) demos and participate in solution validation workshops with stakeholders.
•    Assist with code reviews, system performance analysis, and security audits to maintain platform integrity.
•    Coordinate with third-party vendors and internal teams to ensure successful project execution and support delivery.
•    Contribute to agile project delivery, including sprint planning, backlog grooming, and retrospectives.
•    Perform other related duties as required to support the Salesforce ecosystem.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    For Consultants: university degree in computer science, information technology, information systems, software engineering, electric or electronic engineering, mathematics, statistics or a related field 
•    For PSAs: Salesforce professional certificates (Salesforce Administrator Certificate is a must). 
•    The candite shall have relevant professional experience with Salesforce developer toolkit - Apex, VisualForce, Force.com IDE, Force.com Migration Tool, Web Services/SOA & Metadata APIs as follows: 1–4 years for PSAs Category C, 2-4 years for COF.REG Categoy C,  5–9 years for Category B, and at least 10 years for Category A 
•    Working knowledge of English. 

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Strong understanding of the Salesforce platform architecture, including Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, and Pardot.
•    Proficiency in Apex programming, Visualforce, and building custom Lightning Web Components (LWC) and Aura components.
•    Advanced skills in declarative configuration, including Flows, Validation Rules, Approval Processes, and Workflow Rules.
•    Experience designing and implementing scalable, business-aligned solutions based on user requirements and best practices.
•    Knowledge of Salesforce integration methods using REST/SOAP APIs and middleware platforms such as Oracle Integration Cloud.
•    Proficiency in SOQL and SOSL for complex data queries, reporting, and automation.
•    Ability to write effective Apex test classes, conduct unit and integration testing, and debug technical issues.
•    Familiarity with DevOps tools including Salesforce DX, Change Sets, and CI/CD processes (e.g., Gearset, Copado, Jenkins).
•    Functional experience in supporting multiple business domains or departments, with the ability to adapt solutions to varied needs.
•    Understanding of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles and working knowledge of web services.
•    Exposure to ETL tools, data migration strategies, and large-volume data handling.
•    Experience with AppExchange solutions and knowledge of common third-party integrations.
•    Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work across business and technical teams.
•    Familiarity with project management tools such as Jira and Confluence (Atlassian suite) for task tracking and documentation.
•    Prior experience in other programming environments (e.g., .NET) is a plus.
•    Knowledge of Salesforce release cycles and ability to assess and implement new platform features effectively.

 
Other

•    Outstanding analytical, business process development skills and problem-solving skills.
•    Ability to troubleshoot system, process and data issues; ability to think clearly under pressure.
•    Demonstrated and proven ability to provide superior client service in demanding, deadline-driven situations.
•    Ability to effectively communicate and coordinate with senior business management and peers.
•    Self-motivated and solution oriented with excellent people and project management skills.
•    Work in a highly evolving dynamic business use cases

Selection Criteria

•    Salesforce Developer Certificate is a significant advantage
•    Other Salesforce Professional certificates are a plus
•    Knowledge of one of the other FAO official languages is an asset.