Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa
Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration: Two years with possibility of extension
Deadline: 21 May 2026, 11:59:00 PM
Job Description
FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization
Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) leads 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 sub-regional Offices as well as Centres and Divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.
The Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE) and FAO Representation in Ethiopia is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies and projects for transforming agrifood systems. It also develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions.
The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF).
The position is located in the Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which covers the following countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The Subregional Coordinator (SRC) also serves as FAO Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
Reporting Lines
The Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa works under the guidance of, and reports to the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Africa (ADG/RR), FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) in Accra, Ghana.
The Subregional Coordinator leads the multidisciplinary technical teams in the Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE). He/she leads FAO’s response to subregional priorities in line with FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, Regional Priorities from the FAO Africa Regional Conference, and is accountable for FAO activities in the subregion. He/she represents FAO to the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The SRC supports the FAO Regional Representative in his/her capacity as an accountable member of the regional United Nations Development Group (UNDG) team as defined in the “Management and Accountability System of the UN Development and the Resident Coordinator System”. The SRC is part of the RAF Core Leadership Team (CLT) and he/she contributes to addressing strategic issues e.g. work planning, programming, budgeting and other strategic issues at RAF.
Summary of Duties and Functions:
The Subregional Coordinator is FAO’s focal point for addressing subregional food security, nutrition, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, sustainable management of natural resources, climate change and rural development issues. He/she heads a Subregional Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), of which the Resilience Team for East Africa is an integral part, in the framework of FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, and supports the effective delivery of RAF Programme Areas of Work and Regional Priorities.
He/she contributes to the preparation of the Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) agreed between FAO and the Member countries of the subregion, and ensures effective collaboration with the African Union, subregional economic integration organizations, UN-system entities at the subregional and national levels, and other subregional institutions and media. He/she provides functional guidance to FAO Representatives (FAORs) in the subregion, in their capacity as MDT members. In his/her function as FAO Representative to the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the Subregional Coordinator will liaise with the leadership and management of these institutions to promote and support development and roll out of FAO and agreed upon regional flagship initiatives and priorities in Africa, using regional and subregional platforms.
In delivering his/her functions, the SRC consults with and coordinates with the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) and receives functional guidance from relevant Divisions/Centres/Offices at FAO Headquarters for planning, development, implementation, monitoring and reporting for subregional activities, initiatives, priorities as well as for the FAO Strategic Framework.
The Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa also serves as the FAO Representative to Ethiopia as well as to other countries in the subregion where FAO has no Representatives or Representations, to promote FAO’s support to the national priorities.
He/she contributes to the preparation of the Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) for the FAO Members in the Subregion and ensures effective collaboration with subregional economic integration organizations, UN-system entities at the subregional and national levels as well as other subregional institutions and media.
In particular, he/she will:
Oversight of FAO strategic planning and programme development in the subregion:
• Lead the analysis and dialogue on subregional priorities and the development of subregional strategies.
• Advise and collaborate with internal partners to raise awareness of subregional priorities and needs and ensure that they are reflected in corporate and regional policies.
• Ensure the provision of timely technical support to the FAO components of the United Nations common planning and programming frameworks (e.g. United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP), Flash Appeals, etc.), the Country Programming Framework (CPF) for all countries in the subregion and related FAO programmes, projects and/or other activities.
• Lead subregional mobilization of extrabudgetary resources, making optimum use of the expertise available in the Decentralized Offices.
Programme implementation and monitoring:
• Support Member Nations in the subregion to address food insecurity, malnutrition, hunger and inequalities by working together with institutional partners in the subregion, in accordance with agreed priorities, approved programme/workplans/budgets, strategic objectives and corporate policies.
• Coordinate and ensure timely and appropriate implementation and technical backstopping to FAO programmes and projects in the subregion in close collaboration with FAO technical divisions and units and in line with corporate norms, standards and procedures.
• Undertake regular reporting and monitoring on subregional programmes.
Leadership on knowledge management:
• Support and, where relevant, lead the subregional policy dialogues on areas of FAO’s mandate.
• Facilitate timely access by subregional stakeholders to FAO’s knowledge resources and global public goods, and knowledge sharing within and beyond the subregion.
Management of human and financial resources:
• Lead and manage the Subregional Office and ensure effective and efficient use of human and financial resources in line with corporate policies and administrative procedures.
• Manage all matters related to the security and safety of FAO personnel and their eligible dependents and ensure full adherence to the UN Security Policy, rules and regulations, as well as to security-related instructions issued by FAO.
• Promotes and leads initiatives under the FAO Corporate Environmental Policy and its Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy 2020-2030 to reduce emissions, increase efficiency and integrate sustainability into the Organization’s daily operations.
Contacts/Partnerships:
• Support the effective establishment of partnerships and collaborations with governments, donors, civil society, academia, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN system organizations and other international organizations.
• Advocate FAO’s policy positions in the relevant subregional fora, represent FAO in the media and implement a pro-active communications strategy to raise FAO awareness with the general public.
• Support the UN joint communication efforts at the subregional level and speaking with ‘one voice’.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in the field of agriculture, fishery, forestry or international relations.
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of relevant professional experience in development issues and management, resource mobilization, especially familiarity with international financial institutions (IFIs), global funding envelopes for agriculture and environment e.g. Global Environment Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund, etc., and private sector or blended financial modalities, development or humanitarian related issues, preferably with some years of experience in Africa.
• Extensive managerial and professional experience in fields related to the mandate of FAO.
• Demonstrated professional competence, proven leadership capability, effective management skills, intellectual, and strategic leadership of a high order in relevant subject areas and in an international setting.
• Extensive experience and competence in partnership with inter-governmental and international organizations, national governments, technical and donor partners, private sector, civil society organizations, youth and women organizations, farmer associations, etc.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate- level B) of another FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
Leadership Competencies
Results focus: Takes accountability for the delivery of agreed results in service of FAO Strategic Framework
Leading, engaging and empowering others: Coordinates, directs, facilitates and recognizes team efforts; creates an enabling environment and assists others to realize and develop their potential
Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication
Partnering and Advocating: Promotes ideas and develops partnerships to advance the Organization’s work
Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement: Continually seeks to improve the knowledge, skills and work processes of oneself and others
Strategic thinking: Makes informed and coherent decisions aligned with broader goals and strategies
FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.
GENERAL INFORMATION
• Please note the Organization does not appoint individuals as FAO Representatives in their own country/ies of nationality
• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: https://commonsystem.org/cp/default.asp
Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:
– Dependency allowances
– Rental subsidy
– Education grant for children
– Home leave travel
– 30 working days of annual leave per year
– Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
– International health insurance; optional life insurance
– Disability protection
FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization.
This includes:
– elements of family-friendly policies
– flexible working arrangements
– standards of conduct.
HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at: >> Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized
in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities
(IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your
application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further
assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp
