Young Professional Officer (Community-Driven Innovation)
Organizational Context
The Office of Innovation (OIN) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, provides strategic direction to drive and coordinate innovation across the Organization. It aims to consolidate and strengthen FAO's innovative spirit, including approaches and cooperation models. Reporting to the Office of the Chief Scientist, OIN supports Programme Priority Areas by mainstreaming innovation, facilitating cross-collaboration among FAO units, and forging transformative partnerships.
Job Purpose
This role focuses on fostering innovation in agrifood systems, with a strong emphasis on community-driven and grassroots initiatives. It involves co-creation processes, multi-actor learning, and generating evidence and knowledge to support the transformation of agrifood systems, particularly through agroecology. The position will conduct research, provide technical analysis, and deliver project-related services to support assigned projects, products, and services. Key functions include analyzing technical, social, economic, environmental, and technological information, maintaining records, updating databases, and providing technical support to various projects.
Responsibilities
The Young Professional Officer will support the identification, documentation, and analysis of grassroots and community-driven innovation processes, especially concerning agroecology, and contribute to developing related methodologies. Responsibilities include supporting the design and implementation of community-driven, grassroots, and frugal innovation activities in agrifood systems, and promoting innovation through Farmer Field Schools. The role involves providing support to the Global Farmer Field School Platform, including coordination, knowledge management, and communication. Additionally, the officer will contribute to co-development and facilitation of multi-actor learning processes, support the generation of evidence and knowledge products on agrifood system innovation, and analyze challenges in grassroots innovation, including scaling, governance, and policy engagement.
Work Experience
A minimum of one year of relevant experience in international development, with a focus on agrifood systems, rural development, and innovation, is required. Experience in more than one work location, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
Skills
The role requires experience with community-driven and participatory approaches in agrifood systems for food security and agroecology. Knowledge of agrifood systems, rural development contexts, and innovation systems is essential. The ability to support co-production of knowledge and participatory research is important. Experience with Farmer Field Schools or similar farmer participatory approaches is desirable. Familiarity with participatory methods, results-based monitoring and evaluation, data analysis tools (Stata, R, Python), food security metrics, value chain analysis, and gender/social inclusion analysis is beneficial. Field experience in developing countries is also desirable.