Junior Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is an agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO has over 194 member countries and works in more than 130 countries worldwide. The organization aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mission is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, reduce rural poverty, and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems.

Job Overview:
The Junior Specialist position is designed to support the Governance and Policy Support Unit (DDCG) within the Office of the Chief Economist (DDCE) at FAO. The primary focus of this role is to assist in the implementation of food loss and waste (FLW)-related projects. The Junior Specialist will engage in data collection, analysis, and reporting, contributing to evidence-based decision-making and enhancing the sustainability and resilience of agrifood systems. This role offers a unique opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary environment, gaining hands-on experience in technical analysis and policy support while collaborating with various stakeholders to address critical issues related to food security and agrifood systems.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Junior Specialist will be responsible for a variety of tasks, including: supporting the implementation of FLW-related activities through comprehensive data collection, validation, and management; compiling, reviewing, and cross-checking FLW data from multiple sources; providing analytical and operational support for multidisciplinary projects; managing and analyzing datasets using statistical software such as Stata and Excel; ensuring data quality and proper documentation; analyzing and interpreting quantitative data and presenting results through tables, charts, and analytical summaries; contributing to reporting processes in line with FAO standards, including drafting and revising technical documents; developing and improving data collection tools and methodologies; preparing technical outputs such as reports and briefs; and identifying data gaps to enhance analytical and monitoring approaches related to FLW activities.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a university degree or technical degree certificate from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in fields such as economics, agricultural economics, statistics, sustainable development, social sciences, or other relevant areas. Additionally, candidates should have at least one year of relevant experience in food loss and waste, agrifood systems, food security, agricultural development, or related fields. A working knowledge (level C) of English is also required.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a university degree or technical degree certificate in a relevant field such as economics, agricultural economics, statistics, sustainable development, or social sciences. This educational foundation is essential for understanding the complexities of food loss and waste, agrifood systems, and food security, which are critical to the role.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have a minimum of one year of relevant experience in areas such as food loss and waste, agrifood systems, food security, or agricultural development. This experience should demonstrate the candidate's ability to engage in data analysis, reporting, and coordination activities effectively.

Languages:
A working knowledge of English (level C) is mandatory for this position. Additionally, knowledge of another FAO official language, such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish, will be considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to communicate and collaborate in a multilingual environment.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and is based in Rome, Italy. Candidates should be prepared to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, demonstrating effective communication and teamwork skills. The role may involve participation in workshops, seminars, and capacity-building activities, contributing to the overall mission of FAO in addressing food security and sustainability challenges.