Regional Hub Coordinator

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security. Established in 1945, FAO has a mission to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by promoting sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring food security for all. With a workforce of over 12,000 employees, FAO operates in more than 130 countries, working collaboratively with governments, civil society, and the private sector to transform agrifood systems. The organization emphasizes environmental sustainability and innovation in its strategic objectives, aiming to leave no one behind in the quest for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.

Job Overview:
The Regional Hub Coordinator plays a pivotal role in orchestrating the development of regional innovation ecosystems aimed at facilitating agroecological transitions. This position combines project management with ecosystem facilitation, ensuring that the project aligns with both country and regional activities. The incumbent will coordinate Partner Hub Organizations, build networks among various innovation actors, and work closely with national counterparts and stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of the MAINSTREAM project. This project focuses on strengthening capacities for mission-oriented agrifood innovation systems in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, to deploy and scale gender-responsive and transformative innovations for sustainability transitions through agroecology. The Hub Coordinator will be responsible for planning and implementing inception phase activities, developing work plans and budgets, and ensuring quality compliance in innovation policy labs and national roadmap processes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Regional Hub Coordinator include:

• Project Management and Coordination: Plan and implement inception phase activities such as assessments and stakeholder engagement; develop work plans and budgets to ensure timely delivery of milestones; coordinate Partner Hub Organizations through regular meetings and workshops; prepare project documentation and reports for FAO management and donors; support the implementation of monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems; draft terms of reference and manage affiliate personnel and service providers.
• Technical Leadership: Ensure quality and methodological compliance of Innovation Policy Labs; support agricultural innovation system assessments and data collection; co-design and market hub services; oversee the development of regional innovation portfolios; support training programs for innovation facilitators.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships: Build relationships with government, civil society, private sector, and community organizations; organize multi-stakeholder platforms; facilitate engagement with development partners; coordinate with regional and international organizations; organize and participate in project workshops and assessments.
• Knowledge Management and Outreach: Coordinate the development of regional hub guidebooks; support the preparation of outreach materials; contribute to regional content for knowledge platforms; liaise with other coordinators to exchange information and lessons learned.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (at least MSc) from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in fields such as agricultural innovation systems, rural development, agroecology, agricultural economics, development studies, or related social sciences. Those with a bachelor's degree must have two additional years of relevant professional experience. Additionally, candidates should have at least five years of proven experience in project management within an international context, facilitation and coordination of multistakeholder innovation processes, and capacity development and training delivery.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree (MSc or equivalent) in agricultural innovation systems, rural development, agroecology, agricultural economics, development studies, innovation management, agricultural extension/education, or other related social sciences. Candidates with a bachelor's degree must have additional relevant professional experience to qualify.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of proven experience in project management in an international context, including facilitation and coordination of multistakeholder innovation processes. Experience working with regional-level programs or networks, as well as capacity development and training delivery, is essential. Familiarity with agricultural innovation systems and agroecology in sub-Saharan Africa is highly desirable, and experience working with FAO is considered an asset.

Languages:
Full proficiency in both French and English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of regional languages is considered an asset, enhancing communication and engagement with local stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
This position is likely to be full-time and may involve international recruitment. The specific contract duration and seniority level are not mentioned in the job description, but candidates should be prepared for a role that requires significant engagement with various stakeholders and a commitment to the goals of the MAINSTREAM project.