Senior Livestock Expert

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the UN that was established to lead international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's mission is 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. With 195 Members, including 194 countries and the European Union, FAO operates in over 130 countries worldwide. The organization supports the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems, contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework. FAO Country Offices provide policy advice and support to countries, ensuring effective operations and adequate resources while adhering to international standards of accountability. They advocate for policies, provide technical assistance, and catalyze partnerships to support agrifood systems transformation, positioning FAO as the authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture.

Job Overview:
The Senior Livestock Expert position is located in the FAO Country Office in Syria and is responsible for leading and coordinating the livestock team. The expert will provide high-level technical and strategic guidance to improve livestock production, strengthen animal health, and support market-oriented livestock value chains. The role encompasses four main areas of work: technical leadership, design of livestock-related interventions, implementation of these interventions, and providing coordination and strategic/policy support. The expert will work closely with project managers, emergency and resilience managers, technical teams, and field teams to ensure effective delivery of livestock-related programs and interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Livestock Expert will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including leading the development of project proposals and interventions related to livestock, designing interventions across the livestock value chain, and coordinating with gender focal points to ensure interventions align with FAO's policies on gender and youth empowerment. The expert will integrate climate-smart approaches into interventions, provide strategic guidance under the one health approach for strengthening animal health and surveillance systems, and guide animal health interventions including planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Additionally, the expert will promote local feed production and good livestock practices, coordinate with assessment teams to analyze livestock value chains, ensure evidence-based impact documentation, lead the design of technical specifications for interventions, and develop capacity-building programs for farmers and technicians. The expert will also engage with FAO field teams, supervise implementation requirements, contribute to resource mobilization, and support the development of policies and investment strategies in the livestock sector aimed at improving food security and reducing poverty.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a PhD degree in Veterinary Science, livestock production systems, animal health, or a relevant scientific field. A Master's degree may be accepted in combination with an additional 2 years of relevant livestock experience. Furthermore, candidates should have a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in livestock development, including at least 5 years in project design and implementation. A working knowledge of English and Arabic is required, and candidates must be nationals of Syria.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a PhD in Veterinary Science, livestock production systems, animal health, or a related scientific field. Alternatively, a Master's degree in a relevant field may be accepted if combined with additional relevant experience in livestock.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in livestock development, with at least 5 years specifically in project design and implementation. This extensive experience is crucial for the candidate to effectively lead and coordinate livestock-related interventions and provide strategic guidance.

Languages:
Candidates must have a working knowledge of both English and Arabic. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication and collaboration within the FAO and with local stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
FAO does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or processing. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from accredited institutions recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED). The appointment will be subject to certification of medical fitness, accreditation, residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.