Agricultural Survey Statistician (Technical Assistance and Training)

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• 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 person 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

Organizational Setting

The Statistics Division (ESS) develops and advocates for the implementation of methodologies and standards for data collection, validation, processing and analysis of food and agriculture statistics. In these statistical domains, it also plays a vital role in the compilation, processing and dissemination of internationally comparable data, and provides essential capacity building support to member countries. In addition, the Division disseminates many publications, working papers and statistical yearbooks, which cover agricultural and food security relevant statistics (including prices, production, trade and agri-environmental statistical data).
The Survey Team within the Statistics Division is responsible for implementing the 50×2030 Initiative through farm-based modular survey models that operate over a multi-year cycle and include a core annual module on production and periodic rotating thematic modules, while strengthening the statistical capacities of countries through the provision of training and technical assistance. The 50×2030 initiative supports the enhancement of existing statistical data collection systems on agriculture, in view of developing a customized set of integrated and cost-effective agricultural surveys.

Reporting Lines

Consultants and PSA subscribers will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator, the overall supervision of the Survey Team leader and the general oversight of the Director, ESS.

Technical Focus

Consultants and PSA subscribers will act as key resource persons for provision of technical assistance (TA) and training on the topics related to all stages of the agricultural statistics production cycle: survey planning and preparation, development of survey instruments, organisation of data collection, analysis, data processing, preparation of dissemination products, They will support the organization, monitoring and coordination of capacity development activities (technical assistance and training) at the global, regional and country level.

Tasks and responsibilities

Consultants and PSA subscribers will perform and contribute to the following tasks within the ESS Survey Team:

• Support of capacity development activities for the programmes implemented by the team by facilitating in-country training workshops (virtual or in-person) and working with countries on action points and next steps in the following fields:

o Preparation of planning of agricultural surveys.
o Organization of agricultural sample surveys.
o Sample frame and sampling design.
o Development of Computer Assisted Person Interview (CAPI) application using SuSO and/or CSProProcessing and analysis of results using statistical software.
o Computation of indicators based on survey data.
o Preparation of dissemination products for agricultural surveys, including statistical disclosure control for micro-data sharing.

• Assist the coordination and planning of capacity development activities with beneficiary countries.
• Contribute to the preparation of methodological notes.
• Perform other related tasks as needed.
• Undertake duty travel as needed.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, or related fields
• 3 years of relevant experience in: Agricultural statistics/Economics, including organization of farm-based surveys, processing and dissemination of agricultural survey data or implementation of training programs; 2 years of work experience are sufficient with a pertinent PhD.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English or French

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to draft quickly, clearly and concisely and to communicate effectively in English or French.
• Ability to work independently, with minimum supervision
• Extent and length of work experience in national institutions, international organizations, dealing with statistical data production including survey design, data collection organisation, data processing, statistical analysis, report writing and capacity development
• Statistical and GIS programming languages, such as R, GIS software, experience with Google Earth Engine
• Previous work experience with FAO and its partners in the above-mentioned statistical domains and tasks will be considered an asset
• Limited knowledge (level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) would be an asset.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

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
• 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

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