Deputy Director-General

• 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 persons 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
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO has established the Core Leadership composed by three Deputy Directors-General (DDGs), Director of Cabinet, Chief Economist and Chief Scientist with an Organigramme and a modular management structure that avoid silos and promote working jointly at all managerial levels in a cross-sectoral and global manner for a more efficient and effective Organization.

The organizational structure is designed to create cooperation, both within FAO and by building up its comparative advantages to work with other organizations outside of FAO. Heads of Unit (Divisions, Offices and Centres) are accountable, and each Head reports directly to either a Deputy Director-General (DDG), the Director of Cabinet, the Chief Economist, or the Chief Scientist.

The Core Leadership members function as a unified leadership team working jointly in a cross-sectoral and global manner, supporting the Director-General in all areas of the Organization’s mandate. Each Deputy Director-General (DDG) and Chief is accountable for overseeing specific units (reporting line A). In addition, each has defined alternate oversight responsibility for a number of units for which they are not the lead but provide support and replace when needed the primary person of the leadership team responsible, including when the primary person is out-of-office (reporting line B). The Director-General establishes the specific reporting line of each Head of Unit to a Deputy Director-General (DDG), Chief Economist or Chief Scientist, taking into consideration the background, skills and knowledge of the individuals in the leadership team. In addition to these specific responsibilities within the proposed organizational structure, each member of the Core Leadership has responsibility for specific transversal areas that require overall corporate leadership.

Reporting Lines

The Deputy Director-General (DDG) leads designated administrative coordination, programmatic and/or technical units and reports to the Director-General.

Summary of Duties and Functions

Within the framework of FAO’s mandate and its Strategic Framework 2022-31, the Deputy Director-General, working in close collaboration and complementarity with other Core Leadership members, provides strategic direction and oversight over relevant administrative coordination, programmatic and/or technical units of the Organization, with a view to ensuring the required environment for delivering the Organization’s core functions and organizational results and effectively supporting the delivery of the “four betters”.

He/she leads FAO’s work on external partnerships and also provides strategic direction and oversight over designated programmatic and/or technical units for which he/she is given A and B supervisory role. In particular, the Deputy Director-General (DDG) will:

• Advise the Director-General on the delivery of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, core functions and organizational results under his/her area of responsibility;
• Ensure that FAO technical divisions effectively respond to the priority needs of FAO Members, in line with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31;
• Promote and oversee FAO’s operational response to the different regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development;
• Promote close interactions with global entities in agricultural research for development;
• Advocate FAO’s policy position and communicate its messages with respect to the areas under his/her mandate;
• Advocate the dissemination and application of information and knowledge, technology transfer and capacity building;
• Lead FAO’s work on partnerships with United Nations (UN) entities, civil society organizations, private sector and other non-state actors;
• Act as chairperson of committees and boards placed under his/her direct responsibility;
• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Post graduate qualifications or equivalent experience in a field related to the work of the Organization;
• Demonstrated professional competence and management/strategic leadership of a high order;
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish);
• Ability to lead and work effectively with a diverse team of people of different national and cultural backgrounds in an international setting.

Leadership Competencies
Results focus: Takes accountability for the delivery of agreed results in service of FAO’s strategic framework – Leading, engaging and empowering others: Coordinates, directs, facilitates and recognizes team efforts; creates an enabling environment and assists others to realize and develop their potential – Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication – Partnering and Advocating: Promotes ideas and develops partnerships to advance the Organization’s work – Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement: Continually seeks to improve the knowledge, skills and work processes of oneself and others – Strategic thinking: Makes informed and coherent decisions aligned with broader goals and strategies.