Digital Agriculture Analyst

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.  

In response to the growing demand for seizing the opportunities brought by digital technologies, FAO REU established its specialised team for Digital Agriculture in 2020. With a mission to act as a catalyzer for the digital transformation of agriculture across Europe and Central Asia, the team provides critical capabilities to country offices, technical units, and Members, while leading the implementation of key corporate initiatives, such as the FAO Digital Villages (DVI) and has recently launched its AgriTech Observatory.  

The AgriTech Observatory is the first virtual space to navigate digital agriculture developments in Europe and Central Asia. This knowledge platform serves as a tool to monitor the rapidly evolving landscape of digital agriculture in the region, identify innovative solutions to regional challenges, and scale up best practices. Released in February 2024, it is now moving from pilot to scaleup to expand its database and technology stack.

Reporting Lines

The Digital Agriculture Analyst (AgriTech Observatory) will work under the overall supervision of the Regional Programme Leader and the direct supervision of the Head of Digital Agriculture. 

Technical Focus 

The incumbent(s) will contribute to the implementation of FAO’s Strategic Framework linked mainly to Digital Agriculture (BP5): “Provision of analytical and technical support for conducting research and assessments, studies, formulating strategies, programmes, and supporting projects for the digitalization of food and agriculture and rural areas.”

Specifically, the incumbent will contribute to research and analysis, and the overall management and scaleup of the platform.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Conduct research on digital solutions, policies, projects and other regional initiatives relevant for inclusion in the Observatory following its methodology;
•    Coordinate and technically-supervise the work of internal and external researchers, ensuring alignment with the Observatory’s standards;
•    Review the external submissions and the research work of external and internal contributors, ensuring quality, accuracy, and adherence to the Observatory’s taxonomy;
•    Maintain an update the dataset to ensure that all content in the platform is up-to-date and accurate, as well as data integrity and usability, and continuously enhance the taxonomy and its definitions to reflect the latest developments in digital agriculture;
•    Regularly monitor and analyse trends and development in digital agriculture regionally and globally to capture them in the platform;
•    Oversee the platform’s daily operations to ensure timely achievement of targets;
•    Collaborate proactively with the FAO IT Division to improve the platform’s functionalities and user experiences, as well as in support of research operations; collect user feedback continuously to improve the platform’s relevance;
•    Liaise with partners and represent the AgriTech Observatory in meetings, workshops, conferences, and other relevant events to promote and disseminate the platform’s insights;
•    Develop knowledge products (e.g. monthly reports, infographics, case studies, policy briefs, etc.) and outreach material to promote the Observatory and disseminate its knowledge;
•    Facilitate resource mobilization by writing concept notes and project proposals, by cultivating relationships with donors and by maintaining and establishing partnerships with academic institutions and other sector leaders;
•    Any other relevant duties relevant for the assignment.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in Agricultural Science, Economics, Environmental Science, Data Science, Computer Science, or a related field.
•    At least 2 years of relevant experience in digital agriculture, agriculture projects, research, data analysis, or related fields.
•    Working knowledge ( Level C) of English. 

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Extent and relevance of experience in digital agriculture and agriculture projects. 
•    Extent and relevance of experience in research and data analysis. Experience with databases and data visualisation tools is desirable. 
•    Familiarity with emerging technologies in digital agriculture, such as precision agriculture, remote sensing, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, etc.
•    Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced skills in Excel for data management and analysis, Word for research and writing. Experience with Power Automate and Sharepoint Workflows is a strong asset.

 
Selection Criteria

•    Working knowledge of Russian is a very strong 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