Innovation Specialist

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework 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. 

The Office of Innovation (OIN) is an important instrument within FAO to provide strategic direction and help drive and coordinate innovation across the work of the Organization, i.e., to consolidate and strengthen FAO’s innovative spirit, including innovation of approaches and cooperation models. OIN supports the Programme Priority Areas, ensuring that FAO mainstreams innovation in its programmes, facilitates cross-collaboration between the various FAO units and aids in forging and reinforcing transformative partnerships. 

In this context, OIN’s Agrifood Systems Technologies and Innovations Outlook (ATIO) Unit is responsible for leading the ATIO initiative and carrying out foresight and horizon scanning studies to identify and support pathways for the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems while the OIN’s Digital Agriculture Unit  is responsible for the Science Technology and Innovation (STI) portal, that brings together the ATIO Knowledge Base and the STI network and information & learning resources.

 ATIO is a high-profile initiative, consisting of two outlets: 1) a biennial ATIO report, the first edition of which will be published in October 2025, providing a snapshot of current and emerging trends in agrifood science, technology and innovation (STI); and, 2) the complementary ATIO Knowledge Base (KB) as a part of the STI portal that will act as a dynamic, open—access data and indicator series and a catalogue of technologies and innovations, continuously scanning and structuring agrifood innovations, in particular those most relevant for small- and medium-scale producers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).  

The overall rationale for the development of the STI Portal is the implementation of the FAO Science and Innovation Strategy, especially providing “enhanced access to, and use of inclusive, affordable, and context-specific innovations and technologies aiming at achieving sustainable agrifood systems by small-scale producers, family farmers, and other agrifood systems actors”. The STI Portal synergizes with the FAO Global Innovation Model.

The incumbent will provide support to the ATIO initiative as well as the STI portal by providing technical, administrative and coordination support

Reporting Lines:

The Innovation Specialist (Agrifood Systems, Science, Technologies and Innovations) reports to the Technical or Senior Innovation Officer. 

Technical Focus:

• The technical focus of the Agrifood Technologies and Innovations Specialist role is to provide support for the development, coordination, and dissemination of the Agrifood Systems Technologies and Innovations Outlook (ATIO) initiative, including its biennial report and ATIO Knowledge Base (KB) as a part of the STI portal and related work.
• The role involves contributing technical expertise (including data and information analysis and management) to the equitable development and uptake of innovations and technologies in agrifood systems. Additionally, the incumbent will play a role in contributing to OIN’s work areas on horizon scanning and portfolio sense making, digital innovation and management.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Support the conceptualization and coordination of the development of the high-profile ATIO reports and related publications, such as briefs and background studies, ensuring high quality standards are met.
• Provide overall support to the ATIO initiative, including developing, implementing and monitoring formal partnerships and contracts with service providers, ensuring timely and efficient delivery of services.
• Contribute to the review and publication process of ATIO and related technical papers/background studies.
• Contribute to communications products, events and activities to promote the ATIO initiative in close collaboration with the OIN communications team, such as the ATIO seminar series, presentations at external events and preparation of other OIN events and activities, such as at the annual Science and Innovation Forum, among others.
• Support partner mobilization activities to engage networks of research institutes, universities, producers’ organizations and private sector actors and other relevant partners in support of the ATIO initiative.
• Support the ATIO team in coordinating the activities and meetings of the ATIO Technical Advisory Committee.
• Assist the ATIO team in designing and organizing innovative modalities of scientific content development (e.g., write-shops) and knowledge management activities that will be deployed to generate background analysis for, and sections of, the ATIO reports and related products.
• Support the development of the ATIO Knowledge Base (KB) by ensuring that user cases are well defined, and that partners and knowledge contributors are properly integrated through sound operational mechanisms and governance arrangements.
• Support ATIO Knowledge Base (KB) – prototyping, data curation, validation, and publication of the technologies and innovations, and development of knowledge management system.
• Support developing ATIO innovation catalogues using the KB.
• Support and coordinate dialogues with leading research centers, seeking appropriate interlocutors for producing examples/cases of best-bet innovations and related processes, building partnership structures around these efforts.
• Assist in establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships with international organizations, development agencies, private sector actors, and civil society organizations to leverage resources and enhance the visibility and impact of the ATIO initiative.
• Support in designing and implementing resource mobilization strategies and plans to attract both financial and in-kind support, ensuring alignment with the ATIO initiative’s objectives and priorities.
• Support in portfolio analysis and management of internal and external projects and programmes.
• Help identifying AI-based data and information management tools and approaches for ATIO and portfolio management.
• Support the engagement with stakeholders through the Community of Practice (CoP) of the STI portal.
• Support the organization of webinars, documentation or workshops related to the STI portal.
• Support the curation of technologies and innovation in the STI portal
• Perform other duties as required.

Minimum Requirements:

• Advanced university degree in Data and Information Management, Evaluation and Learning, International Development, Agriculture and/or Food Economics, Political Science, Innovation Systems, or related studies. A university degree combined with 2 years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced university degree. 
• At least 1 year (Category C) or 5 years (Category B) of relevant professional working experience in international development, agrifood research, think tanks or other public or private organizations engaged in agrifood technology and innovation, digital innovation, and/or knowledge management in the agrifood sector or other related fields.
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2500695