Senior Fishery Officer

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 Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) 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 centres, offices, and divisions at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities. RAP also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. 

RAP supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region. RAP also develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including United Nations (UN) agencies and regional organizations, economic integration bodies and civil society organizations (CSOs) with programmes relevant to fishery and aquaculture development.

The post is located in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Module of RAP in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Senior Fishery Officer (Fishery and Aquaculture) reports to the Regional Programme Leader (RPL) and receives technical guidance from the Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI) at FAO headquarters, under overall guidance of the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative (ADG/RR) for Asia and the Pacific,

Responsible fishery and aquaculture management and development in support of FAO’s programme of work on Blue Transformation in Asia and the Pacific Region. The incumbent contributes to strengthening partnership and knowledge networks within and outside the Organization, particularly support regional and country-level actions across the technical areas of fisheries and aquaculture policy and management, fisheries sector governance, trade, small-scale fisheries development, aquaculture development and the monitoring of sub-sector status and trends. The incumbent will also act as Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) and manage its Secretariat

• Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of regional programmes of work, projects, products and services in accordance with regional objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework and in alignment with the Organization’s Gender Policy.
• Plans, manages, or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams, leads, coordinates and/or participates in regional committees, project teams and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services in technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies;
• Analyses global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical inputs into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies;
• Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence-based strategies, and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks;
• Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services;
• Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes;
• Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning, online tools;
• Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and, develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders;
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions:

• Contributes to the regional dimensions of FAO Programme of work on Blue Transformation;
• Monitors the fishery and aquaculture situation in countries and groups of countries in the region, and analyse their technical assistance needs, identifying major problems of fisheries and aquaculture in marine and inland waters, including issues of a social and economic nature at national and regional levels;
• Plans and implements programmes for the development and management of fisheries and aquaculture in the region, in close cooperation with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI), the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and in liaison with the FAO Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP);
• Leads field programme missions, including sector review missions, to identify and formulate field projects and programmes which are consistent with the Country Programming Framework (CPF);
• Identifies possible sources of extra-budgetary funding for fishery and aquaculture projects;
• Analyses, assesses and disseminates information and policy advice concerning the technical, social and economic aspects of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development in the region;
• • Collaborates with and supports regional fishery bodies and regional networks, international partners and institutions concerned with fisheries and aquaculture to deliver coordinated information, sound policy advice and comprehensive strategies to strengthen and harmonize fisheries management and aquaculture development in the region;
• Participates in the sessions of the FAO Committee on Fisheries;
• Acts as Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) and manages the APFIC Secretariat.

Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following

Minimum Requirement:

• •  Advanced university degree in fisheries or aquaculture with specialization in fisheries or aquaculture policy, management and/or governance and other related fields in natural resource management or environment may be considered.
• Ten years of relevant experience in fishery or aquaculture development, fisheries sector policy and governance, trade or other relevant related fields.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of one of the other official FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Technical/Functional Skills:

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, with emphasis on the Asian region, particularly in field positions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in providing technical assistance in fisheries and aquaculture including related areas which may include sustainable management, capacity building, fisheries policy, economics or trade, post-harvest processing.
• Demonstrated results-based management capabilities with an ability to manage programmes, budgets and human resources efficiently under shifting priorities and to deliver against deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources and plan and implement development programmes related to fisheries and aquaculture.
• Experience of international and inter-governmental processes for dialogue and setting of norms, including UN, Regional Commissions or Intergovernmental bodies.
• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing international workshops, meetings and training courses.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely; to write and present technical material for science to policy communication.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2401970