Innovation Hub Coordinator for Western Africa

Job Title

Innovation Hub Coordinator for Western Africa

Company/Organisation

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Location

Dakar, Senegal

Job Description and Responsibilities

The Innovation Hub Coordinator for Western Africa will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative or Assistant FAO Representative for Programmes, the direct technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer and the direct technical and operational day-to-day guidance of the Project Coordinator (PC) at Lead technical Unit (LTU) in the Office of Innovation (OIN) at FAO in Rome, and in close collaboration with the National Project Coordinator (NPC) at the Ministry of Agriculture, and project staff in OIN (project implementation unit) and the country and in other implementing countries of the project.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Project Management and Coordination
  • Plan and implement Inception Phase activities (assessments, launching events, stakeholder engagement)
  • Develop work plans and budgets (under the supervision of the Budget Holder) ensuring timely delivery of milestones
  • Coordinate Partner Hub Organizations through regular meetings and annual workshops
  • Prepare project documentation and reports for FAO management and donors
  • Support Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system implementation
  • Draft Terms of Reference and manage affiliate personnel and service providers.
• Technical Leadership
  • Ensure quality and methodological compliance of Innovation Policy Labs and national roadmap processes
  • Support agricultural innovation system (AIS) for agroecology transition assessments, and data collection in Senegal
  • Co-design and market the four hub services (ENVISION, EMPOWER, UNLOCK, ACCELERATE)
  • Oversee development of regional innovation portfolios for agroecological transitions
  • Support training programs for innovation facilitators and the Community of Practice
• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
  • Build relationships with government, civil society, private sector, and community organizations
  • Organize multi-stakeholder platforms and Policy Innovation Challenges
  • Facilitate engagement with EU Delegations, DeSIRA+ implementers, and development partners
  • Coordinate with regional continental and international organizations (ex: ECOWAS, ARAA, CORAF, CGIAR, AFSA, CNCR, FARA, RUFORUM)
  • Organize and participate in project workshops, assessments, and roadmap discussions in Senegal.
• Knowledge Management and Outreach
  • Coordinate the technical development of regional hub guidebooks, documenting services and lessons learned
  • Support the preparation of outreach materials and knowledge products with technical inputs (news briefs, policy briefs, publications)
  • Contribute to regional content for the TAPipedia platform and AIS country Dashboard
  • Liaise with other subregional coordinators to exchange information and lessons learned

Requirements/Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO (at least MSc) in agricultural innovation systems, rural development, agroecology, agricultural economics, development studies, innovation management, agricultural extension/education, other related social sciences; Consultants with a bachelor's degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
• At least five years of proven experience in: project management in international context; facilitation and coordination of multistakeholder innovation processes including interacting with policy- and decision makers at various levels; Working with regional-level programs or networks; Capacity development and training delivery.
• Full proficiency of French and English is mandatory

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical Skills

• Innovation scaling approaches and ecosystem-based strategies
• Agroecological transitions or sustainable agriculture
• Policy engagement and institutional development
• Participatory co-creation methodologies
• Partnership building, facilitation and stakeholder management
• Knowledge brokerage and networking
• Experience with monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) systems
• Demonstrated experience working in sub-Saharan Africa
• Familiarity with and knowledge of agricultural innovation systems and agroecology in the sub-region
• Experience working with FAO is an asset
• Knowledge of regional languages is considered an asset

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