Senior Animal Health Officer

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• 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.

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

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

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 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's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) promotes and facilitates the sustainable development of the livestock sector, integrating scientific and technical expertise and policy advice. It hosts technical networks in areas of animal health, genetics, feed and animal husbandry and provides analysis, policy dialogue (including intergovernmental bodies) and technical assistance to countries. It also supports emergency responses, mostly in animal health. The One Health and Disease Control Branch (NSAH-CJW) under the NSA Division leads and coordinates the prevention and control of endemic and emerging transboundary animal diseases and health threats that emerge at the animal-human-plant-environment interface including zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

FAO supports Members in building and implementing effective collaborative One Health strategies and capacities, simultaneously addressing the health of people, animals, plants and the environment. One Health for agrifood systems transformation is a key Priority Programme Area, and part of FAO's Strategic Framework (2022-2031). The One Health and AMR Cluster coordinates and implements work across different FAO divisions to mainstream One Health and AMR in FAO activities, integrating scientific and technical expertise and policy advice. Externally, this cluster streamlines FAO collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) as the Quadripartite to address health threats at the human-animal-plant-environment interface and to promote health and sustainable development.

The position is located in the One Health and Disease Control Branch, One Health Coordination and AMR Cluster (NSAH-CJW), in the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Animal Health Officer (Antimicrobial and One Health Coordination) reports to the Chief, One Health and Disease Control Branch (NSAH/CJW), within the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA).

Technical Focus

The technical focus is on One Health in Agrifood Systems Framework in animal health and production systems, including herd and flock health, disease prevention, biosecurity and hygiene, responsible antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mitigation. Areas of work include production diseases, endemic and epidemic diseases of public health and socio-economic importance, epidemiology and surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) surveillance, risk management, value chain approaches, and strategic interventions to strengthen animal health, One Health and sustainable livestock development. The position promotes multisectoral collaboration and partnerships to advance disease prevention, control and AMR mitigation in agrifood systems supporting implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action, the Global Action Plan on AMR, the FAO Resolution on AMR, and the UNGA Political Declaration on AMR.

Key Results

Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of divisional/cross-divisional programmes of work, projects, products, services in accordance with One Health domain of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Plans, manages, or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams, leads, coordinates, and/or participates in Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams, and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.

• Analyses global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input 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, on-line 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 Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions

• Leads and coordinates FAO's AMR and One Health work in agrifood systems, ensuring alignment across divisions, Decentralized Offices and corporate priorities, while promoting innovation and scaling effective approaches to strengthen country implementation of National Action Plans on AMR and National One Health Implementation.

• Leads and coordinates FAO's One Health Technical Working Group with relevant divisions, centres and offices across the Organization.

• Leads corporate planning, programme development, monitoring and reporting on One Health and AMR, including strategic advice to governing bodies and senior management.

• Oversees the quality and continuous improvement of technical, policy and programmatic products (guidance, reports, knowledge and advocacy materials, project documents, investment proposals and monitoring frameworks).

• Coordinates FAO's engagement in Quadripartite One Health and AMR mechanisms, ensuring alignment with FAO's Strategic Framework and strong integration of agrifood priorities including implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action and the Global Leaders Group recommendations, as appropriate.

• Leads the development and implementation of FAO corporate strategies and programmes on One Health and AMR, including the AMR roadmap and One Health in Agrifood Systems framework.

• Provides oversight of flagship initiatives (e.g. RENOFARM, InFARM) and their integration into country support, surveillance, capacity development and policy dialogue including strengthening national AMR and AMU surveillance systems and promoting evidence-based decision-making.

• Provides technical and policy advice to Members and Decentralized Offices on strategies, national action plans and programme implementation.

• Leads resource mobilization and partnerships, including donor engagement, proposal development and investment cases supporting sustainable financing for One Health and AMR programmes at global, regional and country levels.</