Organizational Setting

The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub (hereafter the Hub) supports countries implementing food system transformation pathways that have been developed in the occasion of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. FAO hosts the Hub in Rome on behalf of the UN system. As per the Hub’s approved programme of work for 2024-2026 “the strategic work, decision-making, and engagement of the Hub continues to be steered by an Oversight Steering Group comprising the Principals of FAO, WFP, IFAD, UN-DCO WHO and UNDP, with participation from the UN DSG.”
The Hub has a coordinating and connector role, drawing on the capacities of the UN system and leveraging the advice and expertise of the wider ecosystem of support, serving countries by incentivizing existing institutions to deliver on their mandates systemically. In this context, the Hub covers work under five coordination clusters as follows:
•    Landing the Vision of Food Systems Transformation (Overarching Cluster) | Policy and Governance Cluster | Science and Knowledge Cluster | Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration Cluster | Finance and Investment Cluster
The overall objective under the Finance and Investment Cluster is to support countries most in need to move the needle on the level and quality of financing for food systems transformation by: (i) leveraging three sources of financing in a complementary manner, namely domestic public spending, private investments, and concessional financing; and (ii) enabling country access to quality and timely financing analytics and budgeting tools for impactful financing decisions. Support is focused on the countries of the Global South, where, in the context of multiple crises, tight fiscal conditions, increasing interest rates, and gloomy global growth prospects are the most challenged in financing food systems transformation. The Food System Finance and Investment Specialist is expected to play a leading role in leveraging the ecosystem support to scale and scope financial flows to food systems. The Specialist will provide conduct analysis and research of complex and/or innovative strategies, structures and scenarios for pre-emptive input, direction, and advice, and to ensure consistency in the interpretation and application of data and tools related to financial flows of food systems. He/She will also provide expert guidance to inform decision-makers and stakeholders with robust data and evidence-based to accelerate transformation of financing to food systems.

Reporting Lines

The Food System Finance and Investment Specialist will report to the Hub Responsible Officer.

Technical Focus 

The consultant will support the work of the UN Food System Coordination Hub in collaboration with IFAD and the World Bank to support food systems transformation by keeping track of financial flows and providing evidence-based and data-driven to decision makers and stakeholders to improve the scale and scope of decisions for transformative financing to food systems.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Conduct comprehensive research and advanced technical analysis on financial flows for food systems transformation.
•    Perform mapping and scoping of financial flows to food systems including utilization of the 3FS model of IFAD/WB and translate such   information into food systems financial dashboards or/and relevant data and knowledge repository platforms.
•    Undertake analytical work on leveraging financial flows for food systems transformation.
•    Provide support and assistance in managing and coordinating partnerships of the Hub in the areas of financing and investment of food systems.
•    Formulate and deliver analysis supporting the understanding and presentation towards financial institutions and policy makers of complex food systems financing and investment agenda issues.
•    Prepare and contribute to the designing, maintaining, and updating all relevant materials to be used for strategic engagements, events, webinars, web content, impact story and messaging products on financing and investment of food systems transformation.
•    Prepare relevant food systems financing policy briefs, thought papers and other knowledge management materials.
•    Support the overall delivery mandate of the UN Food Systems Coordination HUB

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in Economics, Finance, Agricultural or Environmental Economics or any other closely directly related field.
•    At least five years of relevant experience for Category B and 10 years for Category A in development finance and investments in the agrifood systems sectors, including at least three years of experience in financial institutions (e.g. IFIs, multilateral investment banks, etc.) or/and in a relevant unit of FAO, WFP, IFAD, UN-DCO WHO, UNDP or other organization of the United Nations.
•    Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Extend and relevance of experience in review of financial flows supporting the implementation of the SDGs.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in financial and investment analysis relevant to food systems transformation at national, regional and/or global levels.
•    Extent and relevance of knowledge of main data sources for financial and investment analysis relevant to food systems transformation
•    Extend and relevance of experience on data compilation, validation, visualisation, and presentation

Selection Criteria

•    PhD in in Economics, Finance, Agricultural or Environmental Economics or any other closely directly related field is an advantage.
•    Limited knowledge of another official language of the Organization (Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian) is an asset.