Organizational Setting

The Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) coordinates FAO’s work on three objectives: poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods for the poor and small producers, advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in agrifood systems, and ensuring climate justice for marginalized and vulnerable rural people. Technical areas of focus include social protection, decent rural employment, integrated approaches to gender equality, the right to food and rights-based approaches, rural institutions and collective action, land tenure, and rural finance. The division works in coordination with other offices and divisions to support the cross-cutting themes of gender, youth and inclusion.

Reporting Lines

The Resource Mobilization Specialist will be under the overall supervision of the Deputy Director of ESP, and the direct supervision of another senior member of ESP staff.

Technical Focus 

The Resource Mobilization Specialist will expand and strengthen relationships with a portfolio of existing and new resource partners supporting FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP). This area of work covers strategic partnership, relationship management, resource mobilization, new business development, and partner intelligence for ESP’s three objectives named above.

Tasks and responsibilities

The responsibilities will include one or more of the following tasks, according to the thematic area(s) of focus and level of the consultant:

–    Alongside ESP Management and technical officers, proactively engage with resource partners, build relationships and generate new funding opportunities.
–    Identify potential new resource partners for the ESP funding priorities, including those from philanthropy, the private sector, and consortia as feasible; gather business intelligence; support relationship building with resource partners.
–    Develop partner-specific approaches; solicit and lead preparation of funding proposals in line with delivery of ESP objectives, while engaging with relevant technical units and decentralized offices, in particular their resource mobilization focal points.
–    Identify key country and / or regional initiatives that coincide with ESP objectives and pursue joint resource mobilization efforts with FAO decentralized offices.
–    Be knowledgeable of resource partners’ rules and regulations, strategic and regional/country priorities, funding streams, visibility and reporting requirements and advise ESP on donor requirements for project formulation and implementation. Provide donor-specific guidance throughout the project cycle, including on non-standard financial reporting, where required.
–    Track resource mobilization opportunities for the division as a whole in order to increase transparency and synergies.
–    Systematically monitor, identify and highlight relevant calls for proposal and support the application process.
–    Contribute to and lead the strategy around partnership under selected ESP initiatives, for example, the Commit to Grow Equality initiative or future initiatives, and follow up with existing and potential partners.
–    Identify and articulate the added value of private sector (including philanthropic) engagement with ESP; research and prioritize a pipeline of qualified target companies; support outreach to companies and coordinate communication.
–    Design and deliver outreach and advocacy material, and shape presentations and speaking points in support of key outreach and advocacy opportunities and resource partner engagements, in close collaboration colleagues working on communications.
–    Participate in external working groups, roundtables and sector events as needed.
–    Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING:

Minimum Requirements

–    Advanced university degree in rural development, economics, political or social sciences, gender, agriculture or other related field.
–    At least 10 years of experience for A-level and 5 years for B-level in resource mobilization, programme management, strategic partnerships, communication and advocacy; solid understanding of the rural development context.
–    Working knowledge (level C) of English; limited knowledge (level B) of one of the other FAO languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian) is an asset.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

–    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in developing country settings, is desirable.
–    Successful track record of resource mobilization, proposal writing, and strategic partnership portfolio development.
–    Demonstrable experience on resource partner relationship management and donor intelligence.
–    Experience working with the private sector, multilateral development banks and/or civil society organizations.
–    Experience in working in multidisciplinary and multi-cultural team.
–    Demonstrable experience on team coordination and/or management is desirable.