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 is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.
The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.
Specifically, FAO Country Offices:
(i)    advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate;
(ii)    provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
(iii)    assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
(iv)    position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and
(v)    ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.
The position is located in the FAO Country Office in Jordan.

Reporting Lines

The Socio-Economist works under the overall supervision of the FAOR and AFAOR, the technical leadership of the Lead Technical Officer (Agricultural Economist, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, ESF), and technical guidance and supervision of the International Consultant on Agrifood Systems.

Technical Focus

FAO, with UNIDO, is implementing the Joint SDG Fund-funded Joint Programme (JP) on “Transforming Jordan’s agri-food system towards greater sustainability and resilience”. The Join Programme (JP) aims to support Jordan in improving its agri-food systems, aligning them with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enhancing food security, gender equality, and social inclusion. Using the FAO-UNIDO Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA) methodology, the JP will run from September 2024 to 31 August 2025 and work with the government and local stakeholders through four main outputs:
•    assess and evaluate Jordan’s National Food Security Strategy (NFSS) and Action Plans, identifying opportunities for system upgrades;
•    develop strategies for three key entry points. These strategies will need to specifically focus on: (i) integrating refugees into agrifood systems by leveraging their skills in agriculture and food production; (ii) empowering women and youth through vocational training, entrepreneurship, leadership opportunities, and inclusion in food security decision-making; (iii) optimizing value chains and market systems to support smallholder producers and SMEs, enhancing domestic agri-food production and value addition, and (iv) addressing climate change by promoting water-preserving and FLW-reducing technologies along the value chain. FAO will be responsible for two of the entry point strategies, while UNIDO will handle the other.
•    Support the establishment of a national Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) system to track sustainability and impact; and
•    ensure joint management, communication, and reporting with a focus on gender equality and inclusiveness. Capacity-building efforts will also equip key actors with the skills to integrate food systems approaches into national policies.

Tasks and responsibilities 

The Socio-economic Expert will contribute to JP deliverables under Output 1 and Output 2. The expert’s specific tasks are:

JP Output 1
•    Evaluate the implementation of Jordan’s National Food Security Strategy (NFSS) 2021-2030 and Action Plan 2022-2024 and conduct a thorough socio-economic review of the Action Plan’s implementation. This involves analyzing how effectively Action Plan programs and projects are targeting the integration of refugees into agrifood systems, empowering women and youth, and optimizing value chains and market systems to support smallholder producers and SMEs to enhance domestic agri-food production and value addition
•    Assess the effectiveness of the 2022-2024 Action Plan, including its programs, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, coordination mechanisms, budget allocations, and performance and impact indicators in terms of addressing the needs of refugees, women, and youth, and optimizing value chains and market systems to support smallholder producers and SMEs, with the aim of enhancing domestic agri-food production and value addition.
•    From a socio-economic perspective, identify at least three entry points for enhancing the agri-food system for the current and future FS Action Plans (2025-2027) by focusing on: Value chains (how agri-products move from production to consumption); Market systems (how market dynamics function, such as price formation and access); Business models (ways to make agribusinesses more sustainable and inclusive). This requires a deep understanding of socio-economic drivers within the agri-food system and how they impact various actors, from producers to consumers.
•    Perform thorough primary data collection, corroborate with secondary sources, conduct analyses, and provide written contributions to the Jordan NFSS and AP assessment report in cooperation with the project team.
•    Contribute to training and capacity-building efforts targeting key food systems actors and government officials.
•    Integrate food systems approaches inclusive of women, youth, and refugee communities into the formulation, implementation, and monitoring processes of the current and future FS Action Plan.
•    Facilitate training modules, workshops, and experience-sharing platforms such as roundtables. These sessions will focus on: System-based solutions: looking at how the different parts of the food system can be integrated; Impact analysis: measuring the socio-economic impact of policies and strategies; Partnership strategies: how to engage effectively with stakeholders; Accountability: ensuring transparency and responsibility in action plan implementation.

JP Output 2

•    Facilitate gender-balanced multi-stakeholder working groups to collaborate on analyzing and developing upgrading strategies for two of the three identified entry points: value chain, market system, and business model.
•    Collection of primary and secondary data for the analysis and design of upgrading strategies for two of the entry points.
•    Contribute to drafting the analysis and upgrading strategy designs, including action plans, investment plans, and financing solutions’ reports.
•    Support the organization of launch events and multi-stakeholder workshops to present preliminary results of entry-point analyses and validate strategies, enhanced business models, and investment and action plans.
•    Contribute to the preparation of two project proposals to be submitted to the SDG Fund and/or other donors and financial institutions, to support the Government of Jordan in executing the strategies.
•    Contribute to training sessions on the Sustainable Food Value Chain (SFVC) or Market Systems Development (MSD) approaches for national incumbents (ToT) and facilitate stakeholder training to raise awareness of food system solutions as needed through project consultations.
•    Support FAOJO in coordinating activities in countries participating in the initiative, as needed.
•    Undertake field missions to collect primary data and conduct focal group discussions, as required.
•    Support the development of promotional materials for SDG-funded projects.
•    Ensure alignment and harmonization of activities in accordance with the JP
•    Perform other relevant tasks as needed.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements 

•    Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Sociology, Rural Development, or a related field. Specialized training or certifications in food security, climate-smart agriculture, or value chain optimization and market systems development would be a plus.
•    Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience in socio-economic assessments, policy analysis, and strategy development, particularly within food security and food systems, or rural development sectors
•    Working knowledge of Arabic and limited knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Knowledge of agrifood systems, value chains, and market systems, especially within the Jordanian context. Familiarity with smallholder agriculture and SMEs in Jordan, including the challenges and opportunities they face.
•    Understanding of the legal and social frameworks affecting refugee employment and inclusion in agriculture. Ability to design refugee-inclusive agribusiness models and leverage refugees’ skills to promote their participation in food production systems.
•    Strong analytical skills to assess and evaluate national policies, particularly food security strategies and action plans, and ability to identify gaps and opportunities in policy frameworks and suggest improvements based on evidence-based research.
•    Strong skills for the empowerment of women and youth in rural or agricultural settings. Knowledge of vocational training, entrepreneurship development, and leadership-building for marginalized groups.
•    Familiarity with climate change adaptation strategies within agrifood systems an asset, including water-preserving technologies, sustainable agriculture practices, food loss and waste reduction, and renewable energy use in agribusinesses.
•    Ability to work with national governments, local authorities, international organizations (FAO, UNIDO), and civil society to ensure multi-stakeholder engagement.
•    Proven experience working, particularly in Jordan, with smallholder farmers, agribusiness SMEs, and local communities, refugees, women and youth in rural or agricultural settings, agrifood system integration
•    Prior experience in developing national or regional-level strategies and investment and actions plans related to agrifood systems, food security, and rural development in Jordan targeting refugee, gender equality, youth inclusion
•    Other Requirements: Strong project management skills, with experience in handling multi-stakeholder projects; Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams, combining socio-economic insights with technical agricultural knowledge; Capacity to work independently and meet deadlines in a complex policy environment; Excellent communication skills to present policy recommendations and build partnerships; Previous collaboration with international organizations like FAO or UNIDO is highly desirable.