Job Vacancy at FAO: Fishery and Aquaculture Officer

Organizational Setting and Context

FAO’s Sub-regional Office for North Africa (SNE) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing sub-regional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with sub-region wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Sub-regional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE).

Reporting Lines

The Fishery and Aquaculture Officer reports to the Subregional Coordinator, SNE and works in close collaboration with Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI) in FAO headquarters and with the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer in the Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE) 

Technical Focus

The core focus of this role is Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture within the North Africa subregion.

Key Results

Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of regional programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with regional objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Plans and leads components of multi-disciplinary teams, leads and/or participates in internals committees, project teams and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services.
• Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications, and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/ specialist advice and expertise.
• Responds to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials and on-line tools.
• Promotes international cooperation/advocates best practices, supports increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions

• Monitors fisheries and aquaculture status and trends in countries and groups of countries in the subregion; studies and analyses their technical assistance needs identifying major problems of fisheries and aquaculture within marine and inland waters.
• Provides policy and strategic advice on the main fisheries and aquaculture sector challenges in the subregion, more particularly regarding the prevalence of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fisheries; the low domestic capture share from the countries Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); the unsustainable capture fisheries in inland water bodies, and the inadequate incentives and capacity for aquaculture development.
• Provides technical advice to policies and national strategies produced by SNE Member countries aiming at the creation of employment particularly for youth and women; reducing impact of fisheries and aquaculture on natural resources; and promoting best management practices for food safety and human health.
• Participates in missions relating to identification, formulation and implementation of programmes and projects.
• Liaises with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI) in identifying, planning and implementing programmes for the development and management of fisheries and aquaculture in the subregion.
• Coordinates FAO’s activities with those of other international organizations, institutions and private entities concerned with fisheries and aquaculture in the subregion.
• Collaborates with Regional Fishery Bodies in the region, their subsidiary bodies and regional networks concerned    with fisheries and aquaculture in the subregion, giving advice to their Secretariats on subregional issues of     relevance to inland and marine fisheries and aquaculture.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in fisheries and/or aquaculture and/or aquatic sciences, development, governance or economics, or related fields with appropriate specialization in fisheries or aquaculture.
• Seven years of relevant experience in building institutional capacities and developing and implementing national fishery policies and programmes on capture fisheries, including small-scale fisheries (inland and marine), aquaculture (freshwater and marine), fish processing and marketing.
• Working knowledge (proficiency – level C) of French and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of English

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 field positions and especially in developing countries.
• Extent and relevance of experience or knowledge of sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture sustainability and Development.
• Extent and relevance of experience in policy development, governance systems, relevant public or private sector experience.
• Extent and relevance of experience in building institutional capacities and organizational strengthening within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the Near East and North African region.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of fisheries and aquaculture development and management, and/or fish utilization, safety and quality of aquatic products at national and international level.
• Extent and relevance of experience in different countries and regions, especially in developing countries and countries in transition.
• Ability to organize and coordinate meetings and training activities and to work successfully in multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources and to deliver against deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (including ability to write concise reports).
• Ability to mobilize resources.
• Working knowledge (proficiency –level C) of English is desirable.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted EXCLUSIVELY through the official FAO recruitment portal HERE.

1. Visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile, ensuring it is accurate and complete (employment records, qualifications, languages).
2. Candidates are requested to attach a Letter of Motivation to the online profile.
3. Only higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) will be considered.  These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
4. Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered.

You are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline date (03/Dec/2025)