Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Position: One Health Legal Consultant
Duty station: Home-based, with possible missions to Caribbean countries
Organizational Unit: SLC – FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean
Duration: 6 months
Application deadline: 27 November 2025
FAO has launched a call for expressions of interest for a One Health Legal Consultant to support a regional project on preparedness and response to emerging health threats in the Caribbean. The position is home-based, with close collaboration with national authorities and international experts, and possible travel in the region.
The project is being implemented in St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda, with a strong focus on veterinary and zoonotic surveillance, diagnostics and strengthening veterinary services under a One Health lens.
About the assignment
The consultant will work under the technical supervision of a FAO Legal Officer and the general supervision of the FAO Livestock Development Officer in the Caribbean Subregional Office.
The legal work is aligned with FAO’s Strategic Framework and the 2030 Agenda, especially around:
- sustainable and resilient agrifood systems,
- prevention and control of zoonoses and emerging diseases,
- food safety and veterinary legislation,
- and the broader One Health interface between natural resources, health, pollution and biodiversity.
The consultant will be expected to coordinate closely with national experts and stakeholders in the concerned Caribbean countries and contribute to both national and regional legal analyses.
Key areas of technical focus
- One Health governance and legal frameworks (national and regional)
- Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response in agrifood systems
- Animal health, zoonoses and food safety law
- Legal aspects at the interface between environment, biodiversity, pollution and health
Main duties and responsibilities
The One Health Legal Consultant will:
- Familiarize him/herself with the project’s objectives and FAO’s One Health legal methodology.
- Coordinate and supervise national affiliate personnel, supporting a team of national experts to develop country legal reports and to organize national consultations and validation meetings.
- Liaise closely with national counterparts, organizing bilateral and multilateral meetings (online and, where needed, in person).
- Support and participate in meetings, workshops and stakeholder consultations at national and regional levels.
- Provide legal support for the drafting, discussion and revision of sector-specific legislation, including animal health, zoonoses, food safety and One Health-related frameworks.
- Take part, when requested, in regional discussions, online sessions and travel missions.
- Develop a regional legal report that will include:
- a summary of national findings,
- a comparative legal analysis across the participating Caribbean countries,
- an analysis of existing regional legislation,
- and recommendations to strengthen legal preparedness for pandemic risks.
- Perform other related duties as required by FAO.
Profile and minimum requirements
- University degree in Law or a closely related legal field.
- At least 7 years of relevant experience in legal approaches to:
- One Health,
- pandemic prevention and preparedness,
- animal health law, zoonoses or related fields.
- Working knowledge of English at Level C.
FAO core competencies required:
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationships
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Desired technical and functional skills
- Familiarity with the work and procedures of international organizations, regional bodies and national governments.
- Knowledge of project management and strategic planning, including budgets and basic financial reporting.
- Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to guide and coordinate dispersed teams.
- Ability to promote efficiency and best practices towards achieving project objectives.
- Good command of standard office software (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Experience in legal drafting and implementation of national projects is a strong asset.
- Prior experience working in the Caribbean region would be an advantage.
Why this position matters for the One Health and veterinary community
Legal frameworks are a cornerstone of effective One Health implementation. This consultancy will help:
- clarify and strengthen the legal basis for animal health, zoonoses and food safety in several Caribbean states;
- improve pandemic preparedness and response at the human–animal–environment interface;
- provide a comparative legal perspective that can inspire similar reforms in other regions, including Africa;
- create bridges between veterinary services, public health authorities, environmental agencies and lawmakers.
For AfricaVET readers with a legal background in One Health, animal health or public health law, this assignment offers a chance to contribute to a regional programme and to deepen experience in multicountry legal analysis and One Health governance.
How to apply
Applications are submitted exclusively via the FAO online recruitment portal (Jobs at FAO). Candidates should:
- Create or update their online profile, including detailed employment history, academic qualifications and language skills.
- Attach a motivation letter.
- Ensure that their higher education degrees are from institutions recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED).
- Submit their application before 27 November 2025 (system time applies).
Only applications received through the official FAO portal will be considered. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
