Posting date: 7 April 2026
Application deadline: 22 April 2026
Organizational Unit: OIN – Office of Innovation
Job type: Non-staff opportunity
Type of requisition: Consultant
Primary location: Dakar, Senegal
Duration: 11 months, renewable.
FAO is seeking applications for the position of Innovation Hub Coordinator for Western Africa, a consultancy-based role that will be hosted in Dakar, Senegal. The position sits within FAO’s Office of Innovation (OIN) and is part of a wider effort to strengthen agrifood innovation systems across sub-Saharan Africa. For professionals working at the intersection of agroecology, innovation systems, regional coordination, and partnership building, this is a strategically important opportunity with both regional and international relevance.
FAO notes in the vacancy announcement that it remains committed to workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background, and culture. The organization also reiterates its standards on integrity, professional conduct, confidentiality, and zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination.
Organizational setting
The role is housed within FAO’s Office of Innovation, which supports Member States in strengthening agrifood innovation systems and also helps drive innovation across FAO’s own programmes, approaches, and cooperation models. According to the vacancy announcement, OIN helps mainstream innovation across FAO’s Programme Priority Areas, encourages cross-collaboration between units, and supports the building of transformative partnerships.
The position is linked to the MAINSTREAM Project, which is managed by OIN in close collaboration with the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF), as well as subregional and country offices in Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. The project aims to strengthen capacities for mission-oriented agrifood innovation systems (MAIS) in sub-Saharan Africa in order to deploy and scale gender-responsive and transformative innovations that support sustainability transitions through agroecology. In Senegal, the project will be implemented in accordance with the signed FAO-Government agreement, and the Regional Hub Coordinator will work closely with the National Project Coordinator appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Reporting lines
The selected candidate will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative or Assistant FAO Representative for Programmes, under the direct technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer, and under the direct technical and day-to-day operational guidance of the Project Coordinator at the Lead Technical Unit in the Office of Innovation in Rome. The role also requires close collaboration with the National Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture, project staff in OIN, country-level teams, and staff in other implementing countries.
Technical focus
FAO describes the position as one that will orchestrate regional innovation ecosystem development for agroecological transitions. The role combines project management with ecosystem facilitation. The coordinator will be expected to align country-level and regional activities, coordinate partner hub organizations, and build networks among innovation actors, including research institutions, development partners, the private sector, and community-driven initiatives. The successful candidate will also work closely with national counterparts and other relevant stakeholders to ensure smooth and effective project delivery.
Main responsibilities
1. Project management and coordination
A major part of the job is operational and strategic coordination. The coordinator will plan and implement Inception Phase activities, including assessments, launch events, and stakeholder engagement processes. The post also involves the development of work plans and budgets, under the supervision of the Budget Holder, while ensuring that project milestones are delivered on time.
The coordinator will manage and coordinate Partner Hub Organizations through regular meetings and annual workshops. The role also includes preparing project documentation and reports for FAO management and donors, supporting the implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) systems, and drafting Terms of Reference while managing affiliated personnel and service providers.
2. Technical leadership
The role goes beyond coordination. FAO expects the Hub Coordinator to ensure the quality and methodological compliance of Innovation Policy Labs and national roadmap processes. The successful candidate will support agricultural innovation system (AIS) assessments for agroecology transition and related data collection in Senegal.
The coordinator will also help co-design and promote the four hub services identified in the project: ENVISION, EMPOWER, UNLOCK, and ACCELERATE. In addition, the role includes overseeing the development of regional innovation portfolios for agroecological transitions and supporting training programmes for innovation facilitators and the wider Community of Practice.
3. Stakeholder engagement and partnerships
This is a strongly networked role requiring high-level engagement skills. The Hub Coordinator will build and maintain relationships with government actors, civil society, the private sector, and community organizations. The position also involves organizing multi-stakeholder platforms and Policy Innovation Challenges, and facilitating engagement with EU Delegations, DeSIRA+ implementers, and other development partners.
FAO further indicates that the coordinator will interact with regional, continental, and international organizations such as ECOWAS, ARAA, CORAF, CGIAR, AFSA, CNCR, FARA, and RUFORUM. The post holder will also organize and participate in workshops, assessments, and roadmap discussions in Senegal.
4. Knowledge management and outreach
The vacancy also emphasizes knowledge generation and communication. The coordinator will help guide the technical development of regional hub guidebooks, document services and lessons learned, and support the preparation of outreach materials and knowledge products, including news briefs, policy briefs, and publications. The role further includes contributing regional content to the TAPipedia platform and the AIS country Dashboard, while liaising with other subregional coordinators to exchange lessons and practical experience.
Minimum requirements
To be eligible, candidates must hold an advanced university degree, at least MSc level, from an institution recognized by the IAU/UNESCO, in one of the following or related fields: agricultural innovation systems, rural development, agroecology, agricultural economics, development studies, innovation management, agricultural extension/education, or related social sciences. FAO notes that consultants with only a bachelor’s degree must have two additional years of relevant professional experience.
Applicants must also demonstrate at least five years of proven experience in several areas: project management in an international context, facilitation and coordination of multistakeholder innovation processes, interaction with policy- and decision-makers at various levels, work with regional programmes or networks, and capacity development and training delivery. Full professional proficiency in French and English is mandatory.
Core competencies and technical skills
FAO highlights its standard core competencies for this post: Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, and Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement.
On the technical side, the organization is looking for candidates with solid capacity in innovation scaling approaches, ecosystem-based strategies, agroecological transitions, sustainable agriculture, policy engagement, institutional development, participatory co-creation methodologies, partnership building, stakeholder management, knowledge brokerage, and networking. Experience with MEL systems is specifically mentioned, as is demonstrated experience working in sub-Saharan Africa. Familiarity with agricultural innovation systems and agroecology in the sub-region is considered particularly important. Experience with FAO is an asset, and knowledge of regional languages is also considered an advantage.
Additional information from FAO
FAO makes clear that it does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or processing. The organization also states that it will only consider degrees obtained from institutions recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) and aligned with relevant education classification standards. Appointment will remain subject to medical fitness, accreditation, residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
The vacancy notice further states that incomplete applications will not be considered and that candidates may be asked to provide performance assessments and authorization for background verification relating to work history, education, character, and other relevant records. Personal information may be shared with service providers acting on FAO’s behalf for recruitment support, subject to candidate consent.
How to apply
Interested candidates must apply through the official FAO recruitment portal by completing an online profile that includes employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills. Applicants are also requested to attach a letter of motivation. FAO stresses that only applications submitted through its recruitment portal will be considered, and that candidates are encouraged to apply well before the deadline. The closing date listed in the vacancy is 22 April 2026.
Why this opportunity matters
This is not a routine project coordination role. It is a regional innovation leadership position within a major FAO initiative focused on agroecology, innovation systems, and sustainable agrifood transformation in West Africa. The coordinator will sit at a critical junction between policy, partnerships, technical facilitation, and knowledge systems. For professionals with experience in regional programmes, stakeholder engagement, and innovation ecosystem development, this consultancy offers an opportunity to shape how agrifood transformation is organized and scaled in one of Africa’s most strategic regions.
