Jobs – Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa

Job Posting: 23 April 2026
Closure Date: 22 May 2026, 12:59 AM
Organizational Unit: Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE)
Job Type: Staff position
Type of Requisition: Senior-level
Grade Level: D-1
Primary Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration: Fixed term: two years, with possibility of extension
Post Number: 1077112
CCOG Code: 1A11

Important Notice: Please note that the closure date and time displayed above are based on the date and time settings of the applicant’s personal device. For internal FAO candidates, the length of appointment will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture. Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non- and under-represented Members, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct and to uphold FAO’s values. As a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, FAO has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality. FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation towards 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’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to its strategic objectives and operations.

The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) leads FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities across the continent. It promotes a multidisciplinary approach to programmes and, in collaboration with subregional offices and headquarters divisions, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.

The Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE) and FAO Representation in Ethiopia is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies and projects for transforming agrifood systems. It also develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions. SFE is a subsidiary of the FAO Regional Office for Africa.

The position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and covers the following countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

The Subregional Coordinator (SRC) also serves as FAO Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union (AU), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Reporting Lines

The Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa works under the guidance of, and reports to, the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Africa (ADG/RR) at the FAO Regional Office for Africa in Accra, Ghana.

The Subregional Coordinator leads the multidisciplinary technical teams in the Subregional Office for Eastern Africa. He or she leads FAO’s response to subregional priorities in line with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31, the Regional Priorities of the FAO Africa Regional Conference, and is accountable for FAO activities in the subregion. The SRC also represents FAO to the African Union and UNECA.

The position is part of the RAF Core Leadership Team (CLT) and contributes to strategic issues such as work planning, programming, budgeting and other regional priorities.

Summary of Duties and Functions

The Subregional Coordinator is FAO’s focal point for addressing subregional issues related to food security, nutrition, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, sustainable natural resource management, climate change, and rural development.

The SRC heads a Subregional Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), including the Resilience Team for East Africa, and supports the effective delivery of RAF Programme Areas of Work and Regional Priorities. The role contributes to the preparation of Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) agreed between FAO and Member countries of the subregion and ensures effective collaboration with the African Union, subregional economic integration organizations, UN entities at subregional and national levels, and other subregional institutions and media.

As FAO Representative to the African Union and UNECA, the Subregional Coordinator liaises with the leadership and management of these institutions to promote and support FAO and agreed regional flagship initiatives and priorities in Africa, using regional and subregional platforms.

The Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa also serves as the FAO Representative to Ethiopia, as well as to other countries in the subregion where FAO has no Representatives or Representations, in order to promote FAO’s support to national priorities.

In particular, he/she will:

Oversight of FAO strategic planning and programme development in the subregion

• Lead the analysis and dialogue on subregional priorities and the development of subregional strategies.
• Advise and collaborate with internal partners to ensure that subregional priorities are reflected in corporate and regional policies.
• Ensure timely technical support to FAO’s contributions to UN common planning and programming frameworks, including UNSDCF, CAP, and Flash Appeals, as well as to CPFs and related programmes and projects.
• Lead subregional mobilization of extrabudgetary resources, making optimum use of expertise available in decentralized offices.

Programme implementation and monitoring

• Support Member Nations in addressing food insecurity, malnutrition, hunger and inequalities in collaboration with institutional partners in the subregion.
• Coordinate and ensure timely and appropriate implementation and technical backstopping of FAO programmes and projects in the subregion in close collaboration with technical divisions and units.
• Undertake regular reporting and monitoring on subregional programmes.

Leadership on knowledge management

• Support and, where relevant, lead subregional policy dialogue on areas within FAO’s mandate.
• Facilitate timely access by subregional stakeholders to FAO’s knowledge resources, global public goods, and knowledge-sharing platforms.

Management of human and financial resources

• Lead and manage the Subregional Office and ensure effective and efficient use of human and financial resources in line with corporate policies and procedures.
• Manage all matters related to the security and safety of FAO personnel and their eligible dependents, ensuring full adherence to UN security policy, rules and regulations, and security-related instructions issued by FAO.
• Promote and lead initiatives under the FAO Corporate Environmental Policy and the Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy 2020–2030 to reduce emissions, increase efficiency and integrate sustainability into daily operations.

Contacts and partnerships

• Support the establishment of effective partnerships and collaborations with governments, donors, civil society, academia, NGOs, UN organizations and other international institutions.
• Advocate FAO’s policy positions in relevant subregional fora, represent FAO in the media, and implement a proactive communications strategy to strengthen FAO’s visibility.
• Support UN joint communication efforts at the subregional level and help ensure the system speaks with one voice.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in agriculture, fishery, forestry, or international relations.
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of relevant professional experience in development issues and management, resource mobilization, especially familiarity with international financial institutions and global funding mechanisms for agriculture and environment, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Adaptation Fund, as well as private sector or blended finance modalities.
• Extensive managerial and professional experience in fields related to FAO’s mandate.
• Demonstrated professional competence, proven leadership capability, effective management skills, and strategic leadership of a high order in relevant subject areas and in an international setting.
• Extensive experience and competence in partnerships with intergovernmental and international organizations, national governments, technical and donor partners, private sector actors, civil society organizations, youth and women’s organizations, and farmer associations.
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English and limited knowledge (Level B) of another FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Leadership Competencies

• Results focus
• Leading, engaging and empowering others
• Communication
• Partnering and advocating
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
• Strategic thinking

FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO’s values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All, Integrity and Transparency.

General Information

• Please note that the Organization does not appoint individuals as FAO Representatives in their own country or countries of nationality.
• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

Conditions of Service

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. Subject to eligibility, this may include:

• dependency allowances
• rental subsidy
• education grant for children
• home leave travel
• 30 working days of annual leave per year
• pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
• international health insurance and optional life insurance
• disability protection

FAO also promotes a positive workplace culture through family-friendly policies, flexible working arrangements, and standards of conduct.

How to Apply

• Visit the Jobs at FAO recruitment website and complete your online profile.
• Ensure that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications and language skills.
• Attach a letter of motivation to your online profile.
• Once your profile is completed, submit your application.
• FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from institutions recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) and aligned with ISCED mappings.
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization for verification of work history, character, education, military and police records, where relevant.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Only applications received through the official FAO recruitment portal will be considered.
• Applicants are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline.

If support is needed, candidates may create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for assistance.