Innovation Hub Coordinator for Southern Africa

Job Description

The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative or Assistant FAO Representative for Programmes, the direct technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer and the direct technical and operational day-to-day guidance of the Project Coordinator (PC) at Lead technical Unit (LTU) in the Office of Innovation (OIN) at FAO in Rome, and in close collaboration with the National Project Coordinator (NPC) at the Ministry of Agriculture, and project staff in OIN (project implementation unit) and the country and in other implementing countries of the project.

The Hub Coordinator orchestrates regional innovation ecosystem development for agroecological transitions, combining project management with ecosystem facilitation. The incumbent coordinates Partner Hub Organizations, ensures alignment between country and regional activities, and builds networks among innovation actors including research institutions, development partners, private sector, and community-driven initiatives. She/he will work closely with the national counterpart and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the project's successful delivery.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Project Management and Coordination

• Plan and implement Inception Phase activities (assessments, launching events, stakeholder engagement)
• Develop work plans and budgets (under the supervision of the Budget Holder) ensuring timely delivery of milestones
• Coordinate Partner Hub Organizations through regular meetings and annual workshops
• Prepare project documentation and reports for FAO management and donors
• Support Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system implementation
• Draft Terms of Reference and manage affiliate personnel and service providers.

Technical Leadership

• Ensure quality and methodological compliance of Innovation Policy Labs and national roadmap processes
• Support agricultural innovation system (AIS) for agroecology transition assessments, and data collection in Zimbabwe
• Co-design and market the four hub services (ENVISION, EMPOWER, UNLOCK, ACCELERATE)
• Oversee development of regional innovation portfolios for agroecological transitions
• Support training programs for innovation facilitators and the Community of Practice.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships

• Build relationships with government, civil society, private sector, and community organizations
• Organize multi-stakeholder platforms and Policy Innovation Challenges
• Facilitate engagement with EU Delegations, DeSIRA+ implementers, and development partners
• Coordinate with regional, continental and international organizations (ex: SADC, EALA, COMESA ASARECA, CCADERSA, CGIAR, Agroecology coalition, PELUM Association, FARA, RUFORUM)
• Organize and participate in project workshops, assessments, and roadmap discussions in Zimbabwe.

Knowledge Management and Outreach

• Coordinate the technical development of regional hub guidebooks, documenting services and lessons learned
• Support the preparation of outreach materials and knowledge products with technical inputs (news briefs, policy briefs, publications)
• Contribute to regional technical content for the TAPipedia platform and AIS country Dashboard
• Liaise with other subregional coordinators to exchange information and lessons learned.

How to Apply

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills

Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile

Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application