South-South Cooperation Officer
Grade: Junior level - P-2, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
Closing Date: Oct 16, 2026
Location: Santiago (Chile)
Occupational Groups: Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.

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• 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
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, 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.

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) is responsible for leading FAO's response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. RLC also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization's Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RLC develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

The position is located in the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) in Santiago, Chile.

Reporting Lines

The South-South Cooperation Officer reports to the Senior Programme Officer, RLC.

Technical Focus

·Support the promotion of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in RLC, with particular focus on governmental institutions in support of the FAO mandate and Strategic Framework 2021-2030.

·Provides policy support, knowledge sharing and good practices on transformative SSTC within the region.

·Monitors SSTC-related programmes and activities in the region at all levels and reports to key internal and external stakeholders on the results.

Key Results

Support the operational effectiveness and implementation of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation, in line with FAO's Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

  • Supports country-level actions guided by FAO's Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs), subregional and regional priority frameworks and higher-level strategic frameworks of the Organization in order to transform FAO's knowledge products into country-level results and impacts.

  • Provides technical assistance and participate in negotiations with governments, partners, FAO units and programmes in the development, expansion and effective use of SSC initiatives.

  • Provides assistance to FAO Representatives and regional organizations for the identification of SSC initiatives to support Country Programme Framework (CPF) and regional strategies; participate in the SSC formulation process (identification and appraisal).

  • Contributes to implementation in coordination and consultation with the staff in the region.

  • Participates in building partnerships with relevant stakeholders and resources mobilization in support of SSC.

  • Contributes to the development of a dynamic and results-based M-E system and SSC communication strategy.

  • Prepares analytical reports and provides information to management, collaborating countries and partners on the achievements of SSC and lessons learned.

  • Performs other related duties as required.

Specific Functions

  • Produces regular briefs and other documents explaining donor policies/trends and alerts senior management on major donor issues and recommendations on ways to improve FAO's South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) at local/regional levels.

  • Supportsthe coordination of meetings and ensures effective coordination with relevant HQ Divisions particularly with the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division (PST) as well as other relevant Division, Offices and Centres

  • Provides support to the Country Offices on reporting on SSTC within Country Annual Reporting (CAR) process to improve the quality, consistency and visibility of SSTC across the region.

  • Regularly monitors existing SSTC agreements, initiatives and partnerships at regional and national levels and provides comprehensive reports to senior management.

  • Explores new strategic SSTC opportunities and partners with the aim to support country-level actions guided by FAO's Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs), subregional and regional priority frameworks and higher-level strategic frameworks.

  • Assists in the analysis of existing internal policies and processes on SSTC and proposes improvements.

  • Supports the review of the quality, consistency and appropriateness of SSTC materials, activities, processes and messages shared with partners.

  • Provides support to staff in Decentralized Offices on the use of corporate requirements related to SSTC.

  • Assists in developing tools for capacity building and sharing experiences among staff at the Regional Office and Decentralized Offices to strengthen FAO's capacity to develop and implement SSTC programmes and activities.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

  • Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in agricultural, economics, social sciences or closely related fields.

  • Three years of relevant experience in agriculture and rural development, including experience in programme/project formulation/implementation, planning, partnership, policy development, capacity building, resource mobilization and monitoring and evaluation, including international experience.

  • Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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 is desirable.

  • Extent of experience in agricultural development related to south-south cooperation, partnership, capacity development, knowledge exchange and technical cooperation programmes.

  • Extent of knowledge and experience in the region and extent and relevance of experience with project formulation/implementation, resource mobilization and monitoring and evaluation.

  • Extent of familiarity with food security issues relevant to developing countries.

  • Ability to effectively plan and organize work and respond promptly.

  • Good communication skills, both oral and in writing.

  • Demonstrated ability to analyse food security related issues and prepare analytical reports.

  • Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of Spanish is a strong asset.

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

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GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds
  • FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
  • Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: https://commonsystem.org/cp/default.asp
Other benefits, subject to eligibility, 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; optional life insurance
• Disability protection
FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes:
• elements of family-friendly policies
• flexible working arrangements
• standards of conduct.
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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
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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