Descrizione dell'offerta
Senior Agricultural Officer (Agricultural Machinery)
Job Title: Senior Agricultural Officer (Agricultural Machinery) Posted: 19 May 2026 (Closure: 02 Jun :59) Unit: NSP – Plant Production and Protection Division Location: Rome, Italy Type: Staff – Professional, Fixed Term (2 years, possibility of extension)
Job Summary
The Senior Agricultural Officer (Agricultural Machinery) will lead the Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) component of the Crop and Mechanization Systems team. The role provides technical leadership, develops policies, and promotes the adoption of innovative machinery and digital tools to increase productivity, sustainability, and resilience of diverse cropping systems.
Key Functions
- Plan, manage, and lead multidisciplinary teams and cross‑divisional committees.
- Analyse global and country‑specific requirements to inform the FAO Strategic Framework and Programme of Work.
- Implement and monitor programmes with evidence‑based strategies, tools, systems, and reporting frameworks.
- Conduct research and analysis to develop technical standards, publications, and policy‐advisory services.
- Provide technical and policy advisory services to FAO Members and to Decentralised Offices.
- Lead capacity‑development and knowledge‑sharing activities for Members, including preparation of learning materials and online tools.
- Represent FAO at international meetings, advocate partnerships, and negotiate agreements with private and public sector partners.
- Lead or participate in resource mobilisation aligned with the FAO Strategic Framework.
Specific Functions
- Lead the development and dissemination of methodologies and guidelines for SAM and digitalisation.
- Enhance integration of SAM, automation, and digital tools across crop value chains, especially in low‑input small‑holder systems.
- Support Member countries and regional bodies in implementing SAM and digitalisation strategies.
- Build and nurture strategic partnerships with governments, NGOs, academia, and farmers’ groups.
- Manage human and financial resources of the SAM group.
- Oversee quality assurance of technical support to Members for machinery adoption.
- Advise on programmes and projects that include SAM components and service delivery systems.
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in agricultural engineering, agricultural machinery design, agronomy with a focus on machinery, or related field.
- Ten years of relevant experience in agricultural mechanisation, especially SAM, in public or private sectors or international organisations.
- Proficiency (level C) in English and intermediate proficiency (level B) in another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).
- Experience in planning and delivering mechanisation strategies and programmes.
- Experience using a systems approach to SAM, including ecosystems management, value chains, and modern agricultural systems.
- Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary teams, working groups or networks on machinery, policies, standards and systems.
- Knowledge of business‑model development, precision and conservation agriculture, and related concepts.
- Experience providing technical or policy advice to countries on SAM.
- Experience promoting capacity development and creating related educational tools and materials.
General Information
- Extension of fixed‑term appointments is based on performance certification and fund availability.
- FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
- Appointment subject to medical fitness, accreditation, visa, and security clearance requirements.
Conditions of Service
- Competitive compensation and benefits package in accordance with UN salary scales (information available at
- Benefits include dependency allowances, rental subsidy, education grant for children, home‑leave travel, 30 working days annual leave, UN Joint Staff Pension Fund entitlements, international health insurance, optional life insurance, and disability protection.
- FAO encourages inclusive workplace culture with family‑friendly policies, flexible working arrangements, and high standards of conduct.