National Digital Agriculture Expert

Position details

• Vacancy number: 2602265
• Opportunity type: Non-staff opportunities
• Grade / contract type: PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
• Organizational unit: FESRB - FAO Representation in Serbia
• Duration: 25 working days (when actually employed)
• Application deadline: 24/Nov/2026, 2:59:00 PM

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• 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 person 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

Organizational Setting

FAO Serbia works with the Government of the Republic of Serbia to modernize agriculture and rural services and to advance the country’s digital transformation and EU-accession agenda. Through the Technical Cooperation Programme project “Enhancing digital public services in agriculture through capacity development and user-centered design” (TCP/SRB/4101), FAO aims to assess the status of digital agriculture in Serbia, among other activities. The project complements the joint initiative “Digital Service Design Hub – Clicking Together with Citizens”.

Working alongside an international Digital Agriculture Specialist, the National Digital Agriculture Expert provides the country-specific expertise, institutional access and language support that make this work possible – ensuring that findings and recommendations are firmly grounded in the realities of Serbian farmers and institutions.

This position offers a consultancy contract for 25 days on when-actually-employed (WAE) basis.

The incumbent shall be based in the Republic of Serbia . The assignment is home-based and may include field travel across Serbia (costs covered by FAO) to support senior colleagues in key informant interviews, stakeholder consultations and the national workshop. Only candidates holding citizenship and/or a valid residence and work permit in the Republic of Serbia are eligible to apply.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the National Technical Coordinator, in close collaboration with and under the technical guidance of the International Consultant (Digital Agriculture Specialist) and the Lead Technical Officer (Head of Digital Agriculture, FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia), and under the overall supervision of the Budget Holder (FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia).

Technical Focus

The incumbent will contribute to the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework linked mainly to Digital Agriculture (BP5): “Provision of analytical and technical support for conducting research and assessments, studies, formulating strategies, programmes, and supporting projects for the digitalization of food and agriculture and rural areas.”

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Contribute to the assessment of the status of digital agriculture in Serbia, in close coordination with the international consultant, by leading the collection and analysis of country-specific information. 
•    Provide technical support on the national policy and regulatory framework, institutional landscape, ICT infrastructure, and rural connectivity, existing digital agriculture programmes, and other relevant topics, and contribute to the preparation of the assessment report, including the gap analysis and prioritized recommendations for policy actions and investments.
•    Support the international consultant in engaging with national stakeholders, including relevant government ministries, agencies, farmer organizations, private sector actors and development partners, by coordinating and conducting key informant interviews and consultations. 
•    Analyse stakeholder inputs and ensure that national priorities, challenges and opportunities are accurately reflected in the assessment and recommendations.
•    Contribute to the design, organization and technical delivery of the national multi-stakeholder workshop, including identifying and engaging participants, preparing technical inputs and supporting the facilitation of discussions to validate findings and identify priority actions for advancing digital agriculture in Serbia.
•    Review all draft project outputs – including the revised report on farmer-centric digital public services and the assessment report – for factual accuracy, national relevance and consistency with the Serbian institutional and policy context.
•    Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    University degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Information Systems or ICT, Data Science, Public Administration, or a related field.
•    At least five years of relevant professional experience in conducting research, producing analytical reports and knowledge products, including substantive engagement with the Serbian agrifood and/or digital sectors.
•    Working knowledge (Level C) of English and fluency (Level C) in Serbian.
•    National of Republic of Serbia or a resident of the country with valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Strong working knowledge of Serbia’s agrifood policy, institutional architecture and digital public services landscape.
•    Experience in designing and conducting qualitative research, including key informant interviews and desk reviews.
•    Experience in facilitating planning, organization and facilitation of workshops and consultations.

Selection Criteria

•    Proficiency in using MS Office suite, namely Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
•    Familiarity with Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and its components and EU accession requirements for agriculture
•    Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
•    Experience working with international organizations or donor-funded projects
•    Strong problem-solving skills
•    Strong time-management skills
•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills
•    Ability to collaborate effectively with team members 
•    Strong attention to detail
•    Ability to work independently

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• 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/ 
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required. Vaccination status will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.

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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