National Digital Agriculture Expert

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